Name: Lemon Meltaway Cookies
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 8 min
Total time: 43 min
Ingredients: 2 sticks salted butter (1 cup, 226 grams ); 3/4 cup white sugar; 1 large egg (room temperature); 1 zest of lemon; 2 cup all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled ); 1/2 tsp baking powder; 1 1/2 cup confectioner’s sugar; 1 juice of lemon (2 tablespoons); 1 tbsp heavy cream

close up shot of lemon meltaway cookies piled on top of each other

These lemon meltaway cookies are a bite of lemony freshness that will make you dream of summer days.

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Table of Contents

LEMON MELTAWAY COOKIES INGREDIENTS
HOW TO MAKE THIS LEMON MELTAWAY COOKIES RECIPE
HOW TO SERVE
STORAGE
MORE RECIPES YOU'LL LOVE
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These easy lemon meltaway cookies are like a burst of sunshine. A soft, buttery confection topped with a luscious lemony glaze that will melt in your mouth as soon as you take a bite.

For the best bright and refreshing citrusy treats, we can give you lots of ideas. Try our Lemon Sugar Cookies, Lemon Poke Cake, or our Lemon Lush, a southern-style dessert lasagna.

MORE COOKIES RECIPES:
Doubletree Cookies | Blueberry Cookies

LEMON MELTAWAY COOKIES INGREDIENTS

lemon meltaway cookies raw ingredient that are labeled

You will need:

FOR THE COOKIES

2 sticks (1 cup, 226 grams) salted butter
¾ cup white sugar
1 large egg, room temperature
zest of 1 lemon
2 cups of all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
½ teaspoon baking powder

FOR THE GLAZE

1 ½ cups confectioner’s sugar
juice of 1 lemon, 2 tablespoons
1 tablespoon heavy cream

Pro Tip: If you prefer, you could use lemon extract instead of zesting the lemons. The rule of thumb is ½ teaspoon of lemon extract per 1 teaspoon of zest.

SUBSTITUTIONS AND ADDITIONS

Meyer Lemons: Meyer lemons have a slightly sweeter taste than regular lemons but can easily be used as a substitute in this recipe.

Fruit: Try using different fruits in place of the lemon. Other citrusy flavors such as orange or lime, or maybe even chocolate chips or peppermint would work well in this recipe.

HOW TO MAKE THIS LEMON MELTAWAY COOKIES RECIPE

FOR THE COOKIES

STEP ONE: In a medium-sized mixing bowl, mix the butter and white sugar together. Add in the egg and continue mixing until combined. Stir in the lemon zest.

PRO TIP: When removing the zest from the lemons, be careful not to overdo it and get the white of the lemon, which can be very bitter. The zestiness is in just the yellow skin.

lemon meltaway cookies process shot of ingredients blended in a bowl

STEP TWO: Combine the flour and baking powder. Add it in batches to the wet ingredients.

STEP THREE: Taking about 2 teaspoons of the dough, shape it into a ball in your hands. Place each ball onto a parchment-lined cookie sheet and flatten just a bit.

PRO TIP: Pressing a little on each cookie dough ball will help the cookie not be too much like a ball unless you like it like that. They do melt pretty well, though, so don’t press too much.

lemon meltaway cookies process shot of dough rolled into balls and flattened onto a cookie sheet

STEP FOUR: Bake in a preheated oven at 375°F for 8 minutes.

STEP FIVE: Remove the cookies from the oven and transfer them to a wire rack. Cool cookies completely before glazing.

lemon meltaway cookies process shot of baked cookies on a cooling rack

FOR THE GLAZE

STEP ONE: In a small mixing bowl stir together the confectioner’s sugar, lemon juice, and cream.

lemon meltaway cookies process shot of ingredients being whisked in a bowl

STEP TWO: Spoon glaze onto each cookie, spreading towards the edges and decorate the top with a bit of lemon zest. The glaze will take about 15 minutes to set.

HOW TO SERVE

These lemon meltaways would make a perfect afternoon snack with a cold glass of milk. Or, we can suggest several cold beverages such as our iced tea, raspberry iced tea, sweet peach iced tea, or our southern strawberry sweet tea on the side.

Or how about sharing them as part of a cookie exchange? Pair them with Blueberry Cookies and our Shortbread Cookies for a lovely trifecta of cookies to share.

STORAGE

ON THE COUNTER: Store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature. They will keep well for up to a week.

IN THE FREEZER: The cookie dough can be wrapped in plastic wrap and frozen for up to 3 months before baking.

THAWING: Once baked, the lemon cookies can be frozen without the glaze in a container or Ziploc bag for up to a month. Let thaw, and then add the glaze when you are ready to serve them.

close up shot of lemon meltaway cookies stacked on top of each other on a rack with a bite taken out of one

These lemon meltaway cookies will be a treat as you bite into the sweet, soft cookie with a glaze that balances the sweetness of the sugar with the tart lemon. A delightful little cookie that is big on flavor, you can’t go wrong with these lovely meltaways.

MORE RECIPES YOU’LL LOVE

Lemon Meltaway Cookies

5 from 5 votes

These lemon meltaway cookies are a bite of lemony freshness that will make you dream of summer days.

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 8

Total Time 43

Servings cookies

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Ingredients

2 sticks salted butter 1 cup, 226 grams
3/4 cup white sugar
1 large egg room temperature
1 zest of lemon
2 cup all-purpose flour spooned and leveled
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 cup confectioner’s sugar
1 juice of lemon 2 tablespoons
1 tbsp heavy cream

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 375°F.
In a medium-sized mixing bowl, mix butter and white sugar.
Add the egg and continue to mix until combined.
Stir in the lemon zest.
Combine flour and baking powder and add it in batches to the wet ingredients until fully mixed.
Take about 2 teaspoons of the dough and shape it into a ball in your hands.
Place onto a parchment paper-lined cookie sheet and flatten just a little.
Bake for 8 minutes then remove from oven.
After a few minutes, transfer to a wire cooling rack. Cookies will need to be completely cooled before glazing.
In a small mixing bowl add the confectioner’s sugar, lemon juice, and cream then stir until combined.
Spoon a little onto each cookie, spreading toward the edges.
TIP: The glaze will take about 15 minutes to set before eating.
Decorate with a bit of lemon zest.

Nutrition

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Proudly Prepared by the Spaceships Kitchen

This recipe was developed, tested, cooked and photographed by the Spaceships Kitchen. From our dinner table to yours, we hope you think it's out of this world!

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Lemon Meltaway Cookies