I can’t wait to share my Lemon Meltaway Cookies, a ridiculously simple recipe made with just a few ingredients that everyone asks me for.

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I baked Lemon Meltaway Cookies last week and I’m still thinking about them. They literally melt in your mouth, light and chewy with a pop of brightness from fresh lemon zest and the richness of unsalted butter that somehow makes them feel dangerously easy.

The glaze is glossy and addictive, so yeah people called them the Best Cookies Ever and I couldn’t argue. I kept saying I would only have one and ended up hiding the plate.

I don’t know what makes them so perfect, maybe luck, maybe timing, but once you try them you’ll want this recipe on repeat.

Ingredients

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All purpose flour provides carbohydrates and structure, makes cookies tender but low in fiber
Cornstarch adds silkiness and melt in your mouth texture, mostly starch so little protein
Unsalted butter is the main source of fat and richness, gives flavor and tender crumb, very calorie dense
Granulated sugar sweetens aggressively and helps browning, pure carbs with no fiber or protein
Egg yolk adds fat, richness and some protein, helps bind dough and adds color
Lemon zest and juice zest gives bright oils and aroma, juice adds tang and acidity, cuts sweetness
Powdered sugar for the glaze creates a sweet smooth topping, mostly sugar so adds quick sweetness
Vanilla extract adds aromatic notes and depth with almost no calories or nutrients

Ingredient Quantities

2 1/4 cups (280 g) all purpose flour

1/2 cup (60 g) cornstarch

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup (225 g) unsalted butter, softened (about 2 sticks)

3/4 cup (150 g) granulated sugar

1 large egg yolk

1 tablespoon fresh lemon zest (about 1 lemon)

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup (120 g) powdered sugar for the glaze

1 to 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice for the glaze

How to Make this

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1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment or a silicone mat, set aside.

2. Whisk together 2 1/4 cups (280 g) all purpose flour, 1/2 cup (60 g) cornstarch, 1/2 teaspoon baking powder and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a bowl so it’s evenly mixed.

3. In a separate bowl cream 1 cup (225 g) softened unsalted butter with 3/4 cup (150 g) granulated sugar until light and a little fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes with a mixer; scrape the bowl then add 1 large egg yolk, 1 tablespoon fresh lemon zest, 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and mix until just combined.

4. Add the dry mix to the butter mix in two additions and stir on low until just combined, don’t overwork it or the cookies get tough; the dough will be soft, if it feels too sticky chill 15 to 30 minutes.

5. Scoop or roll dough into about 1 tablespoon sized balls, place them 2 inches apart on the prepared sheet and gently flatten each ball slightly with the palm of your hand or the bottom of a glass.

6. For best shape chill the tray of cookies for 15 to 30 minutes, this helps them keep their shape and gives a tender texture, but you can bake right away if you’re in a hurry.

7. Bake 10 to 12 minutes until edges are set and centers look barely set, don’t brown them, rotate the pan halfway if your oven is uneven; cool on the pan 5 minutes then move to a wire rack.

8. For the glaze sift 1 cup (120 g) powdered sugar into a bowl then stir in 1 to 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice until smooth and pourable, start with 1 tablespoon and add more if you want a thinner glaze.

9. Dip the tops of cooled cookies in the glaze or spoon it over, let the glaze set about 20 to 30 minutes; store cookies airtight up to 3 days or freeze baked or raw dough for longer.

10. Tips you’ll thank me for: always zest before you juice, measure flour by spooning and leveling, use room temp butter for proper creaming, don’t overbake, and cornstarch is the secret to that melt in your mouth texture.

Equipment Needed

1. Oven (preheat to 350°F)
2. Baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicone mat
3. Mixing bowls, big and medium
4. Electric mixer or hand mixer (or a whisk if you wanna work your arm)
5. Measuring cups and spoons plus a kitchen scale for accuracy
6. Rubber spatula and a wooden spoon for folding and scraping
7. Cookie scoop or tablespoon and a small plate for rolling/spacing dough
8. Wire cooling rack
9. Microplane zester and a small citrus juicer

FAQ

Q: How long do I bake these cookies and at what temp? A: Bake on a lined sheet at 350°F (175°C) for about 10-12 minutes until the edges are just set and the bottoms are a very light golden, theyll look a bit soft but firm up as they cool.

Q: My cookies spread too much, how do I stop that? A: Chill the dough for 30-60 minutes before shaping, use room temp not warm butter, and dont overcream the butter and sugar or you'll trap too much air.

Q: Can I use salted butter or margarine instead of unsalted butter? A: You can use salted butter, just skip or cut back on added salt, but margarine will give less flavor and a different texture so its not recommended for best results.

Q: How do I make the lemon flavor stronger without wrecking the dough? A: Use more lemon zest not extra juice, zest packs the best lemon oils. You can also add 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon lemon extract if you want it bolder.

Q: How do I glaze and what consistency should it be? A: Mix 1 cup powdered sugar with 1 to 2 tablespoons lemon juice — 1 tbsp for a thick spreadable glaze, 2 tbsp for a drizzle. Add juice by drops till you hit the look you want, if its too runny add more powdered sugar.

Q: Best way to store or freeze them? A: Store in an airtight container at room temp up to 3-4 days, keep glazed cookies in a single layer or separate with parchment. Freeze unglazed dough or baked cookies up to 3 months, thaw at room temp then glaze.

Lemon Meltaway Cookies Recipe Substitutions and Variations

All purpose flour: swap with cake or pastry flour (use the same cup measure) for a lighter, more tender cookie, or use a 1:1 gluten free flour blend by weight if you need GF — make sure it contains xanthan gum.
Cornstarch: replace 1:1 with arrowroot powder or tapioca starch, they give the same tender, meltaway texture.
Unsalted butter: use salted butter instead and skip or cut the 1/4 tsp salt to a pinch, or for dairy free use solid coconut oil measured by weight (225 g) — expect a faint coconut note.
Powdered sugar (for glaze): if you don’t have it, blitz granulated sugar in a blender with 1 tbsp cornstarch until powdery, then use the same volume for the glaze, or grab store bought confectioners sugar.

Pro Tips

1) Zest before you juice the lemon, always. Zesting first saves you from a sad, flavorless moment when the lemon is half used and your zest is gone. Also, if the dough feels too sticky, pop it in the fridge for 15 to 30 minutes instead of adding a bunch more flour.

2) Use room temp butter for the creaming step, but not melted. Cream until light and a little fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes, then stop. Overmixing after you add the flour will make the cookies tough, so fold gently and don’t keep the mixer running.

3) Cornstarch is the secret for that melt in your mouth texture, so don’t skip it. For the glaze, sift the powdered sugar first and add lemon juice one teaspoon at a time until it’s just pourable; too thin and it runs off, too thick and it looks clumpy.

4) Bake until the edges are set and centers still look a bit soft, not brown. Use a light-colored baking sheet, rotate halfway if needed, and let cookies cool on the pan for 5 minutes before transferring to a rack so they finish without breaking or overbaking.

Lemon Meltaway Cookies Recipe

Recipe by Tina Bueller

0.0 from 0 votes

I can't wait to share my Lemon Meltaway Cookies, a ridiculously simple recipe made with just a few ingredients that everyone asks me for.

Servings

servings

Calories

165

kcal

Equipment: 1. Oven (preheat to 350°F)
2. Baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicone mat
3. Mixing bowls, big and medium
4. Electric mixer or hand mixer (or a whisk if you wanna work your arm)
5. Measuring cups and spoons plus a kitchen scale for accuracy
6. Rubber spatula and a wooden spoon for folding and scraping
7. Cookie scoop or tablespoon and a small plate for rolling/spacing dough
8. Wire cooling rack
9. Microplane zester and a small citrus juicer

Ingredients

2 1/4 cups (280 g) all purpose flour
1/2 cup (60 g) cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup (225 g) unsalted butter, softened (about 2 sticks)
3/4 cup (150 g) granulated sugar
1 large egg yolk
1 tablespoon fresh lemon zest (about 1 lemon)
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup (120 g) powdered sugar for the glaze
1 to 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice for the glaze

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment or a silicone mat, set aside.
Whisk together 2 1/4 cups (280 g) all purpose flour, 1/2 cup (60 g) cornstarch, 1/2 teaspoon baking powder and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a bowl so it’s evenly mixed.
In a separate bowl cream 1 cup (225 g) softened unsalted butter with 3/4 cup (150 g) granulated sugar until light and a little fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes with a mixer; scrape the bowl then add 1 large egg yolk, 1 tablespoon fresh lemon zest, 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and mix until just combined.
Add the dry mix to the butter mix in two additions and stir on low until just combined, don’t overwork it or the cookies get tough; the dough will be soft, if it feels too sticky chill 15 to 30 minutes.
Scoop or roll dough into about 1 tablespoon sized balls, place them 2 inches apart on the prepared sheet and gently flatten each ball slightly with the palm of your hand or the bottom of a glass.
For best shape chill the tray of cookies for 15 to 30 minutes, this helps them keep their shape and gives a tender texture, but you can bake right away if you’re in a hurry.
Bake 10 to 12 minutes until edges are set and centers look barely set, don’t brown them, rotate the pan halfway if your oven is uneven; cool on the pan 5 minutes then move to a wire rack.
For the glaze sift 1 cup (120 g) powdered sugar into a bowl then stir in 1 to 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice until smooth and pourable, start with 1 tablespoon and add more if you want a thinner glaze.
Dip the tops of cooled cookies in the glaze or spoon it over, let the glaze set about 20 to 30 minutes; store cookies airtight up to 3 days or freeze baked or raw dough for longer.
Tips you’ll thank me for: always zest before you juice, measure flour by spooning and leveling, use room temp butter for proper creaming, don’t overbake, and cornstarch is the secret to that melt in your mouth texture.

Notes

Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.