Lemon Meltaways

Name: Lemon Meltaways
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 25 min
Yield: about 5 dozen.
Ingredients: 3/4 cup butter, softened; 1/3 cup confectioners' sugar; 1 teaspoon lemon juice; 1-1/4 cups all-purpose flour; 1/2 cup cornstarch; FROSTING:; 1/4 cup butter, softened; 3/4 cup confectioners' sugar; 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest; 1 teaspoon lemon juice; 1 to 3 drops yellow food coloring, optional

Both the cookie and the frosting are spiked with lemon in these melt-in-your-mouth goodies. —Mary Houchin, Lebanon, Illinois

Ingredients

3/4 cup butter, softened
1/3 cup confectioners' sugar
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup cornstarch
FROSTING:
1/4 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup confectioners' sugar
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 to 3 drops yellow food coloring, optional

Directions

In a bowl, beat butter and confectioners' sugar until blended. Beat in lemon juice. In a small bowl, whisk flour and cornstarch; gradually beat into butter mixture. Divide dough in half; shape each into an 8-in.-long roll. Wrap in plastic; refrigerate 2 hours or until firm.
Preheat oven to 350°. Unwrap and cut dough crosswise into 1/4-in. slices. Place 2 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets.
Bake 8-12 minutes or until firm. Remove from pans to wire racks to cool completely.
For frosting, in a small bowl, beat butter and confectioners' sugar until smooth. Beat in lemon zest, lemon juice and, if desired, food coloring. Spread over cookies.

Nutrition Facts

1 cookie: 49 calories, 3g fat (2g saturated fat), 8mg cholesterol, 25mg sodium, 5g carbohydrate (2g sugars, 0 fiber), 0 protein.

Originally published as Lemon Meltaways in Taste of Home February/March 2004

Reviews

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Average Rating:

annnnielsen

May 9, 2011

We make these in 4x batches, roll the dough and freeze. Then freeze icing in plastic bags. When ready to use, slice a corner off the bag and use for a pastry tube. Mom's favorite Mother's Day present is a gift bag full of cookie logs, with icing. And one batched baked of course.
JumpRiverGem

Jan 22, 2011

The only reason I would not make this recipe again is because the meltaway cookie just doesn't match our personal taste. I added more lemon juice and powdered sugar to the frosting to make it tangy, but I agree that the frosting does not set, so storing them is a challenge.
Anntwelve

Dec 31, 2010

The cookies were decent, but frosting was all butter with only hint of lemon. Plus, the frosting does not harden and cookies cannot be stacked. I would make these again, but use a different frosting. Probably adapt the Peppermint Meltaway frosting to use with lemon flavoring.
JillAndLea

Dec 21, 2010

A great recipe! Can't-stop-eating delicious!
debleblanc

Dec 12, 2009

I made these for Christmas 2008 and am getting ready to make them again for 2009. They are AWESOME!!
spavinaw

Jul 7, 2009

These meltaways are absolutely delicious. Our family's favorite cookie.