For two decades, these delightful lime meltaway cookies have been a cherished tradition in our family, bringing a sweet, satisfying finish to every holiday meal! These small, tender cookies are packed with bright lime flavor and literally “melt in your mouth.” Even better, they’re a fantastic make-ahead Christmas cookie, taking only about 25 minutes to mix and 8-10 minutes to bake. With dough that chills for at least an hour (or up to three days!), they’re a requested favorite every year and are sure to become a beloved tradition in your home too!
What You Will Need:
- 1 1/2 sticks of room temperature unsalted butter
- 1 cup of powdered sugar divided. 1/3 for dough and 2/3 for dusting
- zest of 2 limes
- 2 tablespoons of lime juice
- 1 teaspoon of vanilla
- 1 3/4 cups of flour
- 2 tablespoons of cornstarch
- 1/4 teaspoon of sea salt
Zesting and Juicing the Limes
I have learned the hard way that it is best to zest before juicing the limes. It does seem obvious, but if you are in a rush you may end up juicing before zesting.
Mixing and Chilling the Dough
The first step is to cream the butter with 1/3 of the powdered sugar. While the butter is creaming, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, and salt in an appropriate bowl. When the butter is creamed, add the vanilla, lime juice, and lime zest. Mix until combined. Add the flour, corn starch, and salt. The mixture will then come together as a smooth dough. Roll dough into 1/4 inch and chill for at least 30 minutes and up to three days. 1/4 inch square dowels work as a great guide for this.
Slicing and Baking the Dough
When the dough is chilled, cut the dough into 1 1/2 to 2 inch rounds. You should be able to get about 40 cookies out of the recipe. Place the cookies about 1/2 inch apart on a lined baking sheet. Bake the cookies for about 8-10 minutes at 350 degrees F. The cookies should start to brown slightly on the edges and underneath when they are done
The smell of the lime meltaway cookies baking will bring the holidays home. However, these cookies are wonderful year round!
Another make ahead cookie I have is my pecan shortbread cookie!
Please visit my cookies page for more ideas!
FAQ’s
Yes, absolutely! The dough for these lime meltaway cookies can be prepared ahead of time and needs to chill for at least an hour, but can be kept in the refrigerator for up to three days before baking.
Zesting before juicing is a crucial tip because it’s much easier to remove the flavorful zest from a whole, firm lime. Once a lime is juiced, it becomes soft and difficult to zest effectively.
Start by creaming the butter with part of the powdered sugar, then add vanilla, lime juice, and zest. Whisk together the dry ingredients (flour, cornstarch, salt) separately before gradually adding them to the wet mixture until a smooth dough forms.
For consistent 1/4-inch thickness, you can use 1/4-inch square dowels placed on either side of your dough as guides while rolling. This helps achieve an even thickness, leading to uniformly baked cookies.
When the dough is cut into 1 1/2 to 2-inch rounds, this recipe should yield approximately 40 delicious lime meltaway cookies.
Chilling the dough is crucial because it helps the butter solidify. This prevents the cookies from spreading too much while baking, which ensures they keep their shape and results in a better final texture.
Make-Ahead Lime Meltaway Cookies
Ingredients
- 1½ sticks of room temperature unsalted butter
- 1 cup of powdered sugar divided. 1/3 for dough, 2/3 for dusting.
- Zest of two limes
- 2 tablespoons of lime juice
- 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
- 1 ¾ cups of flour
- 2 tablespoons of cornstarch
- ¼ teaspoon of sea salt
Instructions
- Cream butter and ⅓ cup of the powdered sugar with a hand mixer or a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment.
- Add lime juice, lime zest, and vanilla. Mix until combined.
- In an appropriately sized bowl, sift or whisk together flour, corn starch, and salt.
- Add flour mixture to butter mixture and mix on slow speed until combined.
- Roll dough to 1/4 inch between 2 pieces of parchment paper and chill for 30 minutes.
- When dough is chilled, cut dough into 1 1/2 to 2 inch rounds.
- Place rounds on a parchment lined baking sheet one inch apart.
- Bake at 350 degrees F for 8-10 minutes or until just lightly golden brown at the edges
- After baking, let cookies cool for 15 minutes on a wire rack.
- The rest of the powdered sugar can be sprinkled on. The other option is to place the powdered sugar in a plastic bag and add the cookies. Shake carefully not to break the cookies.
Video
Notes
- Can I make the lime meltaway cookie dough ahead of time? Yes, absolutely! The dough for these lime meltaway cookies can be prepared ahead of time and needs to chill for at least an hour, but can be kept in the refrigerator for up to three days before baking.
- Why is it important to zest limes before juicing them? Zesting before juicing is a crucial tip because it’s much easier to remove the flavorful zest from a whole, firm lime. Once a lime is juiced, it becomes soft and difficult to zest effectively.
- What’s the best way to combine the ingredients for the dough? Start by creaming the butter with part of the powdered sugar, then add vanilla, lime juice, and zest. Whisk together the dry ingredients (flour, cornstarch, salt) separately before gradually adding them to the wet mixture until a smooth dough forms.
- How do I ensure consistent thickness when rolling out the dough? For consistent 1/4-inch thickness, you can use 1/4-inch square dowels placed on either side of your dough as guides while rolling. This helps achieve an even thickness, leading to uniformly baked cookies.
- How many cookies does this recipe yield? When the dough is cut into 1 1/2 to 2-inch rounds, this recipe should yield approximately 40 delicious lime meltaway cookies.
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