This week the temperatures here have been wonderful. We went from -31 C to 2 C which felt like we could be outside working on our tans. The warmer temperatures felt so nice, and I’m sure they will only be here for a short time, seeing as we are only in February.
When I was on my citrus kick a few weeks ago I came across these Lime Meltaway Cookies, which are essentially lime shortbread cookies, and I knew I had to try them out.
These cookies have such a great citrus taste from the fresh lime juice and zest in the cookie as well as the icing. These would make a great addition to an afternoon tea in the sun or add some new flavour to your holiday baking.
I hope that where you are warmer temperatures are either there or on the way, and I hope you enjoy these cookies!
Ingredients
For the cookies:
1 1/4 cups flour
1/2 cup cornstarch
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
2 Tbsp freshly squeezed lime juice
2 tsp lime zest
For the icing:
1 1/2 cups icing sugar sugar
2-3 Tbsp freshly squeezed lime juice
1 tsp lime zest
1/8 tsp of salt
Directions
Make the cookies:
In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, and salt ensuring there are no lumps. Set aside.
In a mixing bowl of an electric mixer, mix sugar and lime zest until it looks like wet sand. Then beat softened butter and lime juice until well combined.
Add flour mixture and beat on low speed until thoroughly combined.
The dough will be a bit sticky. Divide the dough in half.
Place a sheet of plastic wrap on your work surface. Place half of the dough on the wrap and cover with a second sheet. Using the plastic wrap to keep the dough from sticking to your hands, form the dough into a round disk. Keeping the dough between the sheets of plastic wrap, use a rolling pin, and roll the dough to just under 1/2″ thick.
Bring the edges of the plastic up to wrap the rolled-out dough. Repeat with the other half of the dough.
Place rolled-out dough onto a flat sheet and refrigerate or freeze until firm. This will take about 30-60 minutes.
Once the dough is firm, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Remove the top layer of plastic wrap, reserving it for subsequent rollings. Dip cookie cutters into flour before each cut then cut desired shapes out of rolled-out dough. Place cut-out cookies onto an ungreased baking sheet. Brush off any excess flour.
Bring together scraps and reroll between plastic wrap and cut shapes, repeating until finished. Remove the other half of the dough from the refrigerator and repeat the cutting process until finished. (I like to bake the first tray while I’m working on the second.)
Bake cookies for 8-10 minutes or until set. Cool for 5 minutes on a cookie sheet, then remove to a cooling rack to finish cooling.
Make the icing:
Mix all icing ingredients until well combined with no lumps. You can sift the sugar to prevent lumps or just stir briskly until they’re all broken up and the icing is smooth. Add more lime juice if necessary to get a fluid-spreading consistency. I start with 2 Tablespoons of juice and work from there.
Ice the cookies:
Spread the tops of each cookie with a layer of icing. Allow icing to fully set/dry before storing/stacking.
Lime Meltaway Cookies
Ingredients
For Cookies
- 1 1/4 cup flour
- 1/2 cup cornstarch
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 3/4 cup butter softened
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 2 tbsp freshly squeezed lime juice
- 2 tsp lime zest
For The Icing
- 1 1/2 cup confectioner's sugar
- 2-3 tbsp freshly squeezed lime juice
- 1 tsp lime zest
- 1/8 tsp salt
Instructions
Make The Cookies
- In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, and salt ensuring there are no lumps. Set aside.
- In a mixing bowl of an electric mixer, mix sugar and lime zest until it looks like wet sand. Then beat softened butter and lime juice until well combined.
- Add flour mixture and beat on low speed until thoroughly combined.
- The dough will be a bit sticky. Divide the dough in half.
- Place a sheet of plastic wrap on your work surface. Place half of the dough on the wrap and cover with a second sheet. Using the plastic wrap to keep the dough from sticking to your hands, form the dough into a round disk. Keeping the dough between the sheets of plastic wrap, use a rolling pin, and roll the dough to just under1/2" thick.
- Bring the edges of the plastic up to wrap the rolled-out dough. Repeat with the other half of the dough.
- Place rolled-out dough onto a flat sheet and refrigerate or freeze until firm. This will take about 30-60 minutes.
- Once the dough is firm, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Remove the top layer of plastic wrap, reserving it for subsequent rollings. Dip cookie cutters into flour before each cut then cut desired shapes out of rolled-out dough. Place cut-out cookies onto an ungreased baking sheet. Brush off any excess flour.
- Bring together scraps and reroll between plastic wrap and cut shapes, repeating until finished. Remove the other half of the dough from the refrigerator and repeat the cutting process until finished. (I like to bake the first tray while I'm working on the second.)
- Bake cookies for 8-10 minutes or until set. Cool for 5 minutes on a cookie sheet, then remove to a cooling rack to finish cooling.
Make The Icing
- Mix all icing ingredients until well combined with no lumps. You can sift the sugar to prevent lumps or just stir briskly until they're all broken up and the icing is smooth. Add more lime juice if necessary to get a fluid-spreading consistency. I start with 2 Tablespoons of juice and work from there.
Ice The Cookies
- Spread the tops of each cookie with a layer of icing. Allow icing to fully set/dry before storing/stacking.