Lemon Meltaways

These are my all-time favorite cookie and I've probably made 30+ batches of them over the years, always to rave reviews and requests for the recipe (which I forgot today so I'm on the site printing a copy). I do make a few minor recipe modifications. Ingredients: use FRESH lemon juice and up the amount of lemon zest in the dough. This provides extra lemon flavor. The icing also requires 1 Tablespoon of FRESH lemon juice (and more zest) and some additional confectioners’ sugar to obtain the right consistency / taste. How much additional will vary based on the humidity in the air, but start with 2 additional tablespoons and go from there. (I made these yesterday while it was pouring rain and it required 4+ additional tablespoons) Technique: For the dough, beat the butter very well by itself before adding the additional ingredients. The cookies are extremely delicate when hot but firm up nicely as they cool. I leave them on the cookie sheet for a few minutes before moving to the cooling rack and have no problems with crumbling. It should be noted that these cookies will not brown as most cookies do - if you wait for browning, the cookies will be overcooked / burnt. For easier transporting, frost cookies and leave on the cooling rack overnight. The icing firms up and you can pack them with wax paper between layers.

I have made these three times now. The first time I followed the recipe and thought "I'll never make these again!" They were awful! The icing tasted like pure butter. I made then a 2nd time, though, doubling the recipe so I could make larger cookies. I used a simple powdered sugar, milk and lemon extract icing, that I painted on the cookies. Much better. Today I made them again but I rolled the dough "logs" in sugar before refrigerating and used no other icing. They turned out very good and were easier since there was no icing.

These are excellent cookies! Tender, melt in your mouth citrusy bursts of flavor that dance on your tongue... and an EASY recipe. We favor lime over lemon, so I made with lime instead. I adjusted the recipe for 65 via the calculator and the only other change I made was to add 4 drops of lime oil to the dough, and to add 2 drops lime oil and 1/4 tsp coconut extract to the frosting. Per PP, I added ALL the zest from 1 lime to the dough. I see a lot of folks had trouble with cookies crumbling. Be sure you sift your flour before measuring as that alone can make a big difference in the outcome. I also bake all my cookies on parchment paper, which I then transfer, paper and all, to the cooling rack after allowing them to cool on the cookie sheet for 10 minutes. While the recipe was adjusted for 65 cookies, it actually made 25. But that is fine for me, if I made more then I would eat all of those too!

These were TERRIBLE!!!!!!! They break into a miilion pieces when taken off the cookie sheet--and I was very careful with them!! Then, they tasted TERRIBLE!!--like lemon juice mixed with cornstarch--YUCK!! I understand they are to be like a shortbread-type-texture, but I've NEVER had cookies or shortbread break into a million pieces like that before!!!!! AWFUL!!!

I read all the reviews about how hard they were to make because of the crumbling. So when I made mine, I was very careful when rollign the dough to ensure no cracks or air pockets. chilled slightly, then rolled again (used the plastic wrap when rolling both times). I was also very careful when baking. I used the air-insulated cookie sheet and baked 10 minutes. Waited a minute or two before using a thin metal spatula to carefully transfer to the cooling rack. No problems at all with breakage. I added a little extra sugar to the dough. I did use a tad extra lemon zest and fresh lemon is a must for the juice and zest. I also sprinkled some zest onto the top of the frosted cookies. Taste was amazing. A 1.5" roll makes a good sized cookie (1-2 bites). One batch made 40 cookies and when I took them to a meeting, people couldn't keep away--6 of us polished them all off by noon. Will make again and again.

These are among my family's favorite cookies. They taste best when made with organic ingredients. There is a huge difference in taste between organic lemons and cornstarch and regular versions of these ingredients. Also I put the frosting in a plastic bag, then cut of the tip and pipe a little dab on the top of each cookie. It's much easier than frosting them and looks nicer, too.

These are really delicious! No problem with crumbling if you let them sit on the baking sheet for a few minutes before moving them to a cooling rack - also, don't overcook them.

These are very tasaty and simple enough to make. The dough does get very firm when refrigerated. As a result, I ended up cutting the cookies a little thicker than suggested to keep them from crumbling. DH and I enjoyed these very much.

I made the cookies as written and they were pretty plain tasting on their own which was fine because of the addition of icing. Left them to cool completely on the cookie sheets and then crumbling was not a problem at all. I don't care for buttercream icing, however, so I made a lemon icing using tbsp lemon juice, 3/4 cup icing sugar and 1-2tbsp milk until I got a runny texture. It was quite tangy (which I wanted) and hardened up perfectly! We'll make more for sure.

Absolutely delicious cookie, melts in your mouth. A great find in the middle of all these recipes!

Really delicious! The cookie isn't at all sweet, but it is buttery and crisp and really melts in your mouth like the name says. I can imagine them as a wonderful "tea party" cookie. However, for a Christmas cookie, it isn't ideal. I thought the icing would be something I could drizzle on and it would harden, but mine turned out very fluffy and buttercream-like and has to be spread.

Easy, and a good cookie for christmas. Espcially since it is different than all of the chocolate ones I ususaly make. I tend to up the amount of lemon zest though, and I've done it with Lime. I like the Lime better :] Oh- and I add a bit of Orange Juice to the frosting when I make these in a lemon version.

I did not like this recipe. My kids would not even eat them.

Great cookie!

This is the best lemon cookie recipe I have ever made. I made them in small bite sized cookies and the were so delicate and tasty, just the right amount of lemon flavor if you add a little more zest and juice in both the batter and the icing. Using fresh lemon is the best too. Quality ingredients make good treats.

Disappointing. The cookie has no flavor and the corn starch gives it an after taste.

My husband loved them! They were great right out of the oven or right out of the fridge. And, just like the name, they melt in your mouth. Thanks!

If I made these again, I would double or triple the cookie size (make log 2 or 3" rather than 1"). Also, I would increase lemon juice and sugar in icing and decrease butter (icing tastes too much like butter as is). Last, they taste best at room temperature.

Ooooohhhhhh! The name says it all!

these were quite good :) i prefer a stronger lemon taste myself but my hubby liked them :) i'm going to make them again but i'll play around with the recipe to see if i can give them some "wow" factor :)

The taste of the cornstarch is so overbearing I don't know how anyone could really eat these cookies. They should be called cornstarch meltaways....

Best eaten the day baked. I was ready to give them a 5 yesterday but didn't get around to it. Today they taste just a little off but still good. I tripled the zest in the cookie to ensure a strong lemon flavor. Used a lemon glaze instead of tbe buttercream. I think low ratings may be due in part to bakers using bottled lemon juice or lemon extract instead of fresh and/or not using zest. Use FRESH lemon people. There is no comparison. No problem with them crumbling; baked on parchment and cooled on the cookie sheet before moving them. Can't wait to try an orange version.

They fell apart when I removed them from the cookie sheet and tasted bland. I was able to salvage less than 1/2 of the cookies. I frosted them & they tasted a tad better. However, I will not make again. (I am not a novice baker, I'm a senior citizen and have been baking for over 55 years.) Even my husband, who eats anything, did not care for them. I will put a few out on my Christmas trays anyway. Very disappointed.

These were horrible. They were bitter, the dough was dry and the frosting was dry too, I had to add a little water just to keep the frosting from crumbling. Then I ended up throwing them all out anyway because they were so bad.

Overall these were a nice cookie. I used lime juice and rind instead of lemon as that is what I had. I do agree with other reviewers that the cookie is a little bland on it's own until they are frosted. I also agree that you can definitely tell that there is cornstarch in there and I'm not sure I like it that you can taste it. However, my husband really liked these and he has a citrus phobia! I did take note of other's comments about the frosting and just used a simple glaze made with powdered sugar and lime juice and it was fine.

I made these for a family get together. Everyone raved about them. They are very fragile when they first come out of the oven though, so handle them carefully. Overall a quick, easy simple tasting cookie.

I love cookies but this recipe was really not so good. Not very sweet, even though I added quite a bit of confectioner's sugar to the frosting. I had to throw them away.

they kept falling apart and crumbling.

I really didn't care for them, they were just "OK". However, I didn't make the frosting because I made them to eat with a lemon curd, so it is possible that they would be much better if I had frosted them. As it was they were flavorless on their own but "too much" with the curd. lol - prolly more my fault than the recipe though - so I gave it 3 stars.

These cookies are truly wonderful. As long as you are at least an amateur baker, these are so simple. I would recommend adding a bit more lemon zest to the cookies to increase that lemony flavor. I like to bring these mini cookies to a get-together alongside a more traditional dessert.

They are extremely crumbly and have very little flavor.

There is just too much cornstarch in these. Cornstarch makes cookies melt in your mouth, but using this much just made them powdery and tasteless. They definitely need more lemon, either from extract or more juice or zest, and the frosting as-is does also. I tasted it and ended up adding lemon extract, so as not to thin it too much with juice. With the modified frosting they're more lemony, but not great.

I LOVE LEMON! These cookies are lite and refreshing as well as easy to make! Getting ready to make more tonight!

While this recipe is out of this world, I believe credit needs to go to LAND O LAKES Butter. That's where I found it back in the late 90's.

The fastest & best lemon cookie recipe! My friends & family love this cookie.

I like this recipe. I took the advice of using confectioner sugar to coat the outside of the dough as I rolled it and waxed paper. 10 minutes baking was great. I'm adding this to my favorites

Read many of the reviews, but, not until after I made my own batch. Looks like cooks either love them or hate them. Count me among those who absolutely love them. I agree that organic ingredients are best. Also I rolled the dough out on a silicon baking sheet, which was perfect. I was running short on time so I wrapped the rolls in plastic wrap and stuck them in the freezer for an hour. They sliced beautifully. Like many of you, I used high quality cookie sheets and baked the cookies on top of parchment paper. I did bake them quite a bit longer than the recipe called for, checking on them frequently. In addition I added RealLemon lemon crystals to the icing, which really makes the lemon flavor pop. Excellent cookie! I will absolutely make these again.

I've made these cookies twice now and will be making them again tomorrow for a gift. They are delicious and very addictive. The guests I made them for were absent-mindedly eating them, then stopped and said, "What are these cookies? They are fabulous!" You gotta love it when that happens. Thanks very much for the recipe!

Such a great cookie. My mom used to make these years ago and I was so happy to find the recipe. I had zero problems with my cookies crumbling apart. I rolled my logs thinner and cut the slices a little bigger. After exactly 11 minutes on parchment paper in the oven they were perfect. Will definitely be making these for Christmas. Just make sure cookies cool completely before frosting!

I tried doubling the recipe, and I agree...it doesn’t have that shortbread feel. Also used the thinner icing mentioned in another review, no butter, just thin and tangy. OK but I wont make it again..too bland

These are even more wonderful when you substitute orange juice and zest for the lemon. They have become one of the most popular on my holiday cookie trays.

I adjusted this recipe to half, 24 pcs, per the calculator and after tasting the batter, I increased the lemon juice. Light and fluffy, yes, but even doubling the lemon left this cookie on the mild side. I rolled in 1" logs to chill, sliced and baked and they never spread. This is more of a shortbread type than a spreading cookie, so if you are looking for a larger than a 1" cookie, i recommend a thicker log to chill. tasted fair to good with additional lemon. probably won't make again though. I'll find a different lemon cookie.

These are yummy little cookies, but are a bit bland. The frosting saves them, but next time I will add some lemon extract to the cookies.

I don't know what I did wrong but these were terrible. All I could taste was the cornstarch. I never heard of putting so much cornstarch in a cookie.

These cookies melt in your mouth. They are delicious. I left mine in the refrigerator over night, then baked them the next morning. I had no problem with crumbling. I left them on the pan for. Few minutes and then transferred them to my counter.

These cookies do melt in your mouth. They are also easy to make. I will be making them often.

These are the very best lemon cookies I have ever made and tasted. Everyone loved them. They are being requested for the holidays! Thanks so much for a great recipe.

I really like these cookies. I had lost the recipe and was delighted that it was on your web site. I now own several copies.

This recipe is definitely a keeper! I made these cute cookies for my daughter's Wedding Reception and everyone ooohed and awed over them. Yum! And they looked so elegant too on the plate!

Love these! I definitely didn't get 4 dozen out of this recipe and I made my cookies rather small so next time I'll double it.

I made these exactly as written and I’m a huge lemon fan but these were not so good to me. They tasted slightly bitter and they did crumble quite a bit. I can’t imagine having to travel with them, even without the frosting. If I made these again I’d add a bit more flour and sugar.

Great cookies! I made these as directed, except that I took the advice of others and cut the amount of butter in the frosting in half. The frosting was very thick, and I ended up adding water, a tablespoon at a time, to achieve spreading consistency. The cookies came out with a delicate, almost bland flavor with just a hint of lemon. Once the frosting was applied, the combination was wonderful. The plainer taste of the cookie worked well to compliment the tang of the frosting. Everyone enjoyed them very much. Thanks for sharing!

I followed the recipe exact and it was amazing!!! I did experiment a little. I was a very impatient so first batch I simply rolled the dough and baked it after making it, I didnt put the dough in the fridge. It was still amazing!! The second I did and it was still amazing but I didn't get a lot of cookies but thats OK.

I scaled to 32 servings as I only had 4 ounces of butter. After reading the reviews, I decided to halve the cornstarch as I was concerned about the taste and crumbliness because of this I added extra flour until the dough came together. I also added 1 tsp Princess Baking Emulsion. I used a paper towel roll to shape my dough, wrapped in plastic wrap and put in the freezer until solid. I sliced into 1/2 inch slices, made 19 cookies that baked in 15 minutes. I rolled the cookies in icing sugar instead of the frosting. The cookies were really tasty and had a delicate texture but were not overly crumbly.

I'm giving it three stars because of the icing, it was way too buttery. I ended up using my own recipe, which is more like a glaze but it adds more of a lemon flavor and was definitely an improvement

Well, I made the recipe, and if Allrecipes has any suggestions, I would surely like to hear them, because I've NEVER had ANY cookie recipe fail this badly! They spread all over and crumbled, the icing was good - that gets one star, but the rest of it was a waste of some perfectly good ingredients.

These cookies really do melt in your mouth. Easy recipe, a great reward for little effort. Frosting is what puts it over the top. Beware, you could easily eat too many.

Amazing! They were awesome, a bit crumbly but still delicious (;

Needs more lemon!

Yes, I will make it again! They were wonderful!