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My obsession with Meyer lemons begins before the season even starts. I plan all the recipes I want to make with them and anxiously await their arrival in the stores. As soon as they come, I’m like a dog with peanut butter…I just can’t get enough! I’ve made these meltaway cookies (from the blog Spoon Fork Bacon, another favorite) the last two seasons, but inadvertently deleted the first pictures I took awhile back and had to wait for them to arrive in stores again before I could reshoot. 
What is a Meyer lemon you say? If you’ve never one, it’s a cross between a regular lemon and a mandarin orange. The rind is softer and smoother than a regular lemon, and they have more juice inside. The taste is sweeter and less acidic than your standard lemon, but with the same citrus notes you’d expect. You can use them in a lot of recipes that call for standard lemons, just expect that the taste will be slightly different! They’ve become much more widely available, and I never have trouble finding them in stores once the season starts (Trader Joe’s ftw!), but you can definitely substitute with regular lemons if you can’t find them.
These cookies are crisp and ethereally light and, as the name implies, do melt in your mouth! The addition of tapioca flour (also labeled tapioca starch) and confectioners’ sugar ensures these cookies have that texture. The dough is quite soft and can be tricky to work with, so make sure to follow the instructions from forming and chilling the dough/cookies. The frosting should be quite thick but drizzleable so it stays on top of the cookies in that cute shape.
These keep well for a few days, but they are so small and light, it’s hard to resist popping a few in your mouth at a time! Share with friends and neighbors as this makes quite a few and enjoy!
Meyer Lemon Meltaways
- Yield: 20 to 30 cookies, depending on the size you cut them 1x
Description
Etherally light and crisp, melt-in-your-mouth cookies flavored with lots of Meyer lemon zest! A dollop of citrus glaze makes these extra cute.
Ingredients
COOKIES:
- 2 sticks (1 cup) butter, at room temperature
- 1/2 cup (58 grams) confectioners’ sugar
- Zest of 2 Meyer lemons
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon Fior di Sicilia, optional
- 1–1/2 cups (180 grams) all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup (56 grams) tapioca starch/flour
- Pinch of salt
ICING:
- 2 cups (227 grams) confectioners’ sugar
- 1/4 cup freshly squeezed Meyer lemon juice
- Meyer lemon strips, for garnish if desired
Instructions
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or in a large mixing bowl with a hand mixer, beat the butter until softened and fluffy. Add the confectioners’ sugar and continue to beat for 1 minute. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl. Add the lemon zest and vanilla and mix together.
- In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, tapioca flour, and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the butter-sugar mixture and beat on low speed just until combined.
- Place a sheet of wax paper on a small baking sheet. Add the dough and top with another piece of wax paper. Using your fingers, press the mixture to cover the baking sheet. Top with another small baking sheet, pressing down lightly to even out the thickness of the dough. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
- When ready to bake the cookies, preheat the oven to 350°. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. If necessary, use a rolling pin to smooth the surface of the dough. Unwrap and using a small cookie cutter, cut the dough into whatever shape you desire. Alternatively, you can use a knife to cut the dough into small rectangles or squares. Transfer to the prepared baking sheet, leaving a little space between the cookies (they won’t spread much). Bake for 13 to 15 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through the baking time, until the cookies are set and the edges are just starting to brown. Remove from the oven and allow the cookies to cool completely.
- When cool, combine all of the icing ingredients; it should be very thick but pourable. Drizzle a big drop of icing in the center of each cookie, allowing it to droop over the sides of the cookies. Top with a piece of Meyer lemon zest, if desired, and allow the icing to set for 30 minutes to 1 hour.
Notes
Inspiration: Meyer Lemon Meltaways on spoonforkbacon.com
- Category: Cookies
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