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Home / Recipes
45 minutes
4.50 from 12 votes
14 Comments

Lime Meltaways

Jump to RecipePrint Recipe
  • 172
by: Joanna Cismaru
10.01.20

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.

These Lime Meltaways are the perfect Christmas cookie. They simply melt in your mouth and if you love lime flavor then this cookie is for you.

lime meltaway cookies on a white plate garnished with lime wedges

No more chocolate today, my friends. Today these cookies are all about limes. We need variety in our cookies, and a lime is something you don’t see often in a cookie.

Which is a shame because the brightness and acidity combined with that unique lime flavor is perfect. The name itself suggests they simply melt in your mouth, and they do. I love these cookies, such a refreshing change.

What Are Lime Meltaways?

So what exactly are meltaways, you may be asking? Well they are the sweet little hybrid between a shortbread and a Mexican wedding cookie – texture wise at least. They’re perfectly buttery, sweet, rich, yet disappear in an instant.

Our secret weapon today is cornstarch! It will act as a binder for our light little cookies while also ensure they melt away as soon as they meet your mouth.

overhead shot of ingredients needed to make lime meltaway cookies

Ingredients

Detailed measurements and instructions can be found on the printable recipe card at the bottom of the page.

  • Butter – Unsalted butter that’s at room temperature, be sure to pull it out of your fridge in advance.
  • Vanilla – The secret weapon flavor booster in most baked goods. Extract will work just fine.
  • Flour – I used all purpose for this recipe
  • Lime – Freshly squeezed lime juice and lime zest.
  • Sugar – Confectioners sugar, also known as powdered or icing sugar. This will ensure our cookies melt in our mouth – yum!
  • Salt – All baked goods need salt, it helps balance the sweetness and ensure our flavors shine.
  • Cornstarch – it will soften the harsh proteins of flour, thus making a more tender baked cookie.
process shots showing how to make lime meltaways

How To Make Lime Meltaways

  1. Combine the wet and dry: In a mixer, cream the butter and 1/3 cup of the icing sugar until fluffy. Add the lime zest, lime juice, vanilla and beat until fluffy. In a bowl, whisk together the flour, cornstarch and salt then add to the butter mixture and beat on low speed until combined.
  2. Roll dough into two 2 inch diameter logs and cover with wrap and chill for at least an hour.
  3. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Slice the dough into 1/8 inch thick rounds. Place cookies on baking sheets about 1 inch apart.
  4. Bake cookies until golden, about 15 minutes then cool on a wire rack.
  5. Finish the cookies: Place remaining 2/3 cup powdered sugar in a resealable plastic bag. While still warm place the cookies in the sugar-filled bag, and toss to coat.
a bunch of lime meltaways in a black plate

Gluten Free

You can make these lime meltaways gluten free by just substituing the flour with your favorite gluten free flour 1:1.

What Else Can I Use In My Cookies?

If you’re not a big lime fan, or if you’d like to mix in some other exciting flavors here’s some picture perfect suggestions.

  • Vanilla, just keep it plain and ax the lime
  • Pecans either finely ground or roughly chopped
  • Mint
  • Chocolate
  • Coffee
  • Nutella
lime meltaways on a white plate

Storing Leftovers

You can store them in an air tight container at room temperature for about 3 days, if they’ll last that long. If you notice that the powdered sugar on them melts into the cookie, don’t worry. Just sprinkle them with more, or simply roll them through a bit more powdered sugar. Nobody will notice or mind!

Freezer

You can store these in an airtight container for up to 3 months in the freezer!

overhead shot of lime meltaways in a black bowl

Craving More Holiday Treats?

  • Classic Shortbread Cookies
  • Chocolate Pecan Snowballs
  • Thumbprint Cookies
  • Chocolate Rumballs
  • Red Velvet Kiss Cookies
  • Rugelach Cookies
  • Chocolate Crinkle Cookies
  • Mexican Wedding Cookies
  • Peanut Butter Cookies

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lime meltaway cookies stacked on a plate with a bite taken out of one

Lime Meltaways

4.50 from 12 votes
Prep: 30 mins
Cook: 15 mins
Total: 45 mins
Author: Joanna Cismaru
Serves: 36
Print Pin Rate
These Lime Meltaways are the perfect Christmas cookie. They simply melt in your mouth and if you love lime flavor then this cookie is for you.

Equipment

  • KitchenAid Hand Mixer
  • Aluminum Baking Sheet (2 pack)
  • Glass Mixing Bowl Set (3 piece)

Ingredients

  • 3/4 cups butter unsalted, at room temperature
  • 1 cup icing sugar same as powdered sugar or confectioners sugar
  • zest of 2 limes
  • 2 tablespoon lime juice
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 2 tablespoon cornstarch
US Customary – Metric

Instructions

  • Combine the wet and dry: In a mixer, cream the butter and 1/3 cup of the icing sugar until fluffy. Add the lime zest, lime juice, vanilla and beat until fluffy. In a bowl, whisk together the flour, cornstarch and salt then add to the butter mixture and beat on low speed until combined.
  • Roll dough into two 2 inch diameter logs and cover with wrap and chill for at least an hour. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Slice the dough into 1/8 inch thick rounds. Place cookies on baking sheets about 1 inch apart.
  • Bake cookies until golden, about 15 minutes then cool on a wire rack.
  • Finish the cookies: Place remaining 2/3 cup powdered sugar in a resealable plastic bag. While still warm place the cookies in the sugar-filled bag, and toss to coat.

Recipe Notes

  1. Storage: You can store them in an air tight container at room temperature for about 3 days, if they’ll last that long. If you notice that the powdered sugar on them melts into the cookie, don’t worry. Just sprinkle them with more, or simply roll them through a bit more powdered sugar. Nobody will notice or mind!
  2. Freezing: You can store these in an airtight container for up to 3 months in the freezer!

Nutrition Information:

Serving: 1cookieCalories: 72kcal (4%)Carbohydrates: 9g (3%)Protein: 1g (2%)Fat: 4g (6%)Saturated Fat: 2g (13%)Cholesterol: 10mg (3%)Sodium: 17mg (1%)Potassium: 8mgFiber: 1g (4%)Sugar: 3g (3%)Vitamin A: 118IU (2%)Vitamin C: 1mg (1%)Calcium: 2mgIron: 1mg (6%)
Course:Cookies, Dessert
Cuisine:American
Keyword:christmas cookies, lime meltaways
Tried this recipe? Rate it belowtag @jocooks on instagram and hashtag it #jocooks!
  • 172

Meet Joanna Cismaru

I’m Joanna (Jo for short) and this is my blog where I share with you my culinary adventures. Here you will find a variety of recipes using simple everyday ingredients and creating wonderful, delicious and comforting meals, including some decadent desserts.

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Comments

  1. Barbara Motsinger says

    December 20, 2019 at 11:16 am

    5 stars
    I have done these with lemon also. I also dry out the peel then pulverize it to a powder state, then add it to the powdered sugar before rolling the cookies in the sugar.

    Reply
    • Alice says

      December 21, 2019 at 9:15 am

      Barbara, that sounds divine!

      Reply
  2. Alice says

    December 20, 2019 at 10:31 am

    Jo, I have an abundance of Meyer lemons on my tree this year. If I want to make these Lemon Meltaways do you recommend subbing in the same amounts of lemon zest and juice for the lime?
    Thanks!

    Reply
    • jo says

      December 20, 2019 at 2:05 pm

      Yes, exactly. They should be just fine with Meyer lemons.

      Reply
  3. Abby says

    December 20, 2019 at 8:28 am

    I was so happy to see this recipe… my son loves anything lime !
    Do you think I could just chill the dough and then scoop out a small amount & flatten it slightly on a cookie sheet instead of rolling & slicing ?? I’m going to make these for his birthday. Thanks for the advise & help and a great recipe.

    Reply
    • jo says

      December 20, 2019 at 2:06 pm

      Yeah, just be careful because they might fall apart on you. That’s why the chilling and slicing is a better option.

      Reply
  4. JK says

    December 20, 2019 at 7:29 am

    just wondering if you could roll them into balls similar to your Mexican wedding cookies? also, why do you have to chill these and not the Wedding ones ?

    Reply
    • jo says

      December 20, 2019 at 2:08 pm

      The texture is a bit different, you want to chill them so they set a bit, otherwise they’ll just all apart on you and you won’t be able to slice them. I haven’t tried rolling them, but if you do try making them into balls, I don’t think the chilling is required.

      Reply
  5. Mariah says

    March 18, 2017 at 5:12 pm

    5 stars
    I made these for St. Patrick’s Day. They were almost gone within the first ten minutes. My uncle said it was the perfect cookie.

    Reply
  6. NOla says

    January 9, 2014 at 10:04 am

    how many grams are there in a stick of butter as i am in Australia and we have different sizes of butter for cooking. thanks

    Reply
    • jo says

      January 10, 2014 at 12:51 am

      There are 113.5 g of butter in a stick. 🙂

      Reply
  7. Linda says

    December 17, 2013 at 1:57 pm

    I live in China but every time I go back home to the states, I stop in my favorite craft store and I buy a few boxes of lime cookies. These look very similar to the ones I have been buying. I can make them at home, thank you! When I bake them, I can have one of my favorite cookies and save luggage space.

    Reply
    • jo says

      December 17, 2013 at 2:14 pm

      There you go! 🙂

      Reply
  8. John says

    June 24, 2012 at 6:38 pm

    I am not a lime fan, but these are wonderful. Definitely a keeper!

    Reply

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I'm Joanna (Jo for short) and this is my blog where I share with you my culinary adventures. Here you will find a variety of recipes using simple everyday ingredients and creating wonderful, delicious and comforting meals, including some decadent desserts.

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