Lime Meltaway Cookies

Lime Meltaway Cookies

For some reason I am all about strawberries and lime lately.  If you have been reading this blog for a while you know I have a serious Margarita "thing".  Not to mention lime in lots of other things and strawberries are early here this year and in fact may be gone early too.  Thus I made 5 batches of strawberry jam so far this week. 

It is cookie time,  Brian has been looking for them to no avail and since I make them instead of buying them it was time to get these going. 

Martha Stewart features in the June 2012 issue of the magazine carrying her name cookies that keep exceptionally well and are very suitable for shipping and this is on of them.  I was attracted to it because it keeps well for 2 weeks in a sealed container.  It ships well should I decide to make them and take them or send them someplace and I LOVE LIME.  Reason enough to get busy and so I have.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 sticks soft butter
1 C. powdered sugar divided (1/3 C. in the cookies and the rest to shake them in after baking.)
Finley grated zest of 2 limes
2 T. fresh lime juice
1 T. pure vanilla extract
1 3/4 C. plus 2 T. all purpose flour
2 T. cornstarch
1/4 t. coarse salt

Beat the butter and 1/3 C. powdered sugar ( I added an additional 1 T. because I like it a little sweeter.)
on medium speed with an electric mixer for 3 minutes until fluffy.  Add the lime zest, juice, and vanilla and beat until fluffy.

Whisk the flour, cornstarch, and salt in a bowl.  Add to the butter mixture.  Mix on low until combined well. 

Divide the dough in half.  Place each half on a 8" x 12" piece of parchment paper.  (I marked with a led pencil then turned the paper over.  You can still see the lines just fine. )  Roll the dough using your clean hands into a 8" log 1 1/4 " in diameter.  Roll up in the parchment and refrigerate for at least an hour.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.  Remove the paper from the logs and slice 1/4 " thick and place 1" apart on parchment lines or sil-pat baking mats.  Bake for 13 minutes.   Cool on a rack for 8 minutes then toss in a plastic bag with the remaining powdered sugar while they are still warm.  Then cool fully and store in an airtight container. 

These cookies melt in your mouth as the name implies and are slightly tart with a kiss of sweetness and are quite refreshing with the hint of lime.  Yield 3 1/2 dozen cookies.

Note:  These cookies were recommended as great to send to members of the military because they resist mold, stay fresh, and pack well.