These Vanilla Meltaways are delicately sweet with an almost melt-in-your-mouth texture. Made with fresh butter and real vanilla extract, they have a tender crumb that dissolves with each bite. They’re perfect for holiday platters or anytime you want a little homemade comfort.

We are in the middle of baking all of our favorite holiday recipes! If you are looking for more sweets, try these Snowball Kiss Cookies, covered in powdered sugar to look just like snow! Or Peanut Blossom Kiss Cookies, a classic and favorite cookie recipe.

An above view of meltaway cookies on a gray plate with a bottle of vanilla extract, a cooling rack with more cookies, and a plaid towel.

If you enjoy butter cookies that are not overly sugary and sweet, these are the cookies for you. Their mild sweetness allows the buttery flavor and vanilla to shine through without being overwhelming. These cookies have a gentle, subtle flavor that is the perfect break from those heavy, rich desserts.

Want the cookies a little sweeter? Just cover each just baked cookie in a coating of powdered sugar. Once they are completely cool, dunk them in another round of powdered sugar. This will give them a perfect snow covered look.

The secret to the tender bite of these airy cookies is the cornstarch and the powdered sugar. This combination creates a delicate crumb, that makes it hard to just eat one.

Recipe Ingredients

Butter: Use fresh unsalted butter.
Sugar: Confectioners sugar or powdered sugar is the type of sugar used in this recipe.
Vanilla: Use vanilla extract and not imitation vanilla flavoring.
Flour: All-purpose flour is all you need.
Cornstarch: This helps create the signature texture of the cookies.

All of the ingredients need to make these vanilla meltaway cookies.

How to Make Meltaway Cookies

Here are the basic instructions to make vanilla meltaways. Check out the recipe card at the bottom of this blog post with full ingredients and instructions to make them.

Step 1 is a metal mixing bowl with butter and powdered sugar. — **STEP 1:** Preheat the oven. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper, set aside. In the bowl of a stand mixer, or with a handheld mixer, cream together the softened butter and powdered sugar.

Step two is a small mixing bowl with flour, cornstarch, and salt. — **STEP 2:** In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, and salt.

Step three is adding the dry ingredients into the butter mixture. — **STEP 3:** Slowly mix in the dry ingredients into the butter mixture, scraping the sides down between each addition. The dough will be very soft.

Step four is a baking tray with rolled balls of cookie dough. — **STEP 4:** Using a tablespoon sized cookie scoop, scoop the dough and roll into balls. Place onto the prepared baking sheet. Bake, cover in powdered sugar if you like.

Cooking Tips and Tricks

Spoon the flour into your measuring cup and level it off instead of scooping. Scooping packs in too much flour, which can make the cookies dry or tough instead of delicate.
Use a tablespoon sized cookie scoop to keep dough balls the same size.
Remember to pull the butter out in advance of making this recipe, so it has time to soften.

Recipe Variations

Immediately coat the baked cookies in a coating of powdered sugar and another coating once completely cooled.
Add lemon or orange zest to give a little flavor.
Drizzle or dip the cookie tops in a powdered sugar glaze.

A plate of meltaway cookies with the top one missing a bite.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why are they called meltaway cookies? They get their name from their tender texture. Combining together butter, powdered sugar, and cornstarch makes a cookie that breaks down softly on your tongue.

Are meltaway cookies the same as Mexican wedding cookies or Russian tea cakes? While these three cookies are similar they aren’t identical. The wedding cookies and tea cakes normally use chopped nuts and are a little more crumbly.

How to Store & Reheat

How to store it? Let the cookies cool and put in an airtight container. Use parchment paper between layers. They should last about 5-7 days at room temperature.

How to freeze? Let baked cookies cool completely then place in a single layer on a baking sheet. Freeze for 2-3 hours. Then put into an air tight, freezer safe container. They can be frozen up to 2 months, just be sure to label with the recipe and date. Thaw frozen baked cookies at room temp for at least 30 minutes.

To freeze the dough: Roll the dough into balls and freeze on a baking sheet for 2-3 hours. Store in an air tight, freezer safe container. Bake from frozen adding an extra 1-2 minutes to baking time.

An above view of a plateful of vanilla meltaways with a plaid towel.

Try these other sweet recipes!

If you’ve tried this vanilla meltaway cookie recipe, don’t forget to give me a star rating and leave me a comment below in the comment section. I love to hear from people who have made my recipes.

NEVER MISS A RECIPE

Follow me on social media for more recipe ideas & inspiration!

PINTEREST / FACEBOOK / INSTAGRAM

Print Recipe