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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Try these other sweet recipes!
- Red Velvet Cheesecake Brownies
- Cranberry Lemon Bars
- Cornflake Wreaths
- Oreo Fudge
- Fluffernutter Cookies
- Frosted Peppermint Brownie Cookies
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.
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Vanilla Meltaway Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter, 2 whole sticks, softened
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
- 1/4 cup cornstarch
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- powdered sugar, for coating, optional
Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line two 13×9-inch baking sheets with parchment paper, set aside.
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In the bowl of a stand mixer, or with a handheld mixer, cream together the softened butter and powdered sugar over medium speed for 5 minutes, scraping down the sides as needed. Mix in the vanilla extract.
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In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, and salt.
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Slowly mix in the dry ingredients into the butter mixture, scraping the sides down between each addition. The dough will be very soft.
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Using a tablespoon sized cookie scoop, scoop the dough and roll into balls. Place onto the prepared baking sheet, about 1- 1 ½ inches apart (I bake 15 on each sheet).
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Bake for 10-12 minutes, just until the edges are set but the cookie is still pale and not browning at all.
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For a powdered sugar coating, place powdered sugar on a plate. When cookies are just out of the oven, carefully dip each one into the sugar. Place on a cooling rack and once completely cool, coat them all in a second round of powdered sugar.
Recipe Notes
- 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.
- The cookies will last about 5-7 days at room temperature in an airtight container.
* Please note that all nutrition information are just estimates. Values will vary among brands, so we encourage you to calculate these on your own for most accurate results.
Nutrition Information
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