Lime Meltaways

This is an old recipe of mine from who-knows-where. It's one of those that you enjoy so much that you had to write it on an index card to save it but then forgot the original source- 

you know what I mean?? 

I have made these on and off for years during the summer months. This tangy, light, crisp, melt-in-your-mouth cookie is a perfect confection for this time of year. They required only a few ingredients and are fairly simple to make. . . especially if you have a cookie gun.

This is another slice-and-bake cookie like the watermelon ones featured yesterday, which makes the process simple to turn out a bunch at a time with little effort. Let me show you how I have perfected the slice and bake process. But first, here's the recipe.

Lime Meltaways

3/4 cup butter at room temperature

1 cup powdered sugar

zest of 2 limes

3 Tablespoons lime juice

1 3/4 cup all-purpose flour

2 Tablespoons cornstarch

1/4 teaspoon salt

Cream the butter and sugar in a bowl, add the lime zest and juice until fully incorporated. Mix in the remainder of the ingredients.

Once you have made the dough, place it in the barrel of a cookie gun, without the trigger attached. Make sure there is a solid plate in one end. Be sure to tap the barrel against the counter to release any air bubbles in the dough and ensure that you are packing it in tightly. Then cover the dough-filled barrel with plastic wrap and refrigerate it for at least a few hours so that the dough hardens. 

You can store this in the refrigerator indefinitely until you are ready to slice-and-bake, making these a great cookie to prep in advance and have on hand for guests or family dessert.

Once the dough has hardened, attach the trigger to the end, remove the solid plate and squeeze it gently to release 1/8" of dough. With a sharp knife, slice the cookie dough off, using the edge of the gun as a guide. Immediately place the cookie dough disk on a greased cookie sheet before it softens. Repeat this process until all of the dough is sliced. 

Bake the cookies in an oven preheated at 325 degrees F. for 8-10 minutes or until barely golden around the edges. Once they have cooled, shake them in a bowl of powdered sugar and serve or store in an air-tight container.

*Alternately, you can simply roll the dough into a log surrounded by wax paper and refrigerate it. Once it has chilled and hardened, slice it and bake as above. The result is a more rustic-looking cookie. Less-perfect but equally delicious.