Lime Meltaways

I love citrus at Christmas time.  When I was a girl, I always got tangerines in my Christmas stocking. The aroma of an orange being peeled can really brighten spirits on a cold and dreary winter day. Did you ever cut a hole in an orange, then insert a soft peppermint stick to suck the juice through?

I have already made a couple of orange cookies and decided to use lime for an additional citrus note. This is a dainty cookie which really does melt in your mouth. It is quite tangy and was a new recipe for me this year.

Lime Meltaways

(A Martha Stewart recipe)

1 1/2 sticks (12 Tbsp.) butter, room temperature

1 cup confectioners' sugar

Grated zest of 2 limes

2 Tbsp. freshly squeezed lime juice

1 Tbsp. vanilla

1 3/4 cups plus 2 Tbsp. flour

2 Tbsp. cornstarch

1/4 tsp. salt

Cream butter and 1/3 cup sugar, with an electric mixer, until fluffy. Add lime zest, lime juice, and vanilla; beat until fluffy.

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cornstarch, and salt. Add to butter mixture, and beat on low speed until combined.

Divide dough in half and roll each half, in plastic wrap, into 1 1/4 inch-diameter logs. Chill at least 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment. Place remaining 2/3 cup sugar in a plastic bag. Remove plastic from logs and slice into 1/8 inch rounds. Place on baking sheets, spaced 1 inch apart.

Bake cookies until barely golden, about 15 minutes. Transfer cookies to  a wire rack to cool slightly, 8 to 10 minutes. While still warm, place cookies in the sugar filled bag and toss to coat. Return to wire racks to let the cookies cool completely.