Vanilla Melt Away Cookies
on Feb 27, 2014, Updated Aug 21, 2024
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Vanilla Melt Away Cookies are a simple cookie with the most amazing texture thanks to some powdered sugar, butter, and a secret ingredient.
Melt Away Cookies are a cross between a Mexican wedding cake cookie and a shortbread. Corn starch is the secret ingredient that makes these cookies soft and give them an incredible fine crumb that just melts in your mouth.
These are perfect on a cookie plate or dessert bar at Christmas next to some extra buttery spritz cookies, sugar cookies, soft gingerbread cookies, and peanut butter cookies.
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- The ingredients are simple and you likely have everything on-hand.
- The recipe is super easy and great for kids to make or help with.
- You can change up the flavoring to suit your taste or the season.
Recipe Ingredients
- Powdered sugar
- Butter
- Vanilla extract: Or whatever flavoring you would like.
- All-purpose flour
- Cornstarch: The secret ingredient to making melt away cookies.
- Milk: This is just for the glaze.
See the recipe card below for full information on ingredients and quantities.
How to Make Vanilla Melt Away Cookies
Step #1. In a large bowl, beat the sugar and butter until it’s light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add the vanilla and combine.
Step #2. Add the flour and cornstarch and mix on low speed until well combined. Cover the cookie dough and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Step #3. Form the dough into 1-inch balls and place them on a cookie sheet. Bake at 350F for 10 to 12 minutes.
Step #4. Make the glaze and spread it on the cooled cookies.
Recipe FAQs
Melt away cookies are a soft, lightly sweet shortbread cookie that seem to melt away in your mouth. The unique texture comes from a combination of powdered sugar, corn starch, and butter.
Yes! You can change up the flavor by adding additional extracts to the dough or icing like almond, lemon, lime, or orange. This is a great way to change up these cookies.
You can add food coloring to the dough and/or the icing. It’s also easy to add some sprinkles, crushed candy canes, and sprinkling sugars on top of the icing.
Yes! These store well in an air-tight container and they freeze well.
Expert Tips
- Don’t skip chilling this dough – it will help the cookies hold their shape and prevent spreading when baking.
- To get uniform cookies, use a cookie scoop or a food scale to measure out the dough before forming into balls.
- Watch your baking time and in order to avoid overbaking these melt away cookies. The edges of the cookies should be lightly golden brown.
More Cookie Recipes to Consider
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Vanilla Melt Away Cookies
Ingredients
For the Cookies
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 1 cup butter, softened
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup cornstarch
For the Glaze/Icing
- 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons butter, softened
- 1 – 2 tablespoon milk
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and line a baking sheet with a baking mat or parchment paper.
- Combine the sugar and butter in a large bowl and beat until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add the vanilla and combine. Add the flour and cornstarch and mix on low speed until well combined.
- Cover the cookie dough and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
- Shape the dough into round 1-inch balls and place a few inches apart on the cookie sheet. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until the edges are lightly browned. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for one minute and then remove and let them cool on a wire rack.
- For the glaze, combine the powdered sugar, butter, vanilla extract and enough milk for desired glazing consistency in a small bowl. Drizzle or spread the glaze over cooled cookies.
- Enjoy and store any extras in an airtight container.
Notes
- The flavoring in these cookies is quite flexible – lemon is especially good in the dough and icing in summertime but you could also use almond, lime or orange.
- You can dress up these cookies by sprinkling some coarse sugar, crushed peppermints, or sprinkles on top of the icing.
- Store cookies in an air-tight container on the counter for three to five days.
- These cookies freeze well in an airtight container for up to three to six months.
These also tasted good with almond extract! Thanks!
Great idea that sounds delicious, thanks for the tip!
How many does it make?
Man, it’s been a while since I made them. I think around 3 dozen?
Hi can you please explain what corn starch is? I live downunder in NZ thanks
Yvonne
Hi there,
I know it’s 10 months late, but your corn starch may be labeled corn flour. Hope this helps.
I have been making these for years. My only change is no milk in the frosting and instead I use lemon juice.
That sounds delicious! I’m going to try it 🙂
Do you need to refrigerate since there is milk in the glaze?
I don’t, sugar is a great preservative 🙂 You can if you’d like though, but I’d let them come back to room temperature before serving. Enjoy!
Thank you for the reply! I never knew that about sugar!
I made these recently for a family event. Vanilla and lemon were both a HUGE hit. Thanks again!!
These sounds amazing! I love cookies that melt in your mouth 🙂
I made these last night and they are sooo good. I think lemon flavored ones would be awesome for summer time. Mmmm.
Oh and they are gluten free but look so good!
Going to try these. Thanks for all your good ideas.