I really feel like I should have named these “make-the-day-before” cookies. They are so good when you make them. but when you give them a day to let the powdered sugar and lime flavor to soak in they are a tropical experience. A cross between a shortbread and a tea cookie, I adapted these from Martha Stewart’s recipe. One of my test batches for these, the cookies were quite big and they just didn’t have the same punch as the bite sized ones that melt in your mouth do. These are definitely best small and pop-able!

I love a lot of lime in anything, so I added the lime extract to this recipe. I made it without as well with great results, but it is more subtle. My favorite lime extract is this key lime from Olive Nation – its is really bright and natural, and smells so good! My husband commented every time I baked these how amazing the house smelled! I think I may just stick a lime in the oven once in a while…

The dough is very crumbly! it is what gives the cookies their dry and melty texture. That means it can be a little difficult to work with. If the cookie crumbles when you cut it, just gently press them together, you can see below that the cookies are far from perfect when they go in the oven. I love that they all look a little different and the powdered sugar make them look beautiful.

I really love the addition of the lime zest in the powdered sugar coating. The specks of green really make them so summery. I am excited to try these in different citrus like grapefruit or blood orange! I would love to hear if you have tried any other flavors!

Print Recipe

Lime Meltaways

It takes about 2 medium limes for these vegan lime meltaways. The Lime extract is optional but it really adds that extra lime punch! Refined coconut oil will have no coconut flavor or add unrefined for a lime coconut cookie.

Servings: 3 Dozen

Ingredients

165 g (¾ cup) Coconut Oil
42 g (⅓ cup) Powdered Sugar
1 tsp Vanilla
4 tsp Lime Juice, about 1 lime
1 tbsp Lime Zest, about 1 lime
1 tsp Lime Extract
210 g (1¾ cup) All Purpose Flour
2 tbsp Cornstarch
¼ tsp Sea Salt

Powder Topping

65 g (½ cup) Powdered Sugar
1 tbsp Lime Zest, about 1 lime

Instructions

In a mixing bowl with the paddle attachment, beat softened coconut oil and 1/3 cup of powdered sugar until creamy.
Add lime juice, lime zest, vanilla and lime extract and mix well.
In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cornstarch and salt. Slowly add dry ingredients to the batter, beating on medium until dough is fully combined.
Take the dough out and divide into two parts. Roll each into a long log shape about an inch round. The dough can be very crumbly and hard to roll, if it starts coming apart just kneed it together, it doesn’t need to be too smooth and perfect!
Preheat oven to 350F. Place the rolled dough in the refrigerator for 10-15 minutes, the coconut oil firms up quickly and you don’t want it so hard you cant slice it.
Once the dough is cool enough to hold its shape, slice it with a sharp knife into 1/4 inch slices. Some of the cookies will crumble a bit, just press them back together since the shape isn’t important to make these cookies beautiful.
Bake cookies for 10-12 minutes until the edges are golden brown. While the cookies are baking, whisk together the remaining powdered sugar and lime zest in a large bowl and set aside.
Once cookies are golden brown, let cool for 5 -8 minutes until you are able to hold them comfortably. Place 5 or 6 cookies at a time in the bowl of powdered sugar and cover well and place on a cookie rack. Once all the cookies are covered, place the remaining powdered sugar in a sifter and let it “snow” over the tops of the cookies.
Once cooled, place the cookies in an airtight container. These cookies just get better over time!