Heavenly Christmas Meltaway Cookies Recipe

Festive Buttery Christmas Meltaway Cookies Recipe to Charm All

Delicate and buttery christmas meltaway cookies dance on the edge of holiday perfection, promising a delightful explosion of flavor in every bite.

These tender treats melt seamlessly on your tongue, leaving behind a whisper of festive joy.

Powdered sugar creates a delicate snowfall across the surface of these delectable morsels.

Each cookie carries the warmth of traditional baking with a touch of nostalgic charm.

The simple ingredients blend into a magical experience that captures the essence of holiday celebrations.

Light, airy, and impossibly smooth, these cookies transform an ordinary moment into something extraordinary.

Bake a batch and watch as smiles bloom across the faces of everyone who tastes these irresistible christmas meltaway cookies.

Quick Recipe Overview

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 12 minutes

Total Time: 27 minutes

Calories: 126 kcal

Servings: 23

Everything That Goes In Christmas Meltaway Cookies

For Base and Texture:
  • Unsalted Butter: Provides rich, creamy foundation and ensures tender, melt-in-your-mouth cookie texture with smooth, even mixing.
  • Powdered Sugar: Creates delicate sweetness and contributes to the cookies' signature soft, powdery consistency.
  • Cornstarch: Helps achieve ultra-light, delicate crumb and prevents toughness in the final cookie.
For Flavor Enhancement:
  • Vanilla Extract: Adds warm, comforting aromatic depth and balances the buttery sweetness of the cookies.
For Structural Support:
  • All-Purpose Flour: Gives structural integrity and helps bind ingredients together for perfect cookie shape.
  • Salt: Subtly elevates and balances the overall sweetness, bringing out deeper flavor notes.

Utensils For Mixing Christmas Meltaway Cookies

  • Electric mixer: Hand or stand mixer essential for creaming butter and sugar perfectly.
  • Large mixing bowl: Needed for combining wet ingredients smoothly.
  • Separate mixing bowl: Used for whisking dry ingredients before adding to wet mixture.
  • Measuring cups and spoons: Precise measurements guarantee delicious cookie results.
  • Parchment paper: Ensures cookies won't stick and provides easy cleanup.
  • Baking sheets: Standard size for even cookie baking.
  • Whisk: Great for blending dry ingredients uniformly.
  • Spatula: Helpful for scraping down bowl sides and final dough mixing.

How To Make Christmas Meltaway Cookies Soft And Light

  • Cozy Kitchen Warmup

Crank up the oven to a toasty 350 degrees. Grab some parchment paper and softly line your baking sheets, creating a smooth landing zone for your delightful treats.

  • Butter Magic

Grab your mixer and transform softened butter and powdered sugar into a cloud-like, dreamy mixture. Whip them together until they’re light as a holiday breeze, watching the textures blend into pure smoothness.

  • Flavor Infusion

Pour in a splash of vanilla, letting its warm, sweet essence dance through the creamy base. Stir gently, allowing the extract to weave its aromatic spell.

  • Dough Symphony

In a separate bowl, combine flour, cornstarch, and a pinch of salt. Slowly introduce these dry ingredients to your butter mixture, mixing tenderly until a soft, pillowy dough emerges. Handle with care, letting the ingredients whisper together until perfectly united.

Sprinkle Additions For Christmas Meltaway Cookies

  • Festive Cookie Perfection: Expert Tips for Delightful Christmas Meltaways
  • Butter Softness Matters: Allow butter to sit at room temperature for 30-45 minutes before mixing to ensure a smooth, creamy texture that blends perfectly with powdered sugar.
  • Cornstarch Magic: The secret to these meltaway cookies' delicate, tender crumb is cornstarch, which helps create an incredibly soft, melt-in-your-mouth texture.
  • Precision Matters: Use a kitchen scale for measuring flour to guarantee consistent results every time, preventing dense or dry cookies.
  • Holiday Flavor Twists: Experiment with different extracts like almond, peppermint, or orange to give these classic cookies a festive seasonal spin.
  • Dietary Adaptations: Swap regular flour with gluten-free flour blend for a celiac-friendly version, or use plant-based butter for a vegan-friendly Christmas treat.

How To Serve Christmas Meltaway Cookies At Parties

  • Festive Cookie Platter: Create a stunning holiday display by arranging these delicate cookies on a beautiful ceramic platter, surrounded by fresh pine sprigs and sprinkled with edible silver or gold dust for extra Christmas magic.
  • Cocoa Pairing Delight: Serve these meltaway cookies alongside a rich hot chocolate topped with marshmallows, creating a cozy winter treat that melts in your mouth and warms your heart.
  • Gift-Worthy Packaging: Package these tender cookies in clear cellophane bags tied with festive ribbons, making them a perfect homemade Christmas gift for neighbors, teachers, or family friends.
  • Flavor Twist Option: Consider adding a hint of peppermint extract or rolling the cookies in crushed candy canes before baking to enhance the holiday spirit and give a refreshing seasonal twist.

Keep Christmas Meltaway Cookies From Drying Out

Keep cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days, ensuring maximum freshness and delightful taste.

  • Freezing Magic: Wrap unbaked cookie dough tightly in plastic wrap, then store in a freezer bag for future baking. These cookies can freeze beautifully for 2-3 months without losing quality.
  • Make-Ahead Brilliance: Prepare cookie dough up to 3 days before baking and refrigerate. Let the dough soften slightly at room temperature for 15-20 minutes before scooping and baking.
  • Festive Gifting Strategy: Layer cooled cookies between sheets of wax paper inside decorative tins or holiday-themed containers for charming homemade gifts that everyone will adore.
Print
clock clock iconcutlery cutlery iconflag flag iconfolder folder iconinstagram instagram iconpinterest pinterest iconfacebook facebook iconprint print iconsquares squares iconheart heart iconheart solid heart solid icon
Heavenly Christmas Meltaway Cookies Recipe

Heavenly Christmas Meltaway Cookies Recipe


5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

4.7 from 40 reviews

  • Total Time: 27 minutes
  • Yield: 23 1x

Description

Delightful Christmas meltaway cookies bring festive cheer with their delicate texture and powdered sugar coating. Buttery, crumbly shortbread-style treats promise sweet holiday memories for family gatherings and cookie exchanges.


Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 cup (230 g / 8 oz) unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 ¾ cups (220 g / 7.75 oz) all-purpose flour
  • ¾ cup (90 g / 3.2 oz) powdered sugar, sifted
  • ¼ cup (30 g / 1 oz) cornstarch
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • ¼ tsp salt
  • 1 cup (120 g / 4.2 oz) powdered sugar, sifted (for icing)
  • 23 tbsps milk or heavy cream
  • ½ tsp vanilla or almond extract
  • Food coloring (optional, red and green)
  • Holiday sprinkles
  • Edible glitter (optional)

Instructions

  1. Prep Station: Arrange two parchment-lined baking sheets and heat the oven to 350F (175C), creating an ideal baking environment.
  2. Butter Blend: Utilize an electric mixer to whip butter and powdered sugar into a voluminous, airy cream, transforming the mixture into a cloud-like consistency with smooth, even textures.
  3. Flavor Fusion: Integrate vanilla extract thoroughly into the butter mixture, ensuring a complete and uniform distribution of the fragrant essence.
  4. Dry Ingredient Harmony: Sift flour, cornstarch, and salt together in a separate bowl, creating a fine, well-combined dry ingredient mixture with a silky-smooth profile.
  5. Dough Formation: Gently fold dry ingredients into the creamed butter using low-speed mixing, carefully combining components until a tender, delicate dough emerges without overworking the mixture, maintaining its light and pillowy character.
  6. Shaping Technique: Delicately manipulate the soft dough, preparing it for precise portioning and baking, ensuring the gentle structure remains intact throughout the process.

Notes

  • Prevent Overmixing: Gently combine dry and wet ingredients to maintain the cookies’ delicate, melt-in-your-mouth texture. Overmixing can develop gluten, resulting in tough, dense cookies.
  • Temperature Control: Use room temperature butter for optimal creaming, creating a smooth, fluffy base that ensures even mixing and consistent cookie texture.
  • Precision in Shaping: Roll dough into uniform balls to guarantee even baking and consistent cookie size. Use a small cookie scoop for perfect portioning.
  • Cooling Technique: Allow cookies to cool completely before dusting with powdered sugar. Warm cookies will absorb the sugar, creating a wet appearance instead of a light, delicate coating.
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 12 minutes
  • Category: Desserts, Snacks
  • Method: Baking
  • Cuisine: American

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 23
  • Calories: 126
  • Sugar: 10 g
  • Sodium: 25 mg
  • Fat: 8 g
  • Saturated Fat: 5 g
  • Unsaturated Fat: 3 g
  • Trans Fat: 0 g
  • Carbohydrates: 15 g
  • Fiber: 0 g
  • Protein: 1 g
  • Cholesterol: 31 mg
Liam O’Sullivan

Liam O’Sullivan

Founder & Culinary Content Creator

Expertise

Recipe Development​, Traditional Irish and European Cuisines, Food Styling and Photography, Culinary Education​

Education

Dublin Institute of Technology (DIT) – School of Culinary Arts and Food Technology

  • Degree: Bachelor of Arts in Culinary Arts
  • Focus: Comprehensive training in classical and modern cooking techniques, kitchen management, and menu development.​

Ballymaloe Cookery School

  • Program: 12-Week Certificate Course
  • Focus: Intensive, hands-on experience emphasizing farm-to-table cooking and sustainable practices.​

Isabella brings a global spark to the Craft Meats table. Born in Florence and trained at the Apicius International School of Hospitality, she blends classic Italian flavor with modern writing that’s easy to follow and hard to forget. 

Her additional training at the Italian Chef Academy fueled her love for well-crafted dishes, especially ones that spotlight beautiful cuts of meat.

She’s a food writer with heart, and a deep love for storytelling through single recipes. Her goal? To help you cook with more confidence and a little more joy, no matter where you start.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe rating 5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star