Description
Soft as a cloud and dusted with “moonlight” powdered sugar, these meltaway cookies vanish in one bite. With only six pantry staples and zero fancy equipment, they’re the easiest way to sweeten any afternoon.
Ingredients
Scale
Cookie Dough
- 1 cup (225 g) unsalted butter, softened
- ¾ cup (90 g) powdered sugar, plus extra for dusting
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 2 cups (250 g) all‑purpose flour
- ¼ cup (30 g) cornstarch
Instructions
- Cream the softened butter and powdered sugar in a large bowl until light and fluffy.
- Flavor the mixture with vanilla and salt, scraping the bowl to combine.
- Whisk flour and cornstarch in a separate bowl, then fold the dry mix into the butter base until a soft dough forms.
- Chill the bowl for 30 minutes so the dough firms up and is easy to handle.
- Preheat the oven to 325 °F (165 °C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Roll tablespoon‑size scoops of dough into smooth balls and place them 1 inch apart on the sheet.
- Bake for 12‑14 minutes, just until the bottoms show a hint of gold while the tops stay pale.
- Rest cookies on the tray for 5 minutes, then move to a wire rack.
- Dust generously with powdered sugar once completely cool. Serve and watch them disappear.
Notes
Gluten‑Free Swap: Use a 1‑to‑1 gluten‑free flour blend that includes xanthan gum.
Flavor Twist: Replace vanilla with almond extract for a nuttier vibe.
Storage: Keep cookies in an airtight container up to 5 days or freeze for 1 month. Dust with fresh sugar after thawing.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 13 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 2 cookies
- Calories: 180
- Sugar: 10 g
- Sodium: 70 mg
- Fat: 9 g
- Carbohydrates: 22 g
- Protein: 2 g
Keywords: moon cookies, meltaway cookies, powdered sugar cookies, easy baking, shortbread, soft cookies, quick dessert