Key Lime Meltaways

                         from Smitten Kitchen

So I made these last week. Not sure what possessed me, as I'm not a particularly big lime nerd. But they sounded simple, and for some reason I have a fondness for cookie dough that requires refrigerating. I have NO clue why. But it's probably the same brain-weirdness that makes me angry at recipes that require yeast.

Anyways, they turned out delightfully cute, albeit a bit dry for my tastebuds.

Pluses: They are wonderfully limey, and also meltingly delicate.

Minuses: Holy crap my arm was about to fall off from all the zesting. And I think maybe the cornstarch might need to be tweaked somehow. As I'm not a master of all things bakery (a "masterbaker"--*snickersnickersnicker*--one might say), I don't really know how important the cornstarch is to the recipe. But the cookies DID taste rather dry in that kind of way where, once saliva hits the cookie-pulp inside your mouth, it suddenly turns into glue. Which makes them sound awful, but trust me: they totally are not. At all. I think it might just be a case of me being picky, seeing as I had quite a few people tell me they liked them, and I had a coworker ask for the recipe. So yeah: picky Lindy Loo is probably just the culprit.

RANDOMNESS: I think these would make a fun addition to a margarita night--they have the perfect pucker to complement.

RANDOMNESS #2: Am I the only person who is so measuringly-challenged that I have to actually take out a ruler to figure out what the hell, say, 1/4" would actually LOOK like? I often wonder this.

INGREDIENTS:

• 3/4 c. nonhydrogenated vegan margarine*


• 1 c. confectioners’ sugar


• Grated zest of 4 tiny or 2 large key limes (I just realized I don't really know if there's a difference between key limes and just lime limes, but I used the latter of the two if there is)


• 2 T. freshly squeezed lime juice


• 1 T. pure vanilla extract


• 1 3/4 c. + 2 T. all-purpose flour


• 2 T. cornstarch


• 1/4 teaspoon salt (I omitted this, since the original recipe called for unsalted butter, and vegan margarine is typically salted)

DIRECTIONS

In a large bowl, cream margarine and 1/3 c. sugar until fluffy. Add lime zest, juice, and vanilla; beat until fluffy. (I used a handheld mixer.)

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cornstarch, and salt (if you choose to use it). Add to margarine mixture, and beat on low speed until combined.

Use 1 or 2 pieces of parchment paper to roll dough into two 1 1/4-inch-diameter logs. Wrap. Chill at least 1 hour.

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment. Place remaining 2/3 c. sugar in a resealable plastic bag (or plastic container). Remove parchment from logs; slice dough into 1/4-inch-thick rounds. Place rounds on baking sheets, spaced 1 inch apart (they do not spread).

Bake cookies until barely golden, about 15 minutes. Transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool slightly, just three or four minutes. While still warm, place cookies in the sugar-filled bag; toss to coat.

Bake or freeze remaining dough. Store baked cookies in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.

Makes about 5 dozen.

(Original recipe from Smitten Kitchen)