Melting Moment Logs

These light and fluffy cookies are prepared with cornstarch, which is what gives them that melt-in-your-mouth texture. Simply flavoured with a bit of vanilla extract, confectioner’s sugar, and butter, Melting Moment Logs are easy to prepare and must be featured in your holiday baking this year!

These cookies are so easy to make; I’m almost ashamed of myself for posting this recipe to my blog. Really!  They take very little effort and almost no ingredients.  Melting Moment Logs will no doubt be a go-to cookie recipe for you as well.

Trust me, if you’re waiting until the last minute to start your holiday baking, or if you’re looking for a great holiday-inspired cookie to bring to a potluck or to give a friend or neighbour as a gift, then you should really look no further!

Every year it seems that I come out of my 24 Cookies of Christmas series with a personal favourite. And, even though I have not yet finished the series, this one is already very high on the list. In fact, as of this very moment, it is at the top! And, as if they weren’t already delicious enough on their own, I dare you to try one or two of these with a hot cup of coffee or tea after a long day of Christmas shopping at the mall. They’re just what you need after a day of dealing with crowds.

Melting Moment Logs really are in a league of their own. I’ve probably eaten way more of these than I should have, but I had to keep repeating the melting experience.  These are bite-sized, so you can pop the whole thing into your mouth.  And, they just dissolve; it really is worth the extra calories.  Trust me!

LORD BYRON’S 24 COOKIES OF CHRISTMAS – VOLUME 5

I’m so excited about this year’s cookie countdown! This is the fifth consecutive year; can you believe that? Each of the previous years has included 24 cookies and this year will not be any different. I’ll share a new Christmas cookie recipe each and every single day for the next 24 days – even on Saturday and Sunday!

You might be asking yourself, how many Christmas cookie recipes could one possibly have or need? Well, I say you can never have too much of a good thing. And, I love having lots of choices. Who wants to bake the same holiday cookies year after year?

So, welcome, Dear Reader, to Volume 5 of Lord Byron’s 24 Cookies of Christmas! Fresh off of my 12 Edible Wreaths of Christmas and my 12 Bars and Squares of Christmas series, I’m ready to plow through the next 24 days with you!

You really don’t want to miss one of these recipes, so if you have not yet subscribed to Lord Byron’s Kitchen, I encourage you to do so. That way, a new recipe will be emailed to you every day. You won’t have to bother to come looking for it! Like in previous holiday baking countdowns, I like to mix up the recipes in the series so that there is something for everyone. Are you ready!!??

INGREDIENTS NEEDED TO PREPARE THIS RECIPE

The following is a list of the ingredients needed to prepare this recipe. For exact amounts and measurements, refer to the printable recipe card located near the bottom of this post.

• Butter – Make sure your butter is at room temperature! To be perfectly honest, I have made these with both salted and unsalted butter and there’s no difference in taste or appearance once all is said and done. Use what you have on hand.
• Confectioner’s Sugar – This will add a bit of sweetness, but more importantly it will add to the melt-in-your mouth texture.
• Vanilla Extract – Probably the most common extract and the most common flavouring used in cakes and cookies. 
• Flour – No need for anything special. Just use regular all-purpose flour. I have not tried this recipe with any other type of flour.
• Cornstarch – When added to cake, cookie and shortbread recipes, cornstarch helps create a crumbly and tender dessert-like texture. In this case, it creates the melting texture too.
• Salt – This is a common ingredient in baking and cooking.  In baking it helps to enhance and balance sweetness. 

WHAT IS CORNSTARCH?

Cornstarch is one of the most versatile starches. It is extracted from the starchy endosperm of corn and ends up being a white, powdery substance that is virtually without any flavour at all. It is a terrific ingredient for thickening puddings, soups and pie fillings, and is also used in many baked good recipes. When added to cake, cookie and shortbread recipes, cornstarch helps create a crumbly and tender dessert-like texture.

Commercially, cornstarch is often used as an anti-caking agent. When added to packaged goods like shredded cheese, cornstarch coats the cheese and helps to absorb moisture that would otherwise cause spoiling. This absorption process also helps prevent food from clumping over time. Additionally, it is used when making sugars, such as corn syrup.

HOW TO MAKE MELTING MOMENT LOGS

Beat the butter and ¼ cup of confectioner’s sugar until light and fluffy. Add the vanilla extract and beat to combine. Add the flour, cornstarch, and salt.  Beat until well incorporated.

Divide the dough into 3 portions. Roll each portion of dough into logs until the dough reaches a diameter of about 1 inch.  Wrap each log in plastic wrap and refrigerate for one hour.

After the hour has passed, line a baking sheet with parchment paper.  Working with one log at a time, remove the plastic wrap and slice the log into 1 inch increments.  Place on the prepared baking sheet, leaving 1 inch of space between each cookie.  Refrigerate for 30 minutes.

To bake, preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.  Remove the baking sheet from the fridge and bake for 8 minutes or until the bottom of the cookies is just slightly browned. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 3 minutes on the baking pan.  Transfer to a wire cooling rack and dust the tops liberally with the remaining cup of confectioner’s sugar.

HOW TO DUST WITH CONFECTIONER’S SUGAR

I remember way back when I first started to experiment with baking. I would try so hard to make a decorative coating on cakes and cookies with confectioner’s sugar. Never once did it occur to me to use a tool to help. I used to pinch the sugar between my finger and thumb and sprinkle it over the cake the way you might when salting a ripe, summer tomato. In all cases, it looked clumpy and not dusty at all!

Fast forward a few years later, I learned that I could use a fine sieve to dust properly. Add the confectioner’s sugar to the sieve and position it at least a foot above the cake or cookies. Lightly tap the side of the sieve with the palm of your free hand. This will lightly shower down the sugar, creating a beautiful finish.

Alternatively, you can use a sugar dusting tool. I have two of them in my kitchen. The first is this Tala sugar dusting can. I love it, but it makes a little bit of a mess because of the shaking action needed to get the sugar out. The second option is this neat little thing that twists open allowing you to scoop up the sugar. Twist it closed and hold it over your baked goods. Tap the handle with your index finger and it covers beautifully!

STORING, PACKAGING, & FREEZING

When it comes to most cookies, they taste best at room temperature, but they don’t hold up well to being left out on your countertop for long periods of time. Cookies will stay fresh in a cookie jar or food-safe container with a lid for 3-5 days if left to sit on your kitchen countertop. You can store them in a food-safe container in your fridge. When you want one, two, or half a dozen, take them out of the container and place them in a single layer on a plate. Let them sit at room temperature for 5 minutes and they’re ready!

If you plan to freeze your Melting Moment Logs, you certainly can! Once completely cooled, pile them into a clean, food-safe container. The container must be freezer friendly! You’ll want to ensure a very tight-fitting lid too. I use these quite often when freezing baked goods. I like to place a sheet of plastic wrap over the top of the container before pushing the lid on. This helps to create a better seal. The goal is to keep all of that freshness locked in!  

You can freeze these cookies for up to three months. If you plan to give previously frozen cookies as a gift, I would lay them out on a wire cooling rack to thaw completely. If packaging, wait until the condensation has evaporated. Once thawed, pile into cellophane bags and tie with a ribbon, or stack in a cookie tin/box.

QUESTIONS?

If I have not answered all of your questions in the text above, don’t hesitate to reach out to me! You can contact me by sending me a message in the comments section further down the page. I will try my best to answer as soon as possible! You might reach me even faster by following me on Facebook and sending me a private message. Scroll down to follow me and never miss another recipe!

Finally, as I stated previously, every day I will be posting a new recipe. If you miss one, don’t fret. You can find my entire collection of Christmas Recipes right here! There are over 200 Christmas recipes and counting. There’s something for everyone! Cheers!