Classic Melting Moments Recipe | Cooking with Nana Ling

Pretty and popular, Melting Moments may be the perfect afternoon tea treat.

With a supremely soft and smooth texture, these cookies literally melt in your mouth – and can transport you into a moment of buttery, cookie-like bliss.

The recipe for classic melting moments

The earliest Melting Moments recipe I can find in Australia is in Adelaide’s Chronicle newspaper from 1915, although unlike modern Melting Moments recipes this recipe featured an egg.

By 1940, the recipe had evolved into something more akin to today’s recipes. At that time, Nana Ling recorded her Melting Moments recipe.

What’s missing from her recipe are instructions for a fork pattern on the top of the cookies (which is a hallmark of today’s Melting Moments) and the buttercream filling we now associate with these cookies.

Also, I tweaked Nana Ling’s recipe a bit and added the things mentioned above as well. So be sure to scroll to the bottom of the post for the updated recipe.

The ingredients for melting moments

Melting Moments are made from a simple list of ingredients:

• butter
• powdered sugar (confectioners/powdered sugar)
• vanilla extract
• plain flour (all purpose flour)
• cornmeal.

To do that buttercream fillingyou will need some extra butter and powdered sugar along with half a lemon.

Create melting moments

before you start

Take the butter out of the fridge about half an hour before you start to make it easier to froth.

Measure ingredients and preheat oven to 160 degrees Celsius (fan) (320 degrees Fahrenheit).

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

mix biscuits

Whisk together the butter, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract until the mixture becomes pale in color.

Stir in the sifted flour and 1/3 each of the cornstarch with a rubber spatula.

Using floured hands, roll the mixture into small balls (about 3/4 tablespoon full, or 17-18 grams).

Place the balls on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

You should have 14 balls and leave at least 3cm between them on the tray.

Using a floured fork, lightly flatten each ball (making a fork pattern on the top of each cookie).

baking cookies

Bake for 15 minutes or until the cookies are light yellow-gold in color and firm to the touch.

Let the cookies cool on the sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack to cool completely.

Prepare buttercream

Whisk together the butter and powdered sugar until soft and fluffy.

Stir in 1-2 teaspoons of lemon juice and the zest of half a lemon.

Place about a tablespoon of buttercream on the flat side of one biscuit and place another biscuit on top, flat side down, gently pressing together until the filling reaches the edges of the biscuit.

You can of course just spoon the buttercream onto a cookie instead of using a piping bag – but that won’t look quite as neat. But hey, they will taste just as wonderful.

Tips and variation ideas

• remember Let the butter soften Take the butter out of the fridge for about half an hour before beginning the recipe, otherwise the butter may clump and not spread evenly throughout the mixture
• Use the Best quality butter you can afford it
• Don’t skip the step of sifting – Sift both flours together
• Flour your hands while rolling the balls and the fork before pressing it onto the top of the cookie
• Allow the cookies to cool completely before attempting to fill them Otherwise, the buttercream may melt and the cookies will fall apart
• You can change the flavor of the buttercream to create some amazing Melting Moment variations – my favorite is Passionfruit Melting Moments, but you could try another citrus, chocolate, caramel, raspberry… get creative!

Recipe FAQs

Q. How long will these keep?

Filled with whipped cream, they can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for a few days. Unfilled, they should keep for a week and do not need to be kept in the refrigerator.

Q. How do you save Melting Moments?

They can be stored in the refrigerator or at room temperature (as long as it is not too warm).

Q. Can I freeze Melting Moments?

Sure you can. Freeze in an airtight container for up to three months.

Q. My Melting Moments don’t look like yours, they’re flat – what happened?

The most likely cause is an oven that is too hot, causing the butter to melt too quickly before the cookie has set its shape.

Q. Do you have other old-fashioned cookie recipes?

A lot! You may like my recipes for Honey Jumbles, Snickerdoodles, Arrowroot Biscuits, Spicy Fruit Rolls, Cornflake Cookies, Ginger Biscuits, Anzac Biscuits, Iced Vovos, Honey Biscuits, and Butternut Cookies.