Festive Christmas Treats – Melting Moments

Jen Peddlesden has been having melting moments cookies at Christmas ever since she was a little girl living on a farm East of Strathmore.
“It is delicious,” she said, “melt in the mouth, hence the name, with such a nice lemony flavour to go with the rich shortbread.”
The Christmas tradition of having the melting moments started when her family would visit their neighbours farm at Christmas.
“We would always go over to our neighbours, the Garriott family, mid-morning Christmas Day,” she said.
“Allie Garriott, the mom, would always have some of her Melting Moments for us to eat…nothing like rich lemony shortbread for a nice snack before a big turkey dinner,” said Peddlesden.
She said that what started out as a Christmas tradition when she was a child has continued on with her children.
“I have this recipe from my Mom,” she said, “she would always organize the visit on Christmas morning.”
While Peddlesden’s mom has since passed away, Allie Garriott is in her 90s and still living in Strathmore.
“We think of Allie every Christmas when we make these cookies,” said Peddlesden.
As with many Christmas traditions that survive through the generations, baking the melting moments each year has changed as families have grown and moved away.
“Our visits on Christmas Day with the Garriotts are in the past, all of the children now living far apart,” said Peddlesden.
Now, Peddlesden makes it for her children each year.
“They also love to make it at Christmas, especially our daughter,” she said.
Melting Moments
Ingredients:
2/3 cup cornstarch
1 cup flour
1 cup butter (unsalted)
1/3 cup icing sugar
pinch salt
Directions:
Sift cornstarch and flour. Cream butter and sugar, add flour. Drop by spoonfuls on ungreased cookie sheet. Flatten a bit.
Bake 325 F for 15 minutes. Ice when cool.
Icing is a regular butter icing recipe with lemon juice (instead of milk) and a bit of lemon rind and yellow food colour….do a taste test. Sprinkle a tiny bit more rind on top of icing on each cookie if you like.