Our key lime cookie recipe is the perfect way to infuse your baking with a refreshing twist. Combining the zesty brightness of key limes with the sweet richness of classic cookies, these treats offer a delightful contrast of flavors and textures. Whether you’re looking for a new favorite dessert or a unique way to impress your guests, these key lime cookies are sure to be a hit.
It’s key lime pie in cookie form!
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Do you love key lime desserts? These cookies are for you!
Let me start by saying you can use either key limes or regular limes for this recipe! What’s the difference?
Key limes are usually smaller and filled with seeds, offering a unique lime flavor that is tart without being overly acidic. They also have a notably strong aroma, much more pronounced than that of regular limes. On the other hand, the limes you typically find in grocery stores are Persian limes, which are the most commonly grown variety in commercial cultivation.
I was surprised to find that many key lime recipes don’t actually use key limes! They can be harder to find, especially outside of normal key lime season (which in the U.S. is June to September).
Using this recipe with fresh regular limes will still give you a delicious citrus dessert!
You will need butter, sugar, eggs, lime juice, lime zest, vanilla, flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, green food coloring, powdered sugar and graham crackers. Food coloring is optional – I prefer natural versions, which may mean you’ll need to add more to reach your desired color. You will still have specks of greens with just using the lime zest. For the optional topping, you’ll also need cream cheese, heavy cream, more sugar and lime juice/zest.
You will need cookie sheets, parchment paper, mixing bowls of several sizes, stand or hand mixer, measuring cups and spoons, stirring spoon, and cookie scoop.
take 30 minutes to chill the dough. It will take 10-12 minutes at 350°F per cookie sheet for regular sized cookies, 14-16 minutes if you make large cookies.
Store your cookies in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Other citrusy baked goods you’ll love: lemon cupcakes and lemon blackberry bread.
Key Lime Cookies
Our key lime cookie recipe is the perfect way to infuse your baking with a refreshing twist. Combining the zesty brightness of key limes with the sweet, buttery richness of classic cookies, these treats offer a delightful contrast of flavors and textures. Whether you’re looking for a new favorite dessert or a unique way to impress your guests, these key lime cookies are sure to be a hit.
Ingredients
For the cookies:
- 1 cup unsalted butter
- 1 3/4 cups sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 2 tablespoons lime juice (or key lime juice)
- 1 tablespoon lime zest (or key lime zest)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2-5 drops green food coloring (optional), more may be needed to reach desired color if you're using a natural option for dye
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 1/2 cup finely crushed graham crackers
For the optional topping:
- 1 (8 oz.) package of cream cheese
- ⅓ cup sugar
- 1 tablespoon lime zest (or key lime zest)
- 2 tablespoon lime juice (or key lime juice)
- ¼ cup heavy cream
Instructions
- In a large bowl (or stand mixer) add butter and sugar, beat together for about 2 minutes until creamy. Add eggs, one at a time, make sure each is fully incorporated.
- Add lime juice, zest and vanilla extract and mix. Mix in the food coloring if using.
- In a medium bowl add flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt and whisk together. Add flour mixture to butter mixture. Use a wooden spoon to stir in flour and stir just until flour disappears.
- Chill cookie dough for about 30 minutes.
- Preheat your oven to 350°F. Prepare cookie sheets with parchment paper.
- In a small bowl add powdered sugar and crushed graham crackers and whisk together.
- Remove cookie dough from refrigerator and scoop into balls with a cookie scoop. Roll each cookie ball in the sugar and graham cracker mixture to cover.
- Place on cookie sheet and bake for 10-12 minutes or until done.
- Remove cookies from the oven and let cool.
- If using optional topping, in a medium bowl add cream cheese and sugar and mix until smooth. Add lime zest and juice and heavy cream, and whip which stand mixer or electric beater for about 2-3 minutes. Spread on cookie with a knife or pipe with a frosting bag. Enjoy!!
Notes
Gather all your ingredients at once and prepare equipment ahead of time. Make sure all your ingredients are at room temperature unless mentioned not to.
Roll your lime on the counter to start breaking down the pulp before you cut it to make it easier to squeeze. Use a lemon/lime squeezer to catch seeds.
Don’t crowd your cookie balls on the cookie sheet, they will spread when baking.
The food coloring can be optional if you prefer a more natural looking cookie. The zest will leave little specks of green in the cookie.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
20Serving Size:
1 cookieAmount Per Serving: Calories: 273Total Fat: 12gSaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 48mgSodium: 194mgCarbohydrates: 40gFiber: 1gSugar: 24gProtein: 3g
Nutrition information is calculated automatically by an online tool at Nutritionix. It is not always accurate. Please use your own tools to check if you rely on this information.
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