Key Lime Cookies

I have several light and refreshing cookie recipes on the blog. I especially love my Lemon Cake Mix Cookies, Lemon Lavender Cookie Bars and Blood Orange Cookie Bars. These wonderfully tart lime sugar cookies are another delicious addition. I know you’ll love them as much as I do because: 

• They are quick and easy to make. All you need to do is bring the butter and egg to room temperature, mix everything up in one bowl, scoop, chill for 30 minutes and bake! 
• You love light and refreshing drop cookies. These easy key lime cookies are easy to mix up and bake up beautifully. There’s no need for any fancy ingredients or equipment. This recipe for lime sugar cookies and key lime glaze is easy to follow and will give you beautiful and delicious cookies every time. 
• Layers of flavor and texture. From the soft and slightly crumbly lime cookie, to the sweet and tart key lime glaze, these lime cookies are full of light and refreshing flavors and textures I know you’ll love.

For the Key Lime Cookies

Dry ingredients: Gather all purpose flour, finely crushed graham crackers and salt. 

Wet Ingredients: Gather granulated sugar, limes, unsalted butter and an egg.

For the Key Lime Glaze

Gather key lime juice, powdered sugar, finely crushed graham crackers and lime zest.

Here are my recommended substitutions to make these wonderfully soft and buttery key lime cookies:

• All purpose flour: This recipe hasn’t been tested with an alternative flour. However, if you want to make this recipe gluten free, use a good 1-1 flour and measure by weight rather than cups. 
• Unsalted Butter: You can use the same amount of salted butter as written in the recipe, but omit the added salt. 
• Granulated Sugars:This recipe hasn’t been tested using alternative sugars. However, I love using maple sugar as a refined sugar free option in my other cookie recipes. Maple sugar bakes very similarly to light brown sugar. 
• Egg: Feel free to omit, but know the final texture will be more crumbly like a shortbread. 
• Key Limes: Feel free to use regular limes in place of the key limes. 
• Graham Crackers: Graham crackers are used to make these key lime cookies more like their  key lime pie namesake. If you want to replace the graham crackers, almond flour makes a good substitute for the cookie dough. Omit the crumble topping.

1. In a large mixing bowl, zest two key limes directly into the granulated sugar. 
2. Beat the room temperature butter and lime sugar until well combined. This takes about 3-4 minutes on medium speed. 
3. On low, beat in the finely crushed graham crackers and egg until smooth and well combined. 
4. Mix the flour and salt into the wet ingredients until just combined. Cover the dough and chill in the fridge for 30 minutes. While the cookies chill, preheat the oven to 350 F (177 C). Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper.

5. Scoop about 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of lime cookie dough onto the prepared baking sheet. I like to use a small cookie scoop to get perfectly portioned cookies. Bake the key lime cookies for 12-14 minutes. Remove the cookies from the oven onto a cooling rack. After 3 minutes, transfer the cookies off the hot baking sheet and onto the cooling rack to cool to room temperature. 
6. Make the lime glaze for cookies by mixing 2 tablespoons (30 ml) key lime juice with 1 ½ cups (180 g) of powdered sugar until well combined. 
7. Top each key lime cookie with the lime glaze. Sprinkle crushed graham crackers and top with more lime zest if desired.

• Make these key lime cookies ahead of time: Simply prepare the cookies according to the recipe directions through step 4 and store covered in plastic wrap in the fridge for a day or two. 
• Freeze the cookies: Once the cookies are baked and have full cooled to room temperature, place the baked cookies into an airtight, freezer safe container.
• Thaw the cookies: Transfer your desired amount of frozen cookies onto a plate to thaw at room temperature for a few hours. 
• Store baked cookies: These cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3-4 days.