Julie Clark
Posted: Updated:
Key Lime Cookies
This post may contain affiliate links. Read our disclosure policy.
Key Lime Cookies are soft, chewy sugar cookies bursting with bright citrus flavor. The lime glaze on top adds even more lime flavor, making this the perfect cookie recipe for spring or summer.
There are two things I majorly love: sugar cookies and key lime. This Key Lime Cookies recipe marries the 2 into one sweet and tangy treat.
Lime desserts are popular any time of the year, but especially as the weather turns warmer. At nearly every summer party, someone requests that I make Key Lime Sheet Cake, Creamy Lime Pie, mini key lime pies or traditional key lime pie. Creating a key lime cookie recipe that tastes like that tart pie made perfect sense.
What’s the difference between key lime and lime?
Although they are both green citrus fruits, there is a big difference between key limes and regular limes.
Key limes, also known as Mexican limes, are smaller in size than the kind you’ll find in most U.S. stores. By the way, the larger limes are commonly known as “Tahitian limes” or “Persian limes”. I’ve heard that if you want tart key lime flavor, you DO NOT use Persian limes.
Don’t let the small size mislead you, though; the flavor of key lime juice is big and bold! Key limes are more aromatic and have more tartness than Persian limes, and they typically have more seeds, too.
Tips for Making Key Lime Cookies
Here are a few hints for THE BEST key lime cookies:
- To give your key lime sugar cookies the best lime flavor, use lime juice and zest from fresh key limes. Bottled lime juice is made from concentrate, so the flavor isn’t nearly as bright and citrusy. If you must use bottled, use Nellie and Joe’s Key Lime Juice.
- The butter should be at room temperature but not melted. It should give just slightly when you touch it. This will help the cookies not spread too much during baking.
- White chocolate chips add texture and flavor. You can leave these out for a flatter cookie if you’d like.
- Scoop the cookie dough, then refrigerate. This dough is sticky and by refrigerating for just 30 minutes, you can easily roll smooth, round dough balls after the scooped dough chills.
- Bake the cookies on a light colored baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a nonstick baking mat. Dark colored cookie sheets will make the bottom of the cookies darker.
- For the softest cookies, don’t over bake them. If you scoop the dough into about tablespoon cookie dough balls (1 to 1 1 /2 tablespoons gets about 21 cookies) it will take about 7 minutes to bake. Don’t let the edges get browned.
- Allow the cookies to set and cool on the baking pan for a few minutes, then move them to a wire rack to cool completely.
The Pop of Flavor: A Tangy Lime Glaze
The powdered sugar glaze for these key lime cookies couldn’t be easier, and it’s what gives the cookies a pop of tangy lime flavor.
Simply use a mix of powdered sugar and lime juice. Whisk the two ingredients together, then spoon it on top of the cooled cookies.
Allow the glaze to set completely before you store the cookies. Because of the glaze, it is best not to stack the cookies.
Pro Tip
Key limes are usually available all year long at Trader Joe’s and Whole Foods. Check with the produce manager at the grocery store you shop at, too. Depending on the season, they may special order them for you.
There are also places online where you can buy fresh produce, including key limes. Because of shipping costs, you’ll typically pay quite a bit more for them, though.
Storage Instructions
Key lime cookies will stay fresh for 5-7 days at room temperature in an airtight container.
These cookies freeze very well. Cool completely before freezing. Wrap the cookies in plastic freezer storage bags or an airtight freezer container before transferring them to a freezer. Once frozen, the cookies will stay good for 2-3 months.
When you defrost the cookies, allow them to come to room temperature before you open the container or unwrap them. I know…it’s hard because frozen cookies are so good! If you allow them to defrost completely before removing them from the packaging, this will help the cookies to retain their moisture.
Key Lime Cookies
Key Lime Cookies are soft, chewy sugar cookies bursting with bright citrus flavor. The lime glaze on top adds even more lime flavor, making this the perfect cookie recipe for spring or summer.
Servings 17
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 9 minutes
Total Time 24 minutes
Ingredients
For the Cookies:
- 1 1/2 cup all purpose flour 195 grams
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 3 grams
- 1/2 teaspoon salt 4 grams
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter (room temperature) 4 ounces
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar 50 grams
- 1/4 cup light brown sugar 50 grams
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon key lime zest (or zest of 1 key lime)
- 2 1/2 tablespoons key lime juice
- 1/2 cup white chocolate chips 90 grams
For the Lime Glaze:
- 3/4 cup powdered sugar 86 grams
- 1 – 1 1/2 tablespoons key lime juice
- Zest from a lime to sprinkle on top
Instructions
- Line a light colored baking sheet with a nonstick baking mat. (Dark baking sheets make the cookies brown fast on the bottom.)
- In a small bowl, add the flour, baking soda and salt and mix together until combined.
- In another bowl, add the butter and sugar and mix until the texture is smooth and creamy. Add in the egg, vanilla, lime juice and zest and mix until combined.
- Slowly add in the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and mix until well combined.
- Add in the white chocolate chips and fold until mixed in.
- Use a cookie scoop to place the cookie dough in tablespoon (1 to 1 ½ tablespoons is good for these cookies) scoops on the baking sheet. You should get 20-24 cookies.
- Refrigerate the scooped cookie dough for 30 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 375ºF.
- Once the cookie dough is chilled, roll the scoops into smooth balls. Don't handle the dough too much, just roll for a few seconds to get the ball smooth.
- Bake for 7-8 minutes (mine were done in 7). Do not overbake! Allow the cookies to cool a few minutes and then transfer to a cooling rack to finish cooling.
- Once cooled, mix together the powdered sugar and 1 tablespoon of lime juice to form a glaze. Add the ½ tablespoon of lime juice if needed to get it to a drizzling consistency (I usually use 1 ½ tablespoons). Drizzle teaspoon amount of glaze on each cookie, sprinkle with zest and allow to set so the icing can harden. Enjoy!
Video
Notes
The calories shown are based on the recipe making 17 cookies, with 1 serving being 1 iced cookie. Since different brands of ingredients have different nutritional information, the calories shown are just an estimate. **We are not dietitians and recommend you seek a nutritionist for exact nutritional information.**
Nutrition
Calories: 166kcal | Carbohydrates: 23g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 26mg | Sodium: 112mg | Potassium: 40mg | Fiber: 0.3g | Sugar: 14g | Vitamin A: 185IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 19mg | Iron: 1mg
Thanks for sharing! Do they freeze well?
This looks so good! Could I use lemon instead?
Really good! I converted the recipe to metric units using a conversion calculator to get exact weight measurements, and it was a bit too dry and crumbly. I added just a little squeeze of lime and probably another 2t of softened butter until it came together. I am Celiac so couldn’t taste the end product, but they came out beautifully, with slight crinkles on top like chocolate chip cookies, and the house smelled of heaven. I added about 2T of melted coconut oil to the glaze because one, coconut essence pairs well with lime, and two, because I’m shipping these… Read more »
Tasty but had problems with the glaze – too thin. Will make again but will either use less juice or more powdered sugar for the glaze.
Hi!! Loved baking with this recipe! Major question though: I followed the ingredients exactly but the frosting came out clear but thick and still tasty. How does the frosting become white and opaque like in your pics? Let me know, thanks!
This recipe is GREAT! It’s easy to assemble and doesn’t make an abundance. I baked all of the dough in one 9 inch tart pan at 350 for about 18 minutes and it came out beautifully! It looks like a beautiful tart and paired it with lime Italian Ice. So amazing! Thank you so much for the inspiration!!!
Yes, our annual trek to AMI wouldn’t be complete without a Key Lime Pie from Publix! We actually just came back from The Keys, and am excited to try these cookies for Christmas…after eating lots of Key Lime Pie there. 😋 Thanks for the recipe!
Can I incorporate graham cracker crumbs Somehow? In dough? Roll or sprinkle with?
I loved the flavour of the cookie but they were very crumbly & fell apart. I followed the recipe exactly. I don’t know what happened.
I am so looking forward to making these cookies! I just want to verify in the recipe you call for key lime zest. I am not sure if the lime juice you called for in the batter and the glaze should be from key limes or from regular Persian limes? Please clarify for me as I want to make the cookies just as you recommend. Also, can the white chocolate chips be an optional ingredient or do they help “make the cookie”?
The photo of your cookies is so pretty!!
If I’m using the Nellie & Joe’s Juice, do I still use the same amount (3T for the cookie and 3 T for the glaze)?
Simple and Quick. The cookie were very good!
Thanks for this recipe! It is a new favorite in our house! I do have a question , thought. Your glaze looks so much better than mine. Mine was watery and kind of just soaked into the cookie. Any idea as to what I might done incorrectly?
These are amazing! The dough is pretty sticky, so it’s a little hard to work with when you’re putting it on the cookie sheet, but the cookies turned out soft and chewy so it was definitely worth it. One of my new favorite recipes!
I think I will love these cookies. my favorite cookie. Thank you so much.