Key Lime Cookies
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Key lime cookies are are delicious, huge, chewy cookies topped with an awesome combo of buttercream frosting and lime pie filling!
This key lime pie cookie recipe is so fun to make and tastes like summer vacation in a cookie. Serve it with other warm weather favorites like Mexican street corn on the cob, grilled flank steak, and pineapple margaritas!
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Key Lime Cookies
Key Lime Cookies
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Why you’ll love this recipe!
📌 Bright and delicious, tastes like summer in a cookie!
📌 Easy to make and freeze well, do a double batch and save some for later!
📌 Make them giant and share with a friend, or do smaller cookies for a crowd!
Ingredients
- Butter – Unsalted, softened.
- Sugar – Dark brown sugar and white granulated sugar.
- Egg – Large, room temperature.
- Zest – Lime zest, fresh. You can use key limes (the most authentic, but not always easy to find!) or regular limes (also delicious!) for this recipe.
- Flour – All purpose flour.
- Salt – Skip if you use salted butter.
- Baking powder – For leavening.
- Buttercream – Butter, powdered sugar, lime juice.
- Filling – Sweetened condensed milk, lime juice.
Step-by-step directions
⭐ First, in a large bowl cream together the butter and both sugars until fluffy. Beat in the egg, vanilla and lime zest. Add in the flour, baking powder and salt. Mix until just combined.
⭐ Next, divide the dough into equal sized balls. Flatten slightly and place onto a lined baking sheet. Create an indentation in the middle of each cookie. Chill.
⭐ Then, in a small bowl whip sweetened condensed milk and lime juice to make filling. In a second bowl, whip butter, sugar, and lime juice to make buttercream.
⭐ Finally, bake the cookies, then line with buttercream and pour in filling. Chill to set and garnish with zest or sprinkles.
Scroll down to the printable recipe card toward the bottom of this article for ingredient measurements and detailed cooking instructions.
Preparation
Can you make key lime cookies ahead of time?
Yes! You can make and bake the cookies a few days ahead, or prep by making the dough in advance and keeping it in the refrigerator or freezer until ready to bake.
What frosting for frosted key lime cookies?
We’ve topped these cookies with a delicious combination of buttercream frosting and key lime filling.
What kind of limes for key lime pie cookies?
If you can get your hands on key limes, then definitely use those! That said, regular Persian limes will also taste delicious (and nearly the same).
Leftovers and storage
How long do key lime cookies last?
These will keep 3- 4 days in the refrigerator or longer in the freezer. They should not be kept at room temperature since the filling is made with dairy.
Can you freeze the cookies?
Yes! To freeze the baked cookies, allow them to cool completely then store in a freezer safe air-tight container for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator.
To freeze the dough, form into balls and roll in dough, then place in a freezer safe airtight container and separate layers with parchment paper.
Tips, tricks, and frequently asked questions
✅ Make sure not to overbake. In fact, these cookies should be just slightly under-baked so they stay soft and chewy on the inside.
✅ Bake on a lined baking sheet (with a silicone mat or parchment paper) or use a well greased cookie sheet (I prefer silpat!) to make sure the cookies don’t stick.
✅ Don’t have a piping bag with a tip? Just cut off the tip of a gallon ziploc bag and use that to pipe!
What to eat with key lime pie cookies (serving suggestions)
This dessert just screams summer to me, so try enjoying them with other yummy summer inspired recipes like Vietnamese summer rolls, cilantro lime chicken, and classic potato salad.
More delicious lime dessert recipes
- Classic key lime pie
- Key lime cheesecake recipe
- Easy lime bars
- Key Lime Poke Cake
- See all our yummy lime recipes!
Other awesome cookies to try
- Frosted Easter cookies
- Raspberry cheesecake cookies
- Crumbl banana cream pie cookies
- Banana cake mix cookies
- Classic butter cookies
- See all our easy cookie recipes!
Tools we love
- Baking sheets – This set is perfect, we use them for everything from roasting, to baking, and even serving.
- Silicone baking mats – I always always always line with these, nothing sticks!
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How to Make Key Lime Cookies
Key Lime Cookies Recipe
Ingredients
DOUGH
- ½ cup butter unsalted, softened
- ¾ cup dark brown sugar
- ¼ cup white granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- zest of 1 lime fresh
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon salt skip this if you use salted butter
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
LIME FILLING
- 1 can sweetened condensed milk (14 ounces)
- ½ cup lime juice fresh
BUTTERCREAM
- ½ cup butter softened
- 5 cups powdered sugar
- juice of half a lime fresh
Instructions
COOKIES
- In a large bowl cream together the butter, dark brown sugar, and white granulated sugar until fluffy. Beat in the egg, vanilla and lime zest. Add in the flour, baking powder and salt and mix until just combined. Dough will be very crumbly.
- Divide the dough into 6 equal portions and form each portion into a ball. Flatten the balls slightly and place onto a parchment lined baking sheet. Press a cookie scoop, spoon, or finger into the middle of each cookie to create an indent or well. Chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.
- Bake at 350°F for 15-18 minutes until the edges are just turning golden brown, so the cookies to stay chewy. Allow to cool on a wire rack.
TOPPINGS
- While the cookies are baking, make the lime filling by whipping the sweetened condensed milk and the ½ cup of lime juice using an electric mixer or whisk. Chill in the refrigerator.
- In a separate bowl, make the buttercream frosting by whipping the butter until fluffy, then adding in the powdered sugar and beat to combine. Whisk in lime juice. Transfer to a piping bag with a large tip (1m is what we prefer).
ASSEMBLY
- Pipe a border around the edge of each cookie with the buttercream frosting, then fill the center with your lime filling. Chill in the refrigerator for 15 - 20 minutes, then garnish with sprinkles or lime zest if desired.
Notes
- The recipe can be prepared with key limes or regular limes but make sure you are using fresh lime and not bottled lime juice.
- If lime filling does not set in the refrigerator, whisk in powdered sugar 1 tablespoon at a time until it is thickened to your liking.
Nutrition
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Key Lime Cookies
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Ooh that key lime filling and the frosting is perfect! The cookies didn’t last long in our house, my daughter is already asking me to make more!
These are super good and I think I’ll make these again for a church event that we have coming up! Everyone will love them!
I’ll be making these all summer long!! They are delicious!! I may like them more than cake! I can’t resist a good cookie!!