Bring the flavors of Key West home by making these easy and delicious Key Lime Cookies. Add lime zest to the cookies and frosting for an extra tart flavor.
Jump to RecipeAny Floridian knows the delicious flavor of Key Lime Pie! And the most popular place to get it is in Key West.
A few years ago, Justin and I went on a 5 day cruise with some very good friends. Of course, this was before any of us had kids! Our first stop was in Key West. Since we live in Florida, we didn’t pay for any excursions but just walked around the area. We visited a place called The Six-Toed Cat the few times I had been, but sadly it seems to have permanently closed.
We have always liked the flavor of Key Lime desserts. So one day, Justin decided we needed to make some Key Lime Cookies. We used my basic sugar cookie recipe and made a lime-flavored frosting. Unfortunately, since we aren’t in Florida, we couldn’t use the actual Key Limes. But we used lime juice and lime zest to still add that tang to the sweet cookies.
History of Key Lime
Key Limes are a small, tart lime that grows naturally in the Florida Keys. These limes are best for making anything with the classic Key Lime flavoring. The juice from Key Limes has more of a yellow color to it than the green you see from limes at the grocery store year-round.
Key Lime Pie is the official state pie of Florida and there is a festival dedicated to Key Lime foods and drinks in July every year.
Src: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Key_lime_pie
Key Lime Frosted Cookies Step by Step
Ingredients
Cookies
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup butter (softened)
- 2 eggs
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp lime zest
Frosting
- 4 tbsp butter (softened)
- 4 oz cream cheese (softened)
- 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 tsp lime zest
- 1/4 tsp lime juice
- 1 3/4 cups powdered sugar
Preparation
Preheat oven to 350F. In a medium bowl, combine flour and baking soda. Mix well with a wire whisk and set aside.
In a large bowl, blend sugars with an electric mixer at medium speed. I like to use my stand mixer for this since it’s easier to work with.
Add butter and mix to form a grainy paste.
Add eggs, vanilla, and lime zest. Mix at medium speed until light and fluffy.
Add the flour mixture and blend at low speed just until combined, do not overmix.
Scoop dough by the spoonful onto an ungreased cookie sheet or baking stone.
Bake 18-20 minutes or until golden brown. Immediately transfer with a spatula to a cool flat surface.
While the cookies cool, make the frosting by combining the softened butter and cream cheese with an electric mixer.
Beat in the vanilla extract, lime zest, and lime juice. Gradually add the powdered sugar until the frosting is smooth.
Frost each cookie with about 1 tsp-1 tbsp of frosting. Garnish with more lime zest if desired.
Key Lime Frosted Cookies Leftovers
We stored the extra cookies in an airtight container on the counter without the frosting for about 3 days. I kept the frosting in the refrigerator in its own container. When we wanted a cookie, we frosted it at that time. The frosting must stay refrigerated, but then the cookies don’t have to be cold when you eat them. You can also frost all of the cookies and refrigerate. They won’t stack well, though, since the frosting will get on the bottom of the cookies.
Recipe
Originally Published On: June, 22, 2020
Key Lime Cookies
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup butter (softened)
- 2 eggs
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp lime zest
- 4 tbsp butter (softened)
- 4 oz cream cheese (softened)
- 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 tsp lime zest
- 1/4 tsp lime juice
- 1 3/4 cups powdered sugar
Recommended Equipment
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F
- In a medium bowl, combine flour and baking soda
- Mix well with a wire whisk and set aside
- In a large bowl, blend sugars with electric mixer at medium speed
- Add butter and mix to form a grainy paste
- Add eggs, vanilla, and lime zest
- Mix at medium speed until light and fluffy
- Add the flour mixture and blend at low speed just until combined, do not overmix
- Scoop dough by the spoonful onto an ungreased cookie sheet
- Bake 18-20 minutes or until golden brown
- Immediately transfer with a spatula to a cool flat surface
- While the cookies cool, make the frosting by combining the softened butter and cream cheese with an electric mixer
- Beat in the vanilla extract, lime zest, and lime juice
- Gradually add the powdered sugar until the frosting is smooth
- Frost each cookie with about 1 tsp-1 tbsp of frosting
- Garnish with more lime zest if desired
All nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered estimates. Actual nutrition content will vary based on brands used, measuring methods, portion sizes, and more.
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I love key limes! I was actually just wondering what I can bake with the key lime juice I have and this is perfect. Can’t wait to make it.
Oh wow, perfect timing then! We don’t get key limes here very often, so it’s a great treat when we do!!
This is my older daughter’s favorite dessert. I am going to share this recipe with her. She will be happy to learn about the history of key lime as well.
I hope she enjoys both the history and the cookies!
Oh my gosh these look really yummy and I could just scoff a few of these right now. What a fab bake x
They are so good and refreshing for the warm summer months! I ate way too many the first day I baked them 😊
This is the perfect frosting for a cookie recipe. Reminds me of trips to Key West and getting Key Lime pies on our way back home.
Yes! We used to go to the Keys to go camping when I was a kid. It’s such a wonderful recipe for reminders of trips to the area.
The perfect sweet treat for summer! My husband loves key lime Pie so I know he would love these!
If he loves Key Lime Pie then I bet these cookies would be perfect for him! It has all the flavor but in smaller bite-sized pieces!
I just love Key West and Key lime pie is one of my favorites! Looking forward to trying this recipe, I may have to make it tonight!!!
We are about to head on a beach vacation and I’m making them again to take with us! They are so yummy, I hope you enjoy!
I’ve never been a huge key lime person myself (although I can appreciate the tart flavors) but my mom is obsessed. I’m going. to have to make these for her. They look so much better than a traditional pie! Plus easier to eat too!
Actually, I never tried key lime cookies. I’ll try to make them with my toddler this weekend. Thank you for the recipe.
Delicious! Going to make this on this weekend. Totally loved this recipe. Thanks for sharing!
Omg, these look so delicious!
Key lime is soo good, yet I have it so rarely. I think it would be awesome to make a frosting of it, even better to use that frosting on cookies!
Yum! Thanks so much for the recipe!
If it’s cookies on the table, I am all in. I haven’t tasted frosted lime before with anything. This would be a good start! Thanks for sharing your recipe.