Key Lime Cookies
On my one trip ever to Charleston, South Carolina, as much as anything, I remember a few culinary things more than anything else (not terribly surprising maybe). I haven’t made sweet potato pancakes in a while and that needs to change, but these key lime cookies were an unexpected treat that I LOVED during our stay and the recipe I made needed a reboot!
One of my favorite things about traveling is trying local foods. It can be hard to try the more basic local favorites, so you have to be on the lookout and not be afraid of asking around.
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Key Lime Cookies
Our trip to Charleston was a bit tough on the food front for me when it came to anything fried or garnished with bacon, but there was also no shortage of tasty dishes that I loved. All the shrimp and the local, farm-to-table cooking had me head over heels. One tasty surprise were key lime cookies.
The key lime cookies we had were small and crunchy, which I loved. The slightly tart, crunchy morsel was a great afternoon, evening, and late night treat (I told you I loved them).
This version isa normal sized cookie, not a mini or “bite-sized.” The great tart flavor is what really what makes these cookies delicious. Imagine a Russian Tea Cake (or Mexican Wedding Cake depending on your experience), but with the tang of key lime zest. It’s perfection.
How to Bake with Key Limes
The thing that makes key lime desserts so delicious is the combination of the very tart key limes (small but quite mighty) and all the powdered sugar. It’s just like with lemon bars or these delectable lemon crinkle cookies I make every year.
When you think of citrus desserts, they’re often covered with powdered sugar, sweetened meringue, or whipped cream. It’s because the sugar counters the tartness well (though – little known fact – citrus actually have very high levels of sugar, you just don’t taste it with the acid)!
Storing These Cookies
Just like most cookies in our household, these can be stored in a sealed container for up to 5 days (3 is best to maintain a good crunch). Otherwise, just freeze them in a sealed container and left defrost at least 20 minutes before enjoying!
Looking for more cookies recipes? Try these saffron shortbread – an unexpected flavor combination that’s surprisingly DELICIOUS! I also love these muesli cookies as a great way to add crunch to a cookie! And these half moon cookies remind me of my younger days going to bakeries with my parents on our travels!
*I recently updated this recipe from a soft butter cookie to this crunchier version. Click here to see the previous buttery key lime cookie recipe!
KEY LIME COOKIES
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter softened
- 1 ¼ cups powdered sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons key lime zest
- 1 teaspoon key lime juice
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a half-sheet pan with parchment paper.
- Add the butter, a ½ cup of the powdered sugar, and the salt to a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on medium, then medium-high for 2 minutes, scraping the inside of the bowl halfway through, until the butter and sugar are combined and smooth.
- Mix in 1 teaspoon of the lime zest, the lime juice, and vanilla. Add the flour and mix for about 90 seconds on medium-high until a ball of dough forms in the bowl.
- Roll the dough into balls about the size of a key lime. Flatten slightly and arrange on the baking sheet, 10 to 12 cookies on the pan. Bake 10 to 12 minutes until firm and the bottom edges just begin to brown.
- While the cookies bake, stir together the remaining ¾ cup powdered sugar and 1 teaspoon of lime zest in a shallow bowl.
- Remove the cookies from the oven and let cool for 5 minutes. Roll each cookie to coat it in the powdered sugar and set them on a cooling rack over a sheet pan to cool completely.
- Repeat the process with the remaining cookie dough.
- Once all the cookies are rolled in powdered sugar, place the remaining powdered sugar and zest in fine mesh sieve or strainer and dust the tops of the cookies with any remaining sugar.
- Let cool completely and store in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
