Key lime cookies are a soft, chewy sugar cookie loaded with zesty lime flavor and topped with a lime buttercream. They're bursting with fragrant citrus flavor!
These key lime cookies are the perfect spring and summer cookie. The sweet and subtle lime flavor is just enough to make you feel like you're on a tropical vacation somewhere.
If you love citrus flavors and are looking to try something else, you should try my key lime pie tart with biscoff cookie crust. Or if you love lemon you should definitely try my lemon coconut white chocolate cookies, or my blackberry lemon bread that is so moist and full of flavor.
WHY YOU WILL LOVE THESE
EASY & QUICK- These cookies are so much easier to make then they look. They require no chill time, and very few ingredients.
SWEET & TART- The sweet sugar cookie paired with the tart lime juice is the perfect pair.
PERFECT FOR SUMMER- These cookies are the perfect spring and summer treat to bring and share with others.
INGREDIENT NOTES
- Coconut Oil- I love having the little bit of coconut flavor with the lime, but if you don't like coconut just use another neutral oil such as canola.
- Key Lime Juice & Zest- Key Limes can be hard to find year round, regular limes work just great here also.
- Flour- Weighing flour is best if you have a scale, if you don't, lightly spoon flour into your measuring cup.
- Sour Cream- You can also use greek yogurt for the frosting if you have that on hand.
STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS
STEP ONE: Preheat oven to 350 F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
STEP TWO: Place butter, oil and sugars in the bowl of a stand mixer, fitted with a paddle attachment. Beat on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes. Add egg and lime juice and zest, mix on medium speed for 2 minutes.
STEP THREE: Add baking soda, cream of tartar, salt and flour to the bowl and mix on low, being careful not to overmix. The dough will seem crumbly, but it's fine as long as it will hold in a ball. If you need to, add a bit more lemon juice to it will hold.
STEP FOUR: Scoop the dough into large balls. I like to use a 3 tablespoon cookie scoop. Place 8 cookie balls on your baking sheet. Flatten cookie balls with a glass until they are about ½ inch thick. I like to spray the bottom of my glass with cooking spray and dip in sugar before flattening. Bake the cookies for 8-10 minutes. You're looking for a barely light golden brown outside rim. Allow to cool completely before frosting.
STEP FIVE: Mix together butter, sour cream, salt and 2 cups of powdered sugar on low until completely combined. Add lime juice, zest and another 1-2 cups of powdered sugar and mix on medium-high for about 2 minutes. Add more lime juice or powdered sugar to get desired consistency. Frost on cooled cookies.
EXPERT BAKING TIPS
I prefer these cookies to be chilled before eating. It is not necessary to chill them, but might be worth a try for you to see if that's how you prefer them too!
If you would rather use a regular buttercream frosting you can swap the lime juice and zest for milk and add a little vanilla to the recipe.
I have given both cups and grams as measurements. Grams will be more precise, especially when measuring flour. If you don’t have a kitchen scale, no problem! Just lightly spoon flour into your measuring cup to insure its not packed in there. Light and fluffy is the key.
FAQ
Yes, using regular limes works great for these cookies. Honestly I don't find there to be noticeable difference at all.
The best way to tell if your cookies are baked all the way is to make sure that the middle is not glossy at all, and the edges or bottom have a slight golden brown.
The easiest way to fix crumbly dough is to add a little bit of moisture or liquid. Add a few teaspoons more of lime juice or water and that should help..
STORING AND FREEZING
Key lime cookies can be stored at room temperature, or in the fridge, in an airtight container. They will keep fresh this way for 3-4 days.
FREEZING
These cookies will keep fresh in an airtight container in the freezer for 3-4 months. Just allow them to come to room temperature before eating!
OTHER POPULAR COOKIE RECIPES TO TRY:
Raspberry White Chocolate Cookies
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Key Lime Cookies
Ingredients
Key Lime Cookies
- ¼ cup (56.75 g) butter room temp
- ⅓ cup (72.67 g) coconut oil any vegetable oil will work if you don't like coconut
- ⅓ cup (40 g) powdered sugar
- ¾ cup (150 g) granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon key lime juice and zest from the lime can use a regular lime
- 1 large egg room temp
- ½ tsp (0.5 teaspoon) baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon (0.25 teaspoon) cream of tartar
- ½ teaspoon (0.5 teaspoon) salt
- 2¾ cups (385 g) all-purpose flour
Key Lime Frosting
- ½ cup (113.5 g) butter room temp
- 2 tablespoon sour cream
- ¼ teaspoon (0.25 teaspoon) salt
- 3-4 cups (360 g) powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoon key lime juice and zest from a lime can use regular limes
Instructions
To make cookies:
- Preheat oven to 350 F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Place butter, oil and sugars in the bowl of a stand mixer, fitted with a paddle attachment. Beat on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes.
- Add egg and lime juice and zest, mix on medium speed for 2 minutes.
- Add baking soda, cream of tartar, salt and flour to the bowl and mix on low, being careful not to overmix. The dough will seem crumbly, but it's fine as long as it will hold in a ball. If you need to, add a bit more lime juice til it will hold.
- Scoop the dough into large balls. I like to use a 3 tablespoon cookie scoop.
- Place 8 cookie balls on your baking sheet. Flatten cookie balls with a glass until they are about ½ inch thick. I like to spray the bottom of my glass with cooking spray and dip in sugar before flattening. Bake the cookies for 8-10 minutes. You're looking for a barely light golden brown outside rim. Allow to cool completely before frosting.
To make frosting:
- Mix together butter, sour cream, salt and 2 cups of powdered sugar on low until completely combined. Add lime juice, zest and another 1-2 cups of powdered sugar and mix on medium-high for about 2 minutes. Add more lime juice or powdered sugar to get desired consistency. Frost on cooled cookies.
- I like to eat these cookies chilled, but you whatever you prefer is great!
Tyler
Amazing
Dana Marchant
Having sampled these cookies .... I imagined myself sitting on the beach, under the umbrella, waves lapping in the background ... and devouring a dozen of these. So good. Tart enough. Soft enough. Not too sweet. Perfection!
Sandy
Fantastic cookies! Love them and will make again and again!
Camille Knudsen
The key lime flavor in the cookies are spot on! A perfect touch of lime that isn’t too overpowering. And the coconut oil in the cookie batter leaves a gentle hint of coconut. Mine don’t look as pretty as Brooke’s, but I’m sure I’ll do better next time because I will be making these again. 🙂
Andrea
We loved these! I set them in the fridge to chill and the next time I checked on them 1/2 the cookies had mysteriously disappeared and no one claimed eating them-but they did all say they were delicious. They’ll be a repeat recipe for all the summer get togethers.
Hillary
Ok, ok, ok ... *these* cookies taste like sunshine and summertime!!! The perfect balance of key lime flavors and what a PERFECT cookie texture! Refrigerating is a MUST. So very sweet, but so very delightful!
brooke
thank you so so much Hillary!!
Meagan
These cookies were delicious! I felt like I was at crumbl. I will definitely make these again.
brooke
Yay! So glad you loved them!
Courtney
I had been eyeing this recipe for a while and finally made them for my daughter’s bake sale. They were such a hit! Everybody loved them so much! So refreshing and the texture is amazing! I’m so glad I made extra so I could stash some away for me in my freezer! Yum x 100!!
Courtney Davis
Make these for a fajita night with our church group. Everyone raved!
Brooke Homec
Thank you Courtney!! That makes me so happy!