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+ servings
key lime cookies with a bite taken out of one.

Key Lime Cookies

Brooke Homec
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!
4.95 from 20 votes
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 8 minutes
Course Dessert, Snack
Cuisine American
Servings 14
Calories 370 kcal

Ingredients
 

Key Lime Cookies

  • ¼ cup (56.75 g) butter room temp
  • cup (72.67 g) coconut oil any vegetable oil will work if you don't like coconut
  • 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
  • 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!

Notes

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! Just place them in an airtight container after the frosting has set and they should keep fresh in there for 3-4 days, or in the freezer for longer.
It is best for butter and eggs to be at room temperature before starting to mix.
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.

Nutrition

Calories: 370kcalCarbohydrates: 58gProtein: 3gFat: 15gSaturated Fat: 10gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 40mgSodium: 249mgPotassium: 46mgFiber: 1gSugar: 39gVitamin A: 334IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 11mgIron: 1mg
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