Description
Zesty key lime pie cookies merge classic dessert flavors into irresistible bite-sized treats. Creamy lime-infused dough with graham cracker crumbs delivers a nostalgic tropical twist you’ll crave again and again.
Ingredients
Scale
Cookies Base:
- 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Wet Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup (113 grams) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1/4 cup (50 grams) granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup (100 grams) light brown sugar, packed
- 1 large egg, at room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Lime Flavoring:
- 1 tablespoon fresh key lime zest
- 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
Instructions
- Prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper and warm the oven to 350F (175C) for optimal cookie baking conditions.
- Cream butter and sugars in a stand mixer at medium-high speed until the mixture becomes airy and pale, approximately 2 minutes.
- Incorporate egg, vanilla, lime juice, and lime zest into the butter mixture, blending until uniformly smooth.
- Gently fold in flour, leavening agents, and salt, mixing until just combined. Fold graham cracker crumbs into the dough, ensuring even distribution.
- Shape dough into uniform balls using a cookie scoop, arranging them on the prepared baking sheet with adequate spacing.
- Create a gentle indentation in each cookie’s center using your thumb or a tablespoon’s back.
- Bake for 12-14 minutes, watching for firm edges and slightly soft centers. Reshape indentations immediately after removing from the oven.
- Allow cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack for complete cooling.
- Whip cream cheese, key lime juice, condensed milk, powdered sugar, and vanilla until achieving a silky, consistent texture.
- Fill each cooled cookie’s center with key lime mixture, using a spoon or piping bag for precision.
- Decorate with additional lime zest and optional lime slice for visual appeal.
- Chill cookies in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour to set the filling and enhance flavor melding.
Notes
- Zest your limes before juicing to maximize flavor extraction and get more aromatic citrus notes in your cookies.
- Use room temperature ingredients like butter and eggs to ensure smoother, more consistent cookie dough mixing and better texture.
- Create uniform cookies by using a cookie scoop for precise portioning and even baking results.
- Chill the filled cookies to help the key lime filling set firmly and develop a more intense tangy flavor profile.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 14 minutes
- Category: Desserts, Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 24
- Calories: 112 kcal
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 106 mg
- Fat: 5 g
- Saturated Fat: 3 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 16 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Cholesterol: 15 mg