Key Lime Cookies
Key Lime Cookies are super soft, filled with creamy white chocolate chips, and topped with a tart lime glaze. An easy and delicious cookie for summer!
Want more lime desserts? Try my Key Lime Cupcakes, Lime Bars, Key Lime Pie Ice Cream, Lime Bundt Cake, or Key Lime Poke Cake.
Key Lime Cookies on Repeat
These key lime cookies are SO good that reader Bob made SIX BATCHES! Here’s why you’ll want to make them over and over again too:
- Easy Recipe – These cookies are super simple. The hardest part is zesting the limes, but it’s not that bad with a microplane zester (affiliate link). The oils from the zest add more flavor than using juice alone.
- Refreshing Lime Flavor – Nothing says summer like a refreshing citrus dessert or coconut limeade drink in your hand.
- Creamy White Chocolate Chips – Just like a creamy key lime pie recipe, these cookies get that creamy taste from white baking chips. I prefer Guittard or Ghirardelli premium white chips for the best taste and texture.
Lime Lover’s Dessert
Hello, my name is Amber and I have a citrus addiction! Limes have been on sale 10/$1.00 around here lately, so why not whip up some more lime recipes right? Hence, these Key Lime Cookies!
The cookies, plain by themselves, aren’t super “limey” or tart, but they are soft and delicious with a hint of lime. The lime glaze on top helps give it a little more of that tangy lime flavor we all know and love. A fun, fresh cookie for summer!
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What is the difference between key limes and regular limes?
Now before you get on my case about the fact that these cookies are not made with key limes, give me a break. Limes and key limes are pretty similar in taste, and I buy what’s on sale. Plus, key limes are only available in most grocery stores for a short season.
The most noticeable difference between regular limes and key limes is the size and color. A key lime is typically smaller and more yellow than a regular lime. Key limes also have a thinner skin and contain more seeds.
When it comes to taste, key limes are less tart and more floral than regular limes, but both will work interchangeably in a recipe like these key lime cookies or for key lime pie (or simply lime pie).
If fresh key limes are not available, you can always use regular limes for the zest and a bottle of Nellie & Joe’s key lime juice. It’s easy to find at the store and always available. Or you can just use regular limes for both the zest and juice like I did.
How to make Key Lime Cookies
Let me show you how easy it is to make this delicious key lime cookies recipe. First, preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
Next, stir together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Set the dry ingredients aside.
- Cream together the butter and both sugars with an electric mixer.
- Beat in the egg, vanilla, lime zest, and lime juice. It will look separated, but will come together in the next step.
- Add the flour mixture and stir until just combined.
- Fold or mix in the white chocolate chips until just incorporated.
Scooping and Baking
Use a medium, #40 scoop (about 1.5 Tablespoons) to scoop the cookie dough into balls. Place onto a parchment or silicone-lined baking sheet about 3-inches apart (8 cookies per tray.)
Bake at 375˚F for 8 to 9 minutes or until the tops are matte and edges are set. Cookies will be plump. Do not over-bake. Cool for several minutes on the baking sheet before transferring cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.
Lime Glaze
While cookies are cooling, prepare the glaze.
Whisk together the powdered sugar, lime zest, and lime juice to the desired consistency.
Brush or spoon the glaze over the cookies while just slightly warm still; after about 8-10 minutes of cooling. (If the cookies are too hot, the glaze will melt into [or off of] the cookies.) Allow glaze to set at room temperature until dry; about 5-10 minutes.
Storing and Freezing
Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
To Freeze:
- Be sure to let the glaze set completely. It should not be tacky to the touch.
- Put the cookies on a baking sheet and freeze for an hour.
- Transfer the frozen cookies carefully into zip-top freezer bags, or stack in a freezer safe container with parchment/wax paper between the layers. Freeze for up to 2 months.
Baking Tips and Alternatives
- Do NOT over-bake the cookies, or they will be dry and crumbly. They will look pale, but the tops will be matte and the edges will be set. The bottoms, when lifted with a spatula, will be lightly browned.
- No Zest: If you don’t want to use lime zest, you can use 1-2 drops of a pure, food-grade lime essential oil (like doTERRA) in place of 1 tsp of lime zest.
- Fresh Limes: Key limes or regular limes will work for this recipe. If key limes are out of season, you can use regular limes — or use regular limes for zest and bottled key lime juice.
If You Make This Recipe, Please Rate and Review it in the Comments Below. THANKS!
Key Lime Cookies
Ingredients
Cookies:
- 1½ cups (180 g) all-purpose flour, stir, spoon & level
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ cup (113 g) unsalted butter, (1 stick) room temperature
- ¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar
- ¼ cup (50 g) light brown sugar, gently packed
- 1 large egg
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp lime/key lime zest
- 3 Tbsp lime/key lime juice
- 1 cup (170 g) white chocolate chips , Guittard or Ghirardelli recommended
Glaze:
- 1 cup (120 g) powdered sugar
- 1 tsp lime/key lime zest
- 2-3 Tbsp lime/key lime juice, depending on desired consistency
Equipment
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375℉.
- Stir together the flour, baking soda, and salt in a medium sized bowl; set aside.
- In a separate medium sized mixing bowl, cream together the butter and both sugars with an electric mixer. Beat in the egg, vanilla, lime zest, and lime juice. It will look separated, but will come together in the next step.
- Add the flour mixture and stir until just combined. Fold or mix in the white chocolate chips until just incorporated.
- Use a medium, #40 scoop (about 1.5 Tablespoons) to scoop the cookie dough into balls. Place onto a parchment or silicone-lined baking sheet about 3-inches apart (8 cookies per tray.)
- Bake at 375℉ for 8 to 9 minutes or until the tops are matte and edges are set. Cookies will be plump. Do not over-bake. Cool for several minutes on the baking sheet before transferring cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.
- For the Glaze: In a small bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, lime zest, and lime juice to the desired consistency. (I like to keep mine thick.) Brush or spoon the glaze over the cookies while they are still slightly warm, after about 8-10 minutes of cooling. Allow glaze to set at room temperature until dry, about 5-10 minutes.
Notes
- Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
- To Freeze: Be sure to let the glaze set completely. It should not be tacky to the touch. Put the cookies on a baking sheet and freeze for an hour. Transfer the frozen cookies carefully into zip-top freezer bags, or stack in a freezer safe container with parchment/wax paper between the layers. Freeze for up to 2 months.
Nutrition
Did you make this?
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*Originally published 7/31/2014. Post updated May 2023.
Just made a double batch of these for my husband’s work. This is my second or third time baking these and they are always a HUGE hit! Definitely one of my go-to summer recipes!
That’s great to hear! Thanks for your comment Louisa!
Hello! Just made these and they are deliscious. Curious though… is the dough super wet? I even added a 1/4C more flour and it was still super wet (held it’s shape when I dropped them on cookie sheet but barely)….took a bit longer to cook. Thanks
That’s strange. They shouldn’t be that wet. I’m glad you adjusted it to make it work though.
I didn’t need to add more flour. This recipe is a keeper. Since I was out of limes, I used bottled lime juice and lemon zest. And, because I don’t care for white chocolate, I toasted sweetened coconut and added it to the dough. In addition, I substituted lemon for the lime in the glaze.
Your alterations sound delicious! Glad you could make it work for your tastes and ingredients on hand.
THese are the BEST! I’ve made them several times and they’ve always turned out fantasticly scrumptious!! I’ve even tried dipping them fully in the glaze to enrobe them in citrus goodness:) thank u so much for this recipe- these are a favourite!
That’s great! Thanks for your comment Rae!
I’ve made these cookies twice and each time I have trouble with the blending the egg, zest, etc. until SMOOTH step. Mine looks curdled! However, after I blend in the flour, it looks like cookie dough. The baked cookies are delicious but what’s with that curdled stuff?
The acid from the zest probably makes it curdle, but it shouldn’t effect the end product of the cookie.
Going to make these for a Christmas Cookie Exchange….Hope they are a hit!
I hope so too! Enjoy!
when you drop a spoon full onto the pan do you mash them down or will they form into a cookie while cooking
I don’t mash them. If you like thin cookies you can.
My daughter and I made these together this afternoon. They are AMAZING! Thank you so much for sharing the recipe!! 🙂
AMAZING!!!!! I made these tonight for a family get together and we were all politely trying to not eat too many. Finally, my husband pipes up, “Does anyone want any more of these because in about 5 minutes I am going over there to eat every last one of them!” If I can’t have these in Heaven then I’m not sure I want to go there. 😉
I love it! Haha. Thanks for sharing! So glad you liked them!
Absolutely delicious! Like you, I love citrus! I doubled the recipe and they were wonderful. I used organic Persian limes so they lacked the pretty green color, but made up for it with great flavor.
YAY! So glad you loved them! Thanks for leaving your review Pam!
i love key lime. these look great!
Me too! Thanks!