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This key lime cookie recipe is basically a pie in cookie form! If you love key limes, you’ll love these easy key lime pie cookies made with graham crackers, key lime juice and zest!

Key limes are hard to find around here, so when they do pop up in the stores I always snag a couple of bags. My oldest son loves them, ever since I first made him a mini key lime cheesecake. Since making tiny little cheesecakes can be time consuming (but well worth it), I had invented these key lime cheesecake bites! They’re perfect for his lunchbox.

Anyway, I had recently grabbed a couple more bags of key limes and decided to add another treat to the blog. Key lime pie cookies were born!

key lime pie cookies

What is the difference between and lime and a key lime?

Other than the fact that key limes are much smaller than a lime, as you can see from the pictures, you might also notice that they have a bit more of a yellow tinge than the typical green of a regular lime.

The taste of a key lime is also different! A key lime is a bit more tart than a regular lime and has more intense flavor.

Can you use regular limes in place of key limes in this recipe?

You would definitely notice the difference using regular limes in place of key limes if you’re expecting that signature key lime taste, but you can certainly substitute a regular lime in these cookies and they’d still be delicious! So the short answer is yes.

key lime pie cookies

How to make key lime pie cookies

These cookies are a cinch to make! You’ll need the following ingredients:

  • unsalted butter, room temperature
  • granulated sugar
  • egg
  • vanilla extract
  • all-purpose flour
  • baking soda
  • salt
  • key lime juice and zest
  • graham cracker crumbs
  1. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix together the softened butter and sugar on high until soft and fluffy. With the mixer running on low, add in the egg, followed by the vanilla, then the lime juice, scraping down the sides with the spatula as you go.
  2. In another bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, salt and lime zest.
  3. With the mixer on low, add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing just until everything is combined. Finally, gently stir in the graham cracker crumbs.
  4. Preheat the oven to 350 and line two large baking sheets with parchment paper.
  5. Using a medium cookie scoop, or about 1.5 tablespoons of cookie dough, scoop the cookies on to the prepared sheets, a few inches apart from each other. Bake the cookies 9-10 minutes, or until the edges are set but the middle is still soft.

While the cookies are cooling, prepare the icing!

Simple Key Lime Icing

This icing couldn’t be simpler. The cookies are delicious without it, but icing really amps up the flavor! You’ll need:

  • powdered sugar
  • key lime juice and zest
  • heavy cream

Whisk all of the icing ingredients together, adding a tiny bit more heavy cream if the consistency is too thick, or a tiny bit more powdered sugar if its too thin. You want it to be spreadable but not too runny!

Once the cookies have cooled, spread about two teaspoons of icing on top of each, then sprinkle extra graham cracker crumbs on top.

This recipe makes about 24-25 cookies.

key lime pie cookies
key lime pie cookies

Its never a bad idea to make cookies! Here are a few of my other favorites:

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key lime pie cookies

Key Lime Pie Cookies


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5 from 2 reviews

  • Author: Katherine | Love In My Oven
  • Total Time: 30 minutes
  • Yield: 24 cookies 1x

Description

This key lime cookie recipe is basically pie in cookie form! If you love key limes, you’ll love these key lime pie cookies made with graham crackers, key lime juice and zest!


Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 tbsp key lime zest (~4 key limes)*
  • 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
  • 2 tbsp key lime juice (~4 key limes)
  • 1/2 cup graham cracker crumbs, plus extra for sprinkling on top

Key Lime Frosting

  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • 1 tbsp heavy cream
  • juice and zest from 2 key limes (1 tbsp)

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 F and line two large baking sheets with parchment paper. In a large mixing bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda and salt. Gently whisk in the key lime zest.
  2. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix the butter on high for about a minute until light and fluffy. Add the sugar and mix again for another minute. With the mixer running on low, add in the egg, followed by the vanilla extract. Scrape down the sides with a rubber spatula as needed. Add in the key lime juice. With the mixer on low, add in the dry ingredients to the wet until just combined. Stir in the graham cracker crumbs by hand.
  3. Using a medium cookie scoop (about 1.5 tablespoons) scoop the cookie dough on to the prepared baking sheets, a few inches apart. Bake the cookies for 9-10 minutes, or until the edges are just set and the inside is still soft. Remove the cookies from the oven and allow them to cool for 10 minutes on the pan, before removing them to a wire rack to cool completely.
  4. Make the icing. Whisk together the powdered sugar, heavy cream, key lime juice and zest. Adjust the icing consistency by adding a bit more cream if the icing is too thick and a bit more powdered sugar if it is too thin. You want to be able to frost the cookies without spreading too hard, but without the frosting running over the sides of the cookies! Sprinkle the tops of the frosted cookies with additional graham cracker crumbs.

Cookies will keep at room temperature, in an airtight container, for 4-5 days or in the freezer for up to 2 months.

Notes

*You can use regular limes in place of key limes. The taste will not be the same but it will still be delicious!

  • Prep Time: 20 minutes
  • Cook Time: 10 minutes
  • Category: cookies
  • Method: oven bake
  • Cuisine: american
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Key Lime Pie CookiesKey Lime Pie Cookies

About Katherine

Heeey! Thank you for stopping by! I like 30-minute dinners and giant peanut butter cups made with only 3 ingredients. I LOVE food! If you do too, you're in the right place.

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2 Comments

  1. I love key lime pie, but I’m also quite lazy baking them – so lazy Ben really appreciates the simplified idea haha. The cookies look super luscious and fresh!