This soft, pillowy key lime cookies recipe is truly a showstopper!
Imagine a perfectly soft sugar cookie with a beautiful crinkled top, infused with the bright, zesty flavor of fresh key lime juice and zest. (Don’t have key limes? Regular limes work perfectly!)
This easy, no-chill cookie dough comes together in just one bowl and requires no mixer, so you can have warm cookies ready in under 30 minutes. It’s the perfect treat to satisfy your citrus cravings.
Enjoy this buttery, zesty sugar cookie that will melt-in your mouth—it’s a recipe you’ll want to make again and again!
My Favorite Pro Baking Tips for Making Perfect Key Lime Cookies
Zest Your Limes Carefully for the Best Flavor
When zesting, use a microplane to carefully remove just the green part of the fruit. Anything deeper will have a bitter taste.
You can adjust the amount of lime zest to your liking! I found that the zest from about eight key limes gives these cookies the perfect zesty flavor, but feel free to add more for a bolder taste.
Cream the Butter and Sugar for the Ultimate Key Lime Cookie Texture
The secret to the phenomenal soft and pillowy texture of these cookies is how you cream the butter and sugar.
Make sure you beat the butter and sugar together until the mixture is visibly lighter in both color and texture. This step incorporates air, which is crucial for perfectly soft cookies.
Substitute With Regular Limes in a Pinch!
Key limes are known for their floral aroma and tart flavor, and their season runs from late summer into early fall.
If you can’t find key limes, don’t worry! Regular limes are a fantastic substitute for these easy key lime cookies. You’ll need fewer of them since they’re larger and contain more juice and zest.
You can also use lemons, but that’s a whole different cookie!
The Baker’s Guide to Measuring Flour
One of the biggest (and most common) mistakes in baking is how we measure flour. If you find yourself without a scale, see my top tips on how to properly measure flour for the perfect amount every time!
Step-by-Step Instructions & Photos for
Making This Delicious Key Lime Cookies Recipe
PRO BAKING TIP
Add more lime zest to the tops of the cookies just prior to baking so you can see pops of green over the tops of the cookies!
More Delicious Cookie Recipes
I absolutely ADORE these Malted Chocolate Chip Cookies (it’s always a crowd pleaser!). And these Soft & Chewy Peanut Butter Cookies are TO DIE FOR.
You can find all of the cookie recipes here!
Enjoy the best key lime cookies recipe!!
The Best Soft & Pillowy Key Lime Cookies You’ll Ever Bake!
Ingredients
For the Key Lime Cookie Dough
- 1 1/4 cup (250 g) granulated sugar
- 16 tablespoons (226 g) unsalted butter room temperature
- 2 tablespoons (28 g) light brown sugar packed
- 4 tablespoons fresh key lime zest about 8 key limes
- 2 tablespoon (26 g) fresh key lime juice about 6 key limes
- 1 tablespoon (14 g) your favorite cooking oil avocado, olive, sunflower or grapeseed oil would all work great here!
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 3/4 cups + 1 tablespoon (381 g) all-purpose flour
To Roll the Cookies
- 1/3 cup (67 g) granulated sugar
Instructions
For the Cookie Dough
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175℃). Line several baking sheets with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, cream the sugar, butter, brown sugar, lime zest, key lime juice and oil until light and fluffy, about 4 to 5 minutes. You want both the color and texture of the mixture to lighten.
- Add in the eggs one at a time, taking care to fully blend the first before adding the second. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl to make sure everything is incorporated.
- Add in the baking powder, baking soda and salt and mix 1 minute more. Add the flour and mix until just barely combined.
To Roll the Cookies & Bake
- Place the granulated sugar in a small bowl.
- Use a 2-tablespoon cookie scoop to portion the cookie dough balls. Don't roll the cookie dough into smooth balls. Leaving the surface rough will yield a more crinkly-topped cookie.
- Give the dough ball a generous coating of sugar and set on the baking sheet, allowing 2-inches (5-cm) of space between dough balls. Sprinkle any extra lime zest (if available) over the tops of the cookies.
- Bake in the center of the oven for 11 to 12 minutes. They will be barely golden brown around the bottom edges and puffed up. Use the edge of a spatula to nudge any misshapen cookies back into shape. I like to underbake these cookies a touch and let them finish baking on the warm cookie sheet.
- As the cookies cool, they will collapse and you'll start to see the pretty crinkles appear over the tops of the cookies. Let the baked cookies cool on the baking sheet for about 15 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to finish cooling.
Notes
Can I Use A Mixer?
Yes, yes, you can! Feel free to use an electric stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or a handheld mixer) for whipping up the cookie dough.Zesting Tip
Always zest your fruit before you cut and juice it. Feel free to add more key lime zest for more pronounced citrus flavors. However, don’t add more key lime juice as it will alter the consistency of the cookie dough. *I don’t love using weight for measuring zest. Use the recommended quantities of key lime fruit for best results.Don’t Roll Your Cookie Dough Balls
I love the crinkly tops of these cookies. If you roll your dough balls, you lose some of that texture. Ideally, scoop the two tablespoons of cookie dough and drop them in the granulated sugar. Sprinkle the sugar over the top of the dough ball and then set it on the baking sheet.Storing Key Lime Cookies
Store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 or 4 days, depending on the ambient temperature and humidity. If it’s warm and humid where you live, they won’t last as long at room temperature.Freezing Key Lime Cookie Dough
This cookie dough freezes great and can be stored as a large mass or as cookie dough balls in the freezer. Take note that when baked from frozen, they lose some of the textured crinkle detail on the tops of the cookies.For More Key Lime Flavor
Skip rolling the cookies in sugar, and use my favorite Lime Glaze recipe over the tops of the cookies. For the perfect key lime glaze, substitute key limes for limes, 1:1, and halve the recipe for best results.The post The Best Soft & Pillowy Key Lime Cookies Recipe You’ll Ever Make! appeared first on DisplacedHousewife.
