Easy & Delicious Glazed Key Lime Cookies
Perfectly soft and sweet, these key lime cookies are a new favorite summer dessert! These cookies are made with a sweet sugar cookie base and then rolled in a lime sugar just before baking. Top the cooled cookies with a quick key lime glaze for the perfect summer cookie recipe everyone will love.
Party tip: Prepare Ahead!
Jump to:
Quick Recipe Snapshot
TOTAL TIME: This is a no chill cookie recipe, so time needed is minimal! About 25 minutes, start to finish.
YIELD: 32 cookies.
STORAGE: Leftover cookies store well in an airtight container for up to 3-4 days.
BEST SERVED: We love them topped with the additional lime glaze for the best flavor!
Why You’ll Love These Cookies
Ingredients You’ll Need
Quick Tips for Success
- Avoid Overbaking: Bake the cookies for 10-11 minutes for the optimal soft and chewy texture. The will continue to bake on the baking sheet slightly once pulled from the oven.
- Don’t Skip the Glaze: The glaze is what really gives the cookies their flavor. I tested the recipe with and without the glaze, and trust me, the glaze is definitely the way to go!
Be sure to check out the full recipe and ingredient list below!
Step by Step Instructions
- Lime Sugar: Begin by adding ⅓ cup of granulated sugar to a small bowl. Add in the zest of 1 lime, then gently mix together with your fingers until the mixture is combined. Set aside while you prepare the cookie dough.
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Prepare two baking sheets by lining them with parchment paper or a silpat baking mat and set aside.
- Mix Dough: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment or a large mixing bowl, cream together the butter and sugars on medium high speed until light, about 1 minute.
- Turn the mixer down to a lower speed, then beat in the eggs, vanilla extract, and lime juice until combined.
- Begin adding in the dry ingredients, mixing until thoroughly combined.
- Using a medium size cookie scoop, scoop out and roll cookie dough into balls of equal size and roll in the lime sugar before placing onto the prepared baking sheet, about 2 inches apart.
- Bake for 8 minutes or until they are just barely starting to turn golden brown and the edges appear set.
- For best results, let them sit on the baking pan for 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool.
- Make the Glaze: While the cookies are cooling, mix together the glaze. In a small bowl, add the powdered sugar, lime juice, vanilla extract, and extra lime zest. Mix together until combined (the mixture should be fairly thick but pourable).
- Drizzle the glaze over the top of the cooled cookies, topping with an extra sprinkle of lime zest if preferred. Enjoy!
Make Ahead & Freezing Instructions
- Make Ahead: You can easily prep these cookies ahead of time! Mix the dough up to 2–3 days in advance, cover it tightly, and keep it chilled in the refrigerator. When you’re ready to bake, let the dough sit at room temperature for 10–15 minutes so it’s easier to scoop.
- Freeze the dough: This cookie dough freezes beautifully! To freeze cookie dough, make cookie dough per recipe instructions, and then scoop out balls of cookie dough and add them to a gallon sized freezer safe bag, making sure to store the bag laying flat in the freezer. Once you are ready to bake, you can pop the cookies straight from the freezer into the oven, or set out on the counter to thaw beforehand. If you are putting them straight in the oven from the freezer, you may need to adjust your baking time to allow the frozen dough extra time to bake.
- Freeze baked cookies: Once completely cooled, place the cookies in an airtight container with parchment between layers and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature.
Check out more recipe FAQs below!
Recipe FAQs & Storage Tips
Key limes are smaller, more aromatic, and have a slightly more tart flavor than regular limes. If you can find them, they’re worth using!
Yes, bottled key lime juice works just fine in glazed key lime cookies. Fresh juice will give you the brightest flavor, but bottled is a great substitute.
For soft and chewy glazed key lime cookies, avoid overbaking and store them in an airtight container once cooled.
Glazed Key Lime Cookies
- Total Time: 18 minutes
- Yield: 32 cookies 1x
Description
Perfectly soft and sweet, these key lime cookies are a new favorite summer dessert! These cookies are made with a sweet sugar cookie base and then rolled in a lime sugar just before baking. Top the cooled cookies with a quick key lime glaze for the perfect summer cookie recipe everyone will love.
Ingredients
Lime Sugar
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- Zest of 1 key lime
Cookies
- 1 cup (2 sticks) softened butter
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 eggs
- 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 3 tbsp lime juice (can use freshly squeezed or bottled)
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp baking powder
- 3 cups all purpose flour
Glaze
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- ¼ cup lime juice
- Splash vanilla extract
- Zest of 1–2 key limes, plus more for garnish on top (optional but makes them extra pretty)
Instructions
- Lime Sugar: Begin by adding ⅓ cup of granulated sugar to a small bowl. Add in the zest of 1 lime, then gently mix together with your fingers until the mixture is combined. Set aside while you prepare the cookie dough.
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Prepare two baking sheets by lining them with parchment paper or a silpat baking mat and set aside.
- Mix Dough: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment or a large mixing bowl, cream together the butter and sugars on medium high speed until light, about 1 minute.
- Turn the mixer down to a lower speed, then beat in the eggs, vanilla extract, and lime juice until combined.
- Begin adding in the dry ingredients, mixing until thoroughly combined.
- Using a medium size cookie scoop, scoop out and roll cookie dough into balls of equal size and roll in the lime sugar before placing onto the prepared baking sheet, about 2 inches apart.
- Bake for 8 minutes or until they are just barely starting to turn golden brown and the edges appear set.
- For best results, let them sit on the baking pan for 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool.
- Make the Glaze: While the cookies are cooling, mix together the glaze. In a small bowl, add the powdered sugar, lime juice, vanilla extract, and extra lime zest. Mix together until combined (the mixture should be fairly thick but pourable).
- Drizzle the glaze over the top of the cooled cookies, topping with an extra sprinkle of lime zest if preferred. Enjoy!
Notes
- Avoid Overbaking: Bake the cookies for 10-11 minutes for the optimal soft and chewy texture. The will continue to bake on the baking sheet slightly once pulled from the oven.
- Don’t Skip the Glaze: The glaze is what really gives the cookies their flavor. I tested the recipe with and without the glaze, and trust me, the glaze is definitely the way to go!
- Storage: These cookies will store well in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3-4 days.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 8 minutes
- Category: Dessert Recipes
- Method: Baking
If you enjoyed this recipe for easy key lime cookies, be sure to come back and leave a comment and a 5 star rating! Tag me on Instagram with your creations @ourhandcraftedhomeblog.
Happy baking!
