Key Lime Pie Cookies
Delicious and freshly flavored Key Lime Pie Cookies are here to brighten up your summertime! Simple, sweet cookies are topped with both easy to make key lime filling and a rich buttercream frosting. Embrace the sunny skies with open arms… and a batch of homemade cookies!
Key Lime Pie Cookies
Do you ever have those days when you wish you could just pack it all up and live permanently in the Florida Keys? When the skies are grey and the weather is chilly, I like to make freshly flavored desserts so I can take a bite, close my eyes, and pretend I’m sitting by the beach.
With that being said, these sweet and refreshing key lime pie cookies are also ideal for all of your warm summertime gatherings – not just for escapism!
Key lime is a favorite summertime favorite of mine. So much so that I think my family gets a little tired of my constant influx of key lime pies in my kitchen from the months of May-August!
To help satisfy my craving while also changing things up, I’ve developed what might just be my new favorite cookie recipe. They’re sweet, summery, and above all else, loaded with delicious key lime flavor.
The cookies themselves are soft, sweet sugar cookies that are flavored with just a touch of natural lime flavor from fresh lime zest.
What really elevates them is the filling, which is made simply from freshly squeezed lime juice and luscious sweetened condensed milk. To top it all off is my favorite homemade buttercream that’s also made with fresh lime juice!
How to Make Them
Make the cookie dough. In a large bowl cream together the butter and both sugars until fluffy. Beat in the egg, vanilla and lime zest. Add in the flour, baking powder and salt. Mix until just combined. The dough will be very crumbly.
Form the cookies. Divide the dough into 6 equal portions and form each portion into a ball. Flatten the balls slightly and place onto a parchment lined baking sheet. To create an indent in the middle I use my large cookie scoop to press an indent into the middle of each cookie. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
Make the filling. At this time you need to prep the lime filling. In a small bowl, whip the sweetened condensed milk and the ½ cup of lime juice using an electric mixer or whisk. Refrigerate this filling while the cookies bake.
Bake and cool the cookies. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Bake the cookies for 15-18 minutes you want the edges to just be golden brown, we want the cookies to stay chewy. Cool 5 minutes and then transfer to a rack to cool completely.
Make the frosting. While the cookies cool, make the buttercream for topping. Using a hand mixer or stand mixer, whip the butter until fluffy. Add in the powdered sugar and beat to combine. Add in the juice of half a lime. Transfer the frosting into a piping bag or ZipLock bag with the tip cut off.
Frost and fill the cookies. Pipe just around the edge of each cookie. Next, fill the middle of each cookie with the lime filling. Garnish with more lime zest if desired.
Chill, then enjoy! Refrigerate for 20 minutes just to set up, then enjoy!
How long will key lime pie cookies stay fresh?
In an airtight container at room temperature, these cookies will stay fresh for up to 3 days.
Tips for the Best Key Lime Pie Cookies
- You can use either key limes or regular limes for these cookies! Just make sure that you are using freshly squeezed lime juice and NOT the bottled stuff.
- If your lime filling does not set, you can stir in powdered sugar 1 tablespoon at a time until it is thicker.
- Make sure your cookies are fully cooled to room temperature prior to filling or frosting them, otherwise you’ll end up with a melted mess.
Enjoy more of my favorite homemade cookies!
- Frosted Snickerdoodle Cookies
- Old Fashioned Peanut Butter Cookies
- White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies
- The Very Best Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
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Get the Recipe: Key Lime Pie Cookies
Ingredients
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
- ¾ cup dark brown sugar
- ¼ cup white sugar
- 1 large egg
- Zest of 1 lime
- 2 cups flour
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
Topping
- ½ cup butter, softened
- 5 cups powdered sugar
- Juice of half a lime
- 1 14 ounce can sweetened condensed milk
- ½ cup of lime juice
Instructions
- In a large bowl cream together the butter and both sugars until fluffy.
- Beat in the egg, vanilla and lime zest.
- Add in the flour, baking powder and salt.
- Mix until just combined.
- The dough will be very crumbly.
- Divide the dough into 6 equal portions and form each portion into a ball.
- Flatten the balls slightly and place onto a parchment lined baking sheet.
- To create an indent in the middle I use my large cookie scoop to press an indent into the middle of each cookie.
- Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
- At this time you need to prep the lime filling.
- In a small bowl whip the sweetened condensed milk and the ½ cup of lime juice using an electric mixer or whisk.
- Refrigerate this filling while the cookies bake.
- Meanwhile preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Bake the cookies for 15-18 minutes you want the edges to just be golden brown, we want the cookies to stay chewy.
- Cool 5 minutes and then transfer to a rack to cool completely.
- Meanwhile make the buttercream for topping.
- Using a hand mixer or stand mixer whip the butter until fluffy.
- Add in the powdered sugar and beat to combine.
- Add in the juice of half a lime.
- Transfer the frosting into a piping bag or ziploc bag with the tip cut off.
- Pipe just around the edge of each cookie.
- Next fill the middle of each cookie with the lime filling.
- Garnish with more lime zest if desired.
- Refrigerate for 20 minutes just to set up.
- Serve!
Notes
You can use either key limes or regular limes but make sure you are using fresh lime not bottled lime juice.
If your lime filling does not set you can stir in powdered sugar 1 tablespoon at a time until it is thicker.