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Soft and chewy cookies bursting with fresh, delicious key lime flavor, topped with a zesty key lime glaze. Quick to prepare and perfect for a refreshing summer treat.

Ingredients

Scale
  • ½ cup unsalted butter (113g), softened to room temperature
  • 1 large egg, room temperature
  • ¾ cup granulated sugar (150g)
  • ¼ cup light brown sugar (50g)
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 2–3 tsp key lime zest
  • 1 ¾ cup all-purpose flour (219g)
  • ½ tsp baking soda
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • 1 Tbsp key lime juice
  • 1–2 Tbsp milk
  • ¼ tsp vanilla extract (for glaze)
  • ½ tsp key lime zest (for glaze)
  • Pinch of salt (optional, for glaze)

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
  2. In a small bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt; set aside.
  3. Using an electric mixer on high, beat softened butter, light brown sugar, and granulated sugar until light and fluffy, about 1–2 minutes.
  4. Add the large egg and vanilla extract to the butter mixture; mix until just combined.
  5. Stir in 2–3 tsp key lime zest.
  6. Add the flour mixture in thirds to the wet ingredients, mixing lightly after each addition until just combined. Avoid overmixing.
  7. Scoop and gently roll dough into smooth 1½-inch balls and place spaced on a parchment-lined baking sheet. No chilling needed; if cookies spread too much, chill dough for 15 minutes.
  8. Bake at 350°F for 8–11 minutes, removing when edges are set but centers still slightly puffy.
  9. Let cookies cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
  10. For glaze: Whisk together powdered sugar, 1 Tbsp key lime juice, 1–2 Tbsp milk, ¼ tsp vanilla, ½ tsp key lime zest, and a pinch of salt (optional). Adjust powdered sugar or milk to achieve desired consistency.
  11. Let glaze rest 5–10 minutes to thicken slightly.
  12. Dip or spread glaze over completely cooled cookies; sprinkle extra key lime zest on top.
  13. Allow the glaze to set before serving.

Notes

Softened butter is important: it should yield under slight finger pressure but still hold shape., Do not overbake; cookies should be taken out while slightly puffy and pale for best chewy texture., Rolling dough into smooth balls by hand produces prettier, uniform cookies than using a cookie scoop., If dough spreads too much, chilling it 15–30 minutes before baking helps., Gluten-free option: Use 1:1 gluten-free all-purpose flour blend and chill dough briefly to help with handling., Vegan option: Substitute butter with vegan margarine or shortening and replace egg with flax egg (1 tbsp ground flax + 3 tbsp water)., For freezing dough, roll into balls first; dough keeps well up to 3 months and can be baked from frozen with 2-4 minutes added to bake time., Store baked cookies in airtight container at room temperature up to 4-5 days; refrigerate for up to 5 days for firmer texture., Freeze baked cookies unglazed for best results; add glaze after thawing, or freeze iced cookies if preferred.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://cookerygood.com/key-lime-cookies/