These Key Lime Cookies are soft and fluffy, tart and sweet! Thanks to the floral key lime juice and zest, they're refreshing and aromatic! This key lime cookie recipe starts with eggless sugar cookies made with key lime juice, zest, broken up gluten free graham crackers and sweetened condensed milk! Rolled in key lime sugar, topped with a cream cheese drizzle, more grahams and zest, each cookie is like its own little gluten free key lime pie! If that wasn't enough, these flavorful cookies are gluten free, nut free, eggless and can be made vegan!
This recipe for key lime cookies is so refreshing and delicious! The outside has a nice little crunch thanks to the sugar and zest and the inside is soft and chewy! The tartness and sweetness blend together beautifully! They're like little key lime pie cookies with the most perfect cream cheese glaze!
For more fruity cookie recipes, try my super popular Strawberry Sugar Cookies, my Orange Cookies, my Lemon Raspberry Cookies, my Lemon Blueberry Cookies, my Raspberry Cookies or my Lemon Sugar Cookies!
Reasons to Love These Key Lime Cookies
- Allergy Friendly- These cookies are gluten free, nut free, egg free and can easily be dairy free (vegan)!
- Soft & Chewy- The inside of these cookies have the most perfect texture.
- Covered in Key Lime Sugar- The key lime sugar coating helps bring out that aromatic lime flavor and gives the outside a nice crunch like in my Blueberry Cookies!
- Fresh Squeezed Key Lime Juice- The juice from the key limes gives the cookies this gorgeous yet mild fruity tang like my tangy Orange Shortbread Cookies!
- Mini Key Lime Pies- These cookies are like tiny key lime pies! They contain all the ingredients of a key lime pie: sweetened condensed milk, key lime juice and zest and graham crackers!
Ingredient Notes
- Gluten Free Flour- If you also have nut allergies, make sure to use a brand that’s made in a nut free facility. I really love to use this gluten free flour because it’s free of the top 9 allergens. It also contains xanthan gum which really helps give baked goods their bounce and prevents them from falling apart.
- Sweetened Condensed Milk- It makes the cookies have the classic key lime pie flavor and helps create a soft texture! For non-dairy, use a use a sweetened condensed coconut milk that's also gluten free. Keep in mind, it will give your cookie a mild coconut flavor.
- Unsalted Butter or Vegan Baking Sticks- Don’t use melted; the cookies will spread into a giant mess.
- Key Limes- Please only use fresh squeezed key lime juice. Prepackaged lime juice can result in the cookies having a chemical taste. We need a total of 12 key limes for the juice and zest combined. I know that sounds like a lot but they're so so tiny. 4 key limes equal about 1 tablespoon of juice!
- Gluten Free Graham Crackers- The broken up grahams help give the cookies that key lime pie flavor profile!
- Cream Cheese Glaze- Gives a lovely sweetness to help balance the tartness of the key limes. If you're looking for a thick frosting, you can use my recipe for cream cheese frosting.
See my recipe card below for a complete list of the ingredients with measurements.
Substitutions and Variations
How to Make these into Vegan Cookies
- Use a gluten free flour that’s free from dairy.
- Make sure the brand of sugar you use is vegan.
- Use vegan baking sticks instead of butter.
- Only use sweetened condensed coconut milk that's also gluten free. Keep in mind, it will give your cookies a mild coconut flavor.
- Make sure to use vegan cream cheese.
Make this Recipe with All Purpose Flour
- Use 2 packed cups of regular flour (336 grams).
- You still need to chill the dough due to the lack of eggs.
For Regular Limes
- Use 3 regular size limes instead of 12 key limes.
- Follow the recipe and use the same amount of lime juice and zest. You only need less limes because they're larger. You can see the difference below:
This recipe has not been tested with all of these substitutions and/or variations due to celiac disease and food allergies. If you change any of the ingredients, please let us know how the recipe turned out in the comments below!
How to Make Key Lime Cookies
Here are the step by step instructions to make this lime cookie recipe!
Step 1: Zest and Juice the Key Limes
Wash and dry all 12 key limes. Zest all 12 limes. Put the zest in a little bowl and cover with plastic wrap so it doesn't get crunchy. Set aside.
Cut the limes in half and juice them. Make sure to remove any seeds if they get in the juice. Set aside.
There should be about 3 tablespoons of juice.
Step 2: Chop the Grahams
Take 4 sheets of gluten free graham crackers and rough chop them into small pieces. Do not over chop.
You want to end up with about ¾ cup chopped grahams.
Chop 3 more sheets for the tops of the cookies and keep separate.
Step 3: Whisk Together the Dry Ingredients
In a large bowl, whisk together the gluten free flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
Step 4: Cream the Butter and Sugar
In a large bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and granulated sugar until soft and creamy. About 2-3 minutes.
Step 5: Add in the Wet Ingredients
Slowly beat the sweetened condensed milk, 1 tablespoon of key lime zest and the 2 tablespoons of key lime juice into the creamed butter and sugar until combined.
Step 6: Add in the Dry Ingredients, Fold in the Broken Grahams and Chill the Dough
Slowly beat in the gluten free flour mixture a little at a time until just combined.
Using a spatula, gently fold in ¾ cup (about 4 sheets) of broken graham crackers until mixed.
Keep the dough in the bowl, cover the top with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. You must not skip this step or the cookies will spread everywhere.
Step 7: Make the Key Lime Sugar
Whisk together the remaining 3 tablespoons of granulated sugar and 1 teaspoon of key lime zest until completely combined.
Step 8: Scoop the Dough, Flatten and Coat with the Key Lime Sugar
Using a large cookie scoop (I use a 2 ounce cookie scoop), scoop the dough out into 12 scoops.
Then flatten each scoop into a thick disc versus a ball. If you don't do this step, the cookies will remain in the ball shape when baking.
Lastly, coat each dough disc in the key lime sugar mixture: front, back and sides.
Step 9: Bake the Cookies, Top with Additional Graham and Cool
Bake the cookies at 325 degrees Fahrenheit for 8 minutes or until golden on the bottoms.
Immediately reshape the cookies when they come out of the oven.
Then, press 3-4 broken graham cracker chunks into the tops of the hot cookies.
Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 min before transferring to a cooling rack. If you don't do this, the cookies will break apart into a giant mess.
Step 10: Make The Cream Cheese Glaze
Use a spatula to combine the confectioners' sugar, cream cheese, key lime juice and water until combined and smooth.
Once it gets thinner, you can switch to using a whisk.
Step 11: Drizzle The Glaze
Lastly, hold your hand about 6 inches above the cookies and move your arm side to side while drizzling to create a horizontal pattern. Then, get more glaze and move your arm from top to bottom to create a vertical pattern.
Sprinkle with more key lime zest and graham cracker crumbs if desired.
Expert Baking Tips
- Use Packed Cups of Flour- Normally in baking we do not use packed cups however, when working with gluten free, I've found using packed cups works best to help the baked goods keep their shape. Or read the gram measurement.
- Use Room Temperature Butter- Do not use softened or melted butter/vegan baking sticks or the cookies will spread out when baking into a giant mess.
- Use Fresh Squeezed Key Lime Juice- This is to prevent the cookies from having a chemical taste.
- Keep the Key Lime Zest Airtight- If you leave it uncovered and not in a bowl covered in plastic wrap while you bake, it will dry out and become crunchy.
- Chill the Dough- If you don’t chill the dough for at least 1 hour, the cookies will spread and be flat and thin.
- Reshape the Cookies- For round cookies, reshape them as soon as they come out of the oven. Use a spatula to push them back into a circle shape.
- Making The Glaze- If the glaze appears too watery, add more confectioners’ sugar 1 tablespoon at a time. If it appears too thick, add more water ¼ teaspoon at a time. You want the glaze thin enough to drizzle but thick enough to solidify on the cookies.
Recipe FAQs
You can make the dough the night before. Keep it shaped in a disc, wrapped in plastic and place in a zip top bag.
If doing this, there is no need to chill it again, prior to baking.
Or you can freeze the dough for up to 30 days. Thaw the dough in the fridge the night prior to using.
Most gluten free baked goods are best made the same day, but you can make these cookies a day before!
They’re actually so soft they stay fresh for several days!
Yes! You can use a small cookie scoop.
Bake the cookies at the same temperature but for 6 minutes. Reshape as needed. Should make around 36 cookies.
Once the glaze is hard, store the cookies in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Do not leave them at room temperature as they have cream cheese in the glaze.
You can let them come to room temperature before eating if desired.
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📖 Recipe
Key Lime Cookies
Ingredients
For the Cookies
- 2 cups multipurpose gluten free flour (I use a gluten free multipurpose flour with xanthan gum already in it)
- 1.5 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ cup unsalted butter or vegan baking stick, room temperature
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- ¾ cup sweetened condensed milk
- 1 tablespoon key lime zest (from about 4 key limes. Use the same ones that you will juice)
- 2 tablespoons key lime juice (from about 8 key limes)
- ¾ cup gluten free graham crackers , chopped (from about 4 sheets of graham crackers)
For the Key Lime Sugar
- 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon key lime zest (from about 4 key limes)
For the Cream Cheese Glaze
- 1 cup confectioners' sugar
- 2 ounces cream cheese , room temperature
- 1 tablespoon lime juice (from about 4 key limes. Use the same ones from the key lime sugar)
For the Cookie Tops (If desired)
- ½ cup gluten free graham crackers , chopped (from about 3 sheets of graham crackers)
Instructions
Make the Cookies
- Wash and dry all 12 key limes. Take a zester and zest all 12 limes. Put the zest in a little bowl and cover with plastic wrap so it doesn't get crunchy. Set aside.
- Take all the limes, cut them in half and juice them. Make sure to remove any seeds if they get in the juice. Set aside. There should be about 3 tablespoons of juice. Set aside.
- Take about 4 sheets of gluten free graham crackers and rough chop them into small pieces. Be careful not to over chop or you'll end up with a pile of graham cracker dust.You want to end up with about ¾ cup chopped grahams. Chop 3 more sheets for the tops of the cookies. Set aside separately.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the 2 cups gluten free flour, 1.5 teaspoons baking powder and ½ teaspoon kosher salt. Set aside.
- In a large bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the ½ cup unsalted butter and ¾ cup of granulated sugar until it is soft and creamy. About 2-3 minutes.
- Slowly beat the ¾ cup sweetened condensed milk, 1 tablespoon of key lime zest and the 2 tablespoons of key lime juice into the creamed butter and sugar.
- Slowly beat in the gluten free flour mixture a little at a time until just combined.
- Using a spatula, fold in ¾ cup (about 4 sheets) of broken graham crackers. Only mix gently with the spatula until just combined.Keep the dough in the bowl, cover the top with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. You must not skip this step or the cookies will spread everywhere.
- After 1 hour, preheat the oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
- Once the dough is done chilling, in a small bowl, whisk together the remaining 3 tablespoons of granulated sugar and 1 teaspoon of key lime zest. Mix until completely combined.
- I use an ice cream scoop or a 2 ounce large cookie scoop to make large cookies. It makes 12 scoops. After scooping, flatten each scoop into a thick disc versus a ball. If you don't do this step, the cookies will remain in the ball shape when baking.Coat each dough disc in the key lime sugar mixture: front, back and sides.
- Place dough discs about 3-4 inches apart on the parchment lined baking sheet. Bake the cookies at 325 degrees Fahrenheit for 8 minutes. Store extra dough discs in the fridge while the rest are baking if they don't all fit. I only bake 6 at a time.
- Immediately reshape the cookies when they come out of the oven by using a spatula to push them into a circle shape.
- As soon as you reshape the cookies, press 3-4 broken graham cracker chunks into the tops of the hot cookies. Just gently press so they stick.
- Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 min before transferring to a cooling rack. If you don't do this, the cookies will break apart into a giant mess.Make sure the cookies cool completely before adding the cream cheese drizzle, otherwise the glaze will turn into a liquid mess.
- In a small bowl, use a spatula to combine the 1 cup of confectioners' sugar, 2 ounces of cream cheese, 1 tablespoon of key lime juice and 1 tablespoon of water until combined and smooth. Once it gets thinner, you can switch to using a whisk.
- Lay some parchment paper or wax paper under the cooling rack with the cookies to prevent a mess.Drizzle the cream cheese glaze on top of the cool cookies. If you drizzle it on warm cookies, the glaze with melt. It is easier to hold your hand about 6 inches above the cookies and move your arm side to side while drizzling to create a horizontal pattern. Then get more glaze and move your arm from top to bottom to create a vertical pattern.Sprinkle with more key lime zest and graham cracker crumbs if desired.Let the glaze harden prior to eating or it will have a strong confectioners' super flavor.
Patricia Murphy says
Made these with cake four and regular grahams and they were AMAZING!!! Loved loved!
Lee says
So glad!!! Thanks so much for letting everyone know what you did!
Ginny says
I love key lime pie but I've never seen a cookie version. So fun and creative!!
Julie says
Baked these this morning. Easy. Great, refreshing taste. I used all purpose flour, and salted butter. A tip to share: I put a couple tsp of lime zest directly into my glaze, then drizzled on cookies. This worked really well in added zest at end. Another great recipe!
Lee says
Thanks so much for sharing what you did with AP Flour! Thank you!
John says
These cookies are so refreshingly zesty! So good!