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 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 if you want to add some to the tops of the cookies. Set aside.
• In a large bowl, whisk together the gluten free flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
• In a large bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter or vegan baking stick and ¾ cup of granulated sugar until it is soft and creamy. About 2-3 minutes.
• 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.
• 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 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. Let the glaze harden. Sprinkle with more key lime zest and graham cracker crumbs if desired.