Key Lime Pie Cookies

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Key Lime Pie Cookies

How to Make Key Lime Pie Cookies

Baking ingredients on a marble surface: butter on a plate, bowls of flour, brown sugar, an egg, honey, vanilla extract, baking powder, and spices.

For the Base Cookie:

  • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup graham cracker crumbs (about 6 full crackers, crushed)
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1/4 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 cup brown sugar, packed
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 2 tbsp honey
Ingredients on a marble surface include cream cheese, butter, sugar, lime zest, egg yolk, and lime juice in separate bowls and plates.

For the Key Lime Curd:

  • 2 large egg yolks
  • 1/2 cup fresh key lime juice
  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 2 tbsp unsalted butter, cubed
  • 1 tsp lime zest (optional)
Butter in a white mixing bowl on a marble surface, with another piece of butter on a small plate in the background.

For the Cream Cheese Frosting:

  • 8 oz cream cheese, softened
  • 1/4 cup salted butter, softened
  • 1 cup powdered sugar

Step-by-Step Guide

For the Base Cookie:

Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat.

In a medium bowl, mix the flour, graham cracker crumbs, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Set aside.

  • White flour in a white bowl on a marble surface, with additional bowls containing brown powder and sugar partially visible.
  • A bowl of white flour sits next to a jar of yellow cornmeal on a marble surface.
  • A white bowl filled with yellow cornmeal and white flour. A separate bowl above contains cinnamon, sugar, and baking powder.
  • A white bowl containing a mix of brown and white powders on a marble surface.
  • A white bowl filled with flour on a light marble surface.

In a large mixing bowl, cream together the softened butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes.

  • A stick of butter sits in a white mixing bowl on a marble surface, with a small bowl of honey nearby.
  • Butter is creamed in a large white mixing bowl placed on a marble countertop. A small bowl with a yellow mixture is in the upper left corner.
  • A bowl of creamed butter in a mixing bowl, with a measuring cup of brown sugar about to be added. Marble countertop background.
  • Butter and brown sugar partially creamed together in a white mixing bowl on a marble countertop.
  • Mixing bowl with thick, beige dough against a marble background.

Beat in the egg, vanilla extract, and honey until fully combined.

  • A mixing bowl with dough mixture and an egg in a glass bowl about to be added, on a marble countertop.
  • A white mixing bowl with cookie dough mixture and a cracked egg on a marble countertop.
  • Bowl with cookie dough and a cracked egg, held over by a hand with a small glass bowl of vanilla extract, on a marble surface.
  • Egg and vanilla mixture being poured into a mixing bowl with creamed butter and sugar.
  • Mixing bowl with creamy, light brown dough on a marble surface.

Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing until just combined. The dough should be soft and slightly sticky. If it feels too dry, add a splash of milk (1-2 tbsp) to bring it together.

  • Mixing flour into a bowl of cookie dough on a marble countertop.
  • Bowl of flour being added to a large mixing bowl with a creamy batter, placed on a marble surface.
  • Bowl of cookie dough placed on a marble countertop.
  • A white bowl with cookie dough and a spoon beside another bowl containing cookie crumbs on a marble surface.
  • Bowl with cookie dough mixture and a spoon. A plate with brown sugar is in the background on a marble surface.

Roll the dough into balls (about 2 tablespoons each). Place the graham cracker crumbs in a shallow bowl or plate and roll each dough ball in the crumbs until fully coated.

A round ball is placed in a pile of yellow, crumbly powder in a white bowl on a marble surface.

Place the rolled dough balls onto the prepared baking sheet, spacing them about 2 inches apart.

  • Six dough balls evenly spaced on a parchment-lined baking sheet set on a marble surface.
  • Six unbaked cookies evenly spaced on a parchment-lined baking sheet. The background is a marble surface.

Flatten each ball slightly with the back of a spoon or your fingers.

Bake for 9-11 minutes, or until the edges are golden but the centers are still soft. Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.

For the Key Lime Curd:

In a medium saucepan, whisk together the egg yolks, key lime juice, sugar, and salt.

  • A glass bowl with egg yolks is held above an empty black saucepan on a marble surface.
  • A raw egg with a broken yolk is in a small black frying pan on a marble countertop.
  • Egg and lemon juice in a pan on a marble surface, with lemon juice being poured into the pan.
  • A saucepan with an egg and liquid, and a glass bowl holding granulated sugar above it.
  • Egg yolks, sugar, and liquid in a small black saucepan on a marble surface.
  • A small saucepan containing a yellow liquid is resting on a marbled surface.

Place the saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring constantly. Cook for about 6-8 minutes, or until the mixture thickens and can coat the back of a spoon.

Remove the saucepan from the heat, strain the curd through a fine mesh sieve into a bowl to remove any bits of egg, then whisk in the butter and lime zest until fully melted and smooth.

  • Yellow liquid being poured from a dark pan into a fine-mesh strainer over a white surface.
  • Butter being added to a bowl of melted butter on a marble countertop.
  • A white bowl with yellow liquid and two scoops of ice cream. A hand is pouring green zest from a small glass bowl into it.
  • A bowl of creamy yellow soup garnished with two dollops of sour cream and sprinkled with green herbs, set on a marble surface.
  • A white bowl containing a yellow liquid, likely a sauce or dressing, is placed on a marble surface.

Let the key lime curd cool completely before using.

For the Cream Cheese Frosting:

In a medium bowl, beat the cream cheese until smooth, and then add butter and whisk until smooth and creamy.

  • Butter in a white mixing bowl on a marble surface, with another piece of butter on a small plate in the background.
  • A white mixing bowl on a marble surface contains creamy, whipped butter.
  • Butter block on a plate next to a mixing bowl containing whipped butter on a marble countertop.
  • A piece of butter sits on whipped cream in a white bowl with a red handle, placed on a marble countertop.

Optional: for extra creaminess, add a quarter cup of heavy whipping cream.

Gradually add the powdered sugar, 1/3 cup at a time, beating until fluffy.

  • A hand holding a bowl of powdered sugar over a mixing bowl with creamed butter.
  • A large white mixing bowl with creamy, whipped batter against a marble countertop.

Stir in the vanilla extract and a pinch of salt. Set aside.

Assembling the Cookies:

Once the cookies are completely cooled, pipe or spread a generous layer of cream cheese frosting on top of each cookie.

  • Six cookies with white swirled icing on a cooling rack and marble surface.
  • A round cookie with white frosting on top sits on a marble surface, partially placed on a metal cooling rack.

Using a small spoon, make a well in the center of the frosting and fill it with a small amount of key lime curd (about 1 tsp per cookie).

  • Several cookies topped with white frosting and a yellow dollop are arranged on a cooling rack and marble surface.
  • Cookies with swirled white frosting, a dollop of yellow topping, and a small lime slice, arranged on a baking tray.

Optional: Garnish with extra lime zest for a pop of color and flavor.

Tips:

  • Rolling the cookie dough in graham cracker crumbs will add texture without drying the cookies out. Just make sure the dough has enough moisture to stay soft.
  • If you want a slightly firmer texture, you can refrigerate the dough for 30 minutes before baking.
A cookie topped with white frosting and yellow lemon curd, partially eaten, sits on a plate with a lime slice garnish.

Key Lime Pie Cookies

Print Recipe
Cookies topped with swirls of white frosting, a dollop of yellow curd, and garnished with lime wedges and zest.

Ingredients

For the Base Cookie

  • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup graham cracker crumbs about 6 full crackers, crushed
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1/4 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 3/4 cup unsalted butter softened
  • 1 cup brown sugar packed
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 2 tbsp honey

For the Key Lime Curd

  • 2 large egg yolks
  • 1/2 cup fresh key lime juice
  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 2 tbsp unsalted butter cubed
  • 1 tsp lime zest optional

For the Cream Cheese Frosting

  • 8 oz cream cheese softened
  • 1/4 cup salted butter softened
  • 1 cup powdered sugar

Instructions

For the Base Cookie

  • Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat.
  • In a medium bowl, mix the flour, graham cracker crumbs, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Set aside.
  • In a large mixing bowl, cream together the softened butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes.
  • Beat in the egg, vanilla extract, and honey until fully combined.
  • Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing until just combined. The dough should be soft and slightly sticky. If it feels too dry, add a splash of milk (1-2 tbsp) to bring it together.
  • Roll the dough into balls (about 2 tablespoons each). Place the graham cracker crumbs in a shallow bowl or plate and roll each dough ball in the crumbs until fully coated.
  • Place the rolled dough balls onto the prepared baking sheet, spacing them about 2 inches apart. Flatten each ball slightly with the back of a spoon or your fingers.
  • Bake for 9-11 minutes, or until the edges are golden but the centers are still soft. Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.

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