Description
These delightful Key Lime Cookies combine the zesty brightness of key limes with a tender gluten-free cookie base, topped with a luscious cream cheese glaze for a refreshing treat perfect for any occasion.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Cookie Dough
- 2 cups multipurpose gluten free flour ( (I use a gluten free multipurpose flour with xanthan gum already in it))
- 1.5 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter (or vegan baking stick, room temperature)
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 3/4 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))
- 3/4 cup gluten free graham crackers (, chopped (from about 4 sheets of graham crackers))
Coating
- 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon key lime zest ((from about 4 key limes))
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))
- 1 tablespoon water (added during glaze mixing)
- 1/2 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.
- Juice the Limes 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.
- Chop Graham Crackers 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 3/4 cup chopped grahams. Chop 3 more sheets for the tops of the cookies. Set aside separately.
- Mix Dry Ingredients In a large bowl, whisk together the 2 cups gluten free flour, 1.5 teaspoons baking powder and 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt. Set aside.
- Cream Butter and Sugar In a large bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the 1/2 cup unsalted butter and 3/4 cup of granulated sugar until it is soft and creamy. About 2-3 minutes.
- Add Condensed Milk and Lime Slowly beat the 3/4 cup sweetened condensed milk, 1 tablespoon of key lime zest and the 2 tablespoons of key lime juice into the creamed butter and sugar.
- Combine with Flour Mixture Slowly beat in the gluten free flour mixture a little at a time until just combined.
- Fold in Graham Crackers and Chill 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.
- Preheat Oven After 1 hour, preheat the oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
- Make Key Lime Sugar 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.
- Scoop and Shape the Cookies 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.
- Arrange and Bake 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.
- Reshape and Top Immediately reshape the cookies when they come out of the oven by using a spatula to push them into a circle shape.
- Add Graham Cracker Chunks 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.
- Cooling 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.
- Prepare Glaze 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.
- Glaze the Cookies 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.
Notes
- Keep the dough refrigerated for at least 1 hour to prevent cookies from spreading too much.
- Flatten each cookie dough scoop before baking to achieve proper shape.
- Cool cookies completely before adding the cream cheese glaze to avoid a runny glaze.
- Use parchment or wax paper under the cooling rack when glazing to catch drips.
