the details

I guess we really like key lime pie in this house! This is my second recipe that is a take on key lime pie, and all I’ve got to say is sorry not sorry. There’s just something to the flavor combo of buttery graham crunch and creamy tart key lime. These key lime pie cookies capture both those important elements of key lime pie, but in a buttery and chewy cookie! These cookies are inspired in part by both elements of Christina Tosi’s key lime pie cake recipe in All About Cake and Sarah Kieffer’s cream cheese smear technique from her red velvet c ookies.

Equipment + Techniques

Tools you will need for this recipe:

food processer (preferred) or blender
Medium cookie scoop (here’s the one I use) or comparable spoon
stand or electric mixer
fine-mesh sieve for sifting powdered sugar

As far as techniques, there is one note in particular: cream your butter and sugar well at the start! It helps the cookie achieve its chewiness and ideal texture. Cream of tartar also help with this, so don’t skip this ingredient. See more about creaming butter and sugar on my T ips + Tricks page.

This is a great cookie to make when you have a craving since it requires no chill time before baking. You can freeze cookie dough balls on a cookie sheet for 1 hour, then store in a freezer bag for several months if you’d like to bake them later. Just plan to increase cook time. If you are planning ahead, you can also make the graham crumbs several days in advance and then store at room temp in an airtight container until ready to make the cookie dough. Happy baking!

Bake to this music

Similiar Recipes

If you like key lime pie (or even if you don’t) you’ll love my Fluffy Key Lime Tart! It has a thick graham crust and sweet/tart velvety curd, all topped with fluffy vanilla meringue.

For the cookie lovers out there, try out my Salty Toffee Chocolate Chip Cookies. They have a delicious butterscotch/caramelized flavor and a perfect salty/sweet balance. For a simpler flavor profile, check out the ever-popular Salted Browned Butter Sugar Cookies.

Key Lime Pie Cookies

Print Recipe

Key lime pie, but make it cookie! These key lime pie cookies are loaded with salty and buttery graham crunch and a nice smear of key-lime cream cheese. So delish!

Yield: 24 cookies 1x

Ingredients

Units Scale

For the graham crumbs:

2 cups fresh graham cracker crumbs (from about 1/3 of a 14 oz package graham crackers)
2 tbsp brown sugar
1 tsp kosher salt
6 tbsp unsalted butter, melted

For the cookie dough:

1 cup unsalted butter, room temp
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 eggs, room temp
1 tsp vanilla extract
3 tbsp key lime juice
2 1/2 cup all purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cream of tartar
1 tsp kosher salt
2 1/2 cups graham crumbs (from above recipe)

For the cream cheese smear:

4 oz cream cheese
1 tbsp key lime juice
2 tbsp powdered sugar, sifted
lime zest for garnish (optional)

Instructions

Make your graham crumbs. In a food processor or blender, pulse whole graham crackers until they form crumbs. Add brown sugar and salt and pulse. Stream in melted butter and pulse until the mixture begins to stick together and form clumps, like the consistency of wet sand. Spread in an even layer on a pan lined with parchment and bake at 250 degrees F for 20 minutes, mixing the crumbs around with a spatula part way through. Remove crumbs from oven and allow to cool completely to room temperature on a cooling rack.
Make your cookie dough. In a large mixing bowl, cream together sugars and butter on medium-high speed for 3-5 minutes, until lightened in color and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating on medium. Add vanilla and lime juice and beat another minute on medium.
In a separate mixing bowl, combine flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, and salt. Reduce mixer speed to low (or use a spatula) and slowly add dry ingredients into the dough. Mix just until streaks of flour disappear. Add graham crumbs and mix until just distributed.
Make your lime-cream cheese. In another small mixing bowl, add softened cream cheese, lime juice, and sifted powdered sugar. Stir vigorously with a spoon or spatula until the mixture is smooth and homogenous.
Time to put it all together. Spoon a scant tsp amount of the lime-cream cheese into a medium cookie scoop. Using the back of a spoon, spread it around to coat the inside of the cookie scoop. Then, scoop the cookie dough and place cookie dough ball on a prepared baking sheet. Repeat for each cookie. The cookies will look like they have a cream cheese covering.
Bake cookies at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes, until edges begin to brown. Allow to cool on a cooling rack. Enjoy! These keep fine for several hours at room temp–then keep them in the fridge overnight as they do contain dairy.

Notes

You can use fresh-squeezed key lime juice & zest for this recipe, or do what I did and use the bottled key lime juice you can buy at gourmet grocery stores. Both will come out great.
If you do not have a cookie scoop, you could use a medium-sized spoon. You may have to push on the sides a bit to make sure each cookie dough piece is shaped like a ball before baking. But, I do recommend investing in a medium cookie scoop if you bake often.
You may have a few extra graham crumbs leftover–they would be delicious sprinkled on ice cream and yogurt, or even layered in a cake. Store graham crumbs in an air-tight container at room temp for up to 1 week.

Author: Caroline Crockett