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Key lime slice and bake cookies garnished with lime zest beside slices of lime, all on a sheet of parchment paper.
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5 / 3 votes

Key Lime Slice-and-Bake Cookies

There’s something so fun about making slice-and-bake cookies. There’s a bit of an old-fashioned feel to these, but the flavor profile is anything but. These cookies practically melt in your mouth and are full of refreshing zingy key lime flavor, while requiring much less work than a key lime pie.
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Total Time2 hours
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Servings: 26 cookies
Calories: 162

Ingredients

For the key lime cookies

  • 1 1/2 sticks (6 oz) salted butter, at room temperature
  • 2/3 cup packed brown sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • Zest of 1 large lime (about 1 1/2 teaspoons), preferably organic
  • 2 tablespoons key lime juice (add 1 extra teaspoon [15 ml] if using regular lime juice)
  • 2 cups plus 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • Coarse or raw sugar, for rolling

For the glaze

  • 1 1/4 cups confectioners’ sugar
  • 2 tablespoons milk
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 tablespoons plus 1/2 teaspoon lime juice (omit the extra 1/2 teaspoon if using key lime juice)
  • Lime zest, preferably organic
US - Metric

Instructions

Make the key lime cookies

  • In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or using an electric hand mixer on medium speed, beat the softened butter. Add the sugar and mix until well combined.
  • Stir the egg, vanilla, lime zest, and lime juice and mix until just combined. Add the flour, cinnamon, and salt and mix just until the last streaks of flour disappear into the dough.
  • Divide the dough into two equal sections. Shape into logs that are about 8 to 9 inches (20 to 23 cm) long and 2 to 3 inches (5 to 8 cm) wide.
  • Pour your coarse or raw sugar onto a plate and roll each dough log through it to cover in the sugar.
  • Wrap each log separately in plastic wrap. Place each log inside a drinking glass laid on its side so it is encapsulated inside the glass. This helps keep the cookies round while they chill. Chill in the freezer for 1 hour or in the fridge for at least 2 hours, or overnight.
  • Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Line two rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
  • Unwrap one of the dough logs. Move the other from the freezer to the fridge so it doesn’t freeze solid on you. Slice the log into 12 to 14 even slices.
  • Place the cookies at least 2 inches (5 cm) apart on one prepared baking sheet. If the cookie dough softened quite a bit while you worked with it, pop the sheet back in the fridge to chill for 5 minutes before baking. Repeat with the remaining dough log.
  • Bake one sheet of cookies at a time until the edges have a hint of golden brown, 15 to 16 minutes. Let the cookies cool for a few minutes on the baking sheet, then move them to a cooling rack to cool completely.

Glaze the cookies

  • While the cookies are cooling, make the glaze. In a bowl, whisk together all the glaze ingredients along with the lime juice and a few pinches of lime zest.
  • When the cookies are cool, dunk them in the glaze, and enjoy!

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 162kcal | Carbohydrates: 26g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 21mg | Sodium: 74mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 11g