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Key Lime Pie Shortbread Cookies stacked on a white plate with slices of lime.
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5 from 4 votes

Key Lime Pie Shortbread Cookies

Key Lime Pie Shortbread Cookies have all the components of Key Lime Pie in cookie form, even down to crust! Like taking a bite of Florida sunshine.
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time10 minutes
Additional Time2 hours
Total Time2 hours 30 minutes
Course: Cookies
Cuisine: American
Keyword: cookie recipe, Key lime pie, shortbread cookies

Ingredients

For the Cookies

  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter softened to room temp
  • 3 oz regular cream cheese room temp
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 Tablespoon lime juice*
  • 1 1/2 cup confectioners sugar
  • 1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup finely crushed graham crackers or vanilla wafer cookies
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 2 teaspoons lime zest*

For the Glaze

  • 1 cup confectioners sugar
  • 1 tablespoon light corn syrup
  • 2 Tablespoons lime juice
  • 1 teaspoon lime zest

Instructions

  • In a medium sized mixing bowl, cream together the butter and cream cheese. Add the vanilla, lime juice and egg and mix again until it's well blended, light and fluffy.
  • In the same bowl, add 1 1/2 cups confectioners sugar, the flour, the graham cracker crumbs, baking powder, and lime zest. Give the dry ingredients a light stir. Then blend on low with your electric mixture until it's well combined.
  • Cut two pieces of waxed paper or plastic cling wrap. Divide the dough in half and shape each into a log approximately 7 inches long and 2.5 inches in diameter. Wrap the cookie dough logs tightly in the waxed paper. Place in the fridge to chill for at least 2 hours, but up to 24 hours.
  • When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350 degrees and prepare 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. Slice the dough into 1/3" slices and place at least an inch apart on the cookie sheets. Bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes or until the cookies are firm and have a slight golden brown hue at the edges.
  • Let the cookies set on the cookie sheets for 5 minutes after removing from the oven, then remove to wire racks to cool completely. Reserve the parchment paper for later use.
  • In a small bowl, whisk together the remaining confectioners sugar, corn syrup, lime juice and lime zest to make the glaze.
  • Place the leftover parchment paper under the wire racks to catch any drips. Drizzle the glaze over the cookies and let dry.
  • Store in an airtight container between layers of waxed paper. *

Notes

For this recipe you will need approximately 2 Persian limes or 4 Key limes to yield the amount of zest and juice needed.
These cookies will have the brightest lime flavor and glossiest glaze the day they are baked. The longer they sit the more the flavor will mellow and the glaze will begin to lose its shine.