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Key Lime Cookies

These soft, cake-like treats are like a little key lime pie in cookie form.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Course Snack
Cuisine American
Servings 33 people
Calories 5591.2 kcal

Equipment

  • 1 Electric Mixer Stand or hand-held for creaming ingredients
  • 2 Mixing Bowls One large for the main dough, one small for dry ingredients if pre-mixing
  • 2 Cookie Sheets Or baking trays, prepared with cooking spray or silicone liners
  • 1 Rubber Spatula For folding in chocolate chips and zest gently
  • 1 Measuring Spoons Specifically a teaspoon for portioning dough

Ingredients
  

Main

  • cooking spray
  • ½ 8 ounce package cream cheese, at room temperature
  • ½ cup butter at room temperature
  • ½ cup light brown sugar
  • ¼ cup white sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup white chocolate chips
  • 2 tablespoons Key lime zest

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease 2 cookie sheets with cooking spray or line with silicone baking liners.
  • Combine cream cheese, butter, brown sugar, and white sugar in a mixing bowl. Beat with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Beat in egg and vanilla extract until smooth. Slowly beat in flour, baking powder, and salt. Fold in white chocolate chips and lime zest.
  • Drop teaspoonfuls of cookie dough onto the prepared cookie sheets, leaving about 1 inch between each cookie.
  • Bake in the preheated oven until cookies are set and lightly browned around the edges, 10 to 14 minutes.

Notes

Ensure all dairy (cream cheese, butter, egg) is truly at room temperature for a smooth, homogenous batter that creams effectively. For an intensified lime flavor, consider adding 1-2 teaspoons of fresh Key lime juice with the vanilla, adjusting flour slightly if the dough becomes too wet. Avoid overmixing the flour once added, as this can develop gluten and lead to a tougher cookie rather than the desired soft, cake-like texture. Bake until edges are just set and lightly golden, as overbaking will dry out these tender cookies. Cool completely on a wire rack to allow them to firm up without becoming brittle.