Coconut Key Lime Cookies

Blog5 060So I bought this bag of Key limes the other day. Well…let’s back up. First I bought a 6-pack of Corona beer, and as I raced through the produce department I saw the Key limes. I glanced around for regular limes but didn’t see any and was too lazy to go hunt them down, so I grabbed the bag, knowing full well that I’d have to come up with some kind of a recipe to use them all in – long after the beer was gone.

It’s your lucky day, because out of that impulse purchase emerged a recipe for a cookie that is rich and buttery, bursting with coconut, and has a subtle “pop” of lime. Perfect with a glass of iced tea.

I tried them three ways: plain, sporting a fresh raspberry in the center, and with a dollop of raspberry jam. My favorite? The fresh raspberry cookie calls to me, because if you refrain from shoving the whole cookie in your mouth (no names will be mentioned here) you can nibble at the cookie and savor the anticipation of the moment you bite into the berry and get that burst of contrasting flavor.  I would like to note, however, that if you aren’t planning to serve them within 24 hours, you may want to stick with the plain or jam version. Fresh berries aren’t very appealing after a day or so.

I used virgin coconut oil to add extra coconutty flavor, Key lime juice (those little buggers are a pain to squeeze) and a teaspoon of grated lime peel. If you want a stronger hit of lime, double the lime peel.  DO NOT TASTE THE DOUGH, because you won’t want to stop, I promise. I got 24 cookies out of this recipe, though I’m sure without two people “testing” the dough there would have been a few more.

"Plain" (if you could call it that!)

“Plain” (if you could call it that!)

Fresh raspberry center.

Fresh raspberry center.

With raspberry jam.

With raspberry jam.

When you buy Key limes, look for fruit that is more yellow than green, which means it’s riper and not quite as tart. Those little guys pack a wallop, especially when they’re dark green, but any bitterness is hidden in these cookies.

Coconut Key Lime Cookies
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Chewy coconut, tart lime, and buttery dough make a perfect cookie to serve with a glass of iced tea. Makes 24 cookies.
Ingredients
  • ½ cup butter, softened
  • ¼ cup virgin coconut oil
  • ½ cup granulated sugar
  • ½ cup powdered sugar
  • ½ cup cornstarch
  • 1 egg yolk
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla
  • 2 tablespoons Key lime juice
  • 1 teaspoon (gently packed) finely grated Key lime peel (or more - your call!)
  • 2 cups flour
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup shredded coconut
  • fresh raspberries or raspberry jam, if desired
Instructions
  1. Heat oven to 375 F.
  2. In large bowl, cream together the butter, coconut oil, sugar, powdered sugar, and cornstarch.
  3. Add egg yolk, vanilla, lime juice, and lime peel and mix together well.
  4. Add flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Mix well.
  5. Stir in coconut.
  6. Using cookie scoop or rounded tablespoon, drop cookie dough onto ungreased baking sheet. If you are not adding raspberries, flatten the dough slightly with the bottom of a drinking glass and bake for 12-14 minutes, until the cookies are golden brown around the bottom.
  7. If you are adding raspberries, use your thumb to make a well in each ball of dough and fill with either a fresh berry or a small spoonful of jam. Bake 12-14 minutes, until the cookies are golden brown around the bottom.
  8. Cool on the cookie sheet for a few minutes and then transfer to a rack to continue cooling.

 

Get ready!

Get ready!

For plain cookies, slightly flatten the scooped dough.

For plain cookies, slightly flatten the scooped dough.

If you're using raspberries or jam, make a well and fill 'er up!

If you’re using raspberries or jam, make a well and fill ‘er up!

Baked and ready to be moved from baking sheet to rack.

Baked and ready to be moved from baking sheet to rack.

Hopefully you left a couple of limes for your Corona (get ready to pucker), but you might want to save that for later; the cookies are for NOW! Enjoy.

2 thoughts on “Coconut Key Lime Cookies

  1. I love Key Limes so this cookie is perfect for me. I wouldn’t have thought to pair them with raspberry, but I’m going with the fresh raspberry center. YUM.

    • Thanks, Karen! The flavors work really well together. If you really like Key lime, I’d double the amount of lime peel – even though I have a hard time being patient enough to grate those little guys.

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