Award-Winning Key Lime Cookies Recipe

Recipe by Baleigh Kirkpatrick

These cookies won the Great UH Bake Off cookie category in September at the Movies in the Park event. By popular demand we are sharing the recipe. 

Bon Appétit! 

Graham cracker cookies 

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened 

• 1/3 cup granulated sugar 

• 1/4 cup brown sugar 

• 1 egg 

• 1 tsp vanilla extract 

• 1 & 1/3 cup flour 

• 1 cup graham crackers finely crushed, about 7 sheets 

• 1/4 tsp salt 

• 1/4 tsp baking soda 

• 1/2 tsp baking powder 

• 1/3 cup graham crackers finely crushed, about 2 sheets 

Key Lime Pie filling 

• 5 oz cream cheese softened 

• 5 oz sweetened condensed milk 

• 1/4 cup key lime juice 

• 1 tbsp lime zest 

Cookie Instructions 

1. Preheat the oven to 350F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. 

2. Cream the butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until combined. Mix in the egg and the vanilla. 

3. Add the flour, graham cracker crumbs, salt, baking soda, and baking powder and mix just until the flour is combined. 

4. Using a large cookie scooper, scoop out 8-16 equally sized cookie dough balls, roll them between the palm of your hands then roll them in the 1/3 cup of the crushed graham crackers. 

5. Place the cookie dough on the prepared baking sheet, then using a 1 tablespoon measuring spoon, make a well in the center of each dough ball. Bake in the preheated oven for 10 minutes, pull the cookies out, make an indentation in the center of each cookie using a 1/4 cup measuring cup or the bottom of a glass then place back in the oven for another 2 minutes. Let the cookies cool down on the baking sheet for 15 minutes then transfer to a cooling rack. 

Filling Instructions 

1. Mix cream cheese and sweetened condensed milk, lime juice, and lime zest together until combined. 

2. Fill the cooled-down cookies with the key lime pie filling and chill to set. 

3. Sprinkle 1/3 cup of graham crackers on top for a little extra crunch.