Key lime cookies that are packed with key lime zest and loaded with pools of melty white chocolate.
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key lime white chocolate chip cookies
While lemon desserts are amazing (of course), we should also give limes a chance to shine this citrus season. These key lime white chocolate cookies are sweet and zesty, loaded with white chocolate, and have crisp edges with soft and chewy centers.
why you’ll love these key lime cookies
- Brown butter. It’s so delicious and such an easy way to add even more flavor into a cookie.
- They’re perfect for spring. It’s zesty and it is loaded with white chocolate – I don’t know about you but it screams spring to me!
- Key lime: a plain white chocolate chip cookie can be a little, well, plain. The addition of key lime zest adds *so* much flavor to these cookies and pairs perfectly with the white chocolate.
expert baking tips
Weigh your ingredients:
My recipes are all written in grams because it is the most accurate way to bake. When you use a kitchen scale, you ensure that your baked goods turn out as close to the written recipe as possible. Plus, the cleanup is way easier when using a scale! I will provide standard cup measurements but please note that I have not tested the recipe using cup measurements and therefore can not guarantee your recipe will come out how mine did. Here is my favorite kitchen scale.
Mix the dough carefully:
When adding in the flour, only fold the mixture just until no flour streaks remain. Over mixing the dough leads to more gluten formation, which can make the cookies thicker and more tough in texture.
chill the cookies prior to baking
I know, I know – it’s frustrating to have to wait! However, because we’re using melted brown butter, we want to give the dough time to firm up. Letting the cookie dough chill just a little bit in the fridge means that the cookies will bake up thicker. This also gives the flavors a little bit of time to meld together.
Under bake for perfect cookies:
Cookies continue baking after they have been taken out of the oven. Once the edges turn slightly golden brown, and the cookies look just a little wet on top still, they are ready to come out. Let the cookies rest on the baking sheet for an additional 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool.
The secret to perfectly round cookies:
Wanna know the secret to perfectly round cookies? It’s cookie scooting! Right when the cookies come out of the oven, take a bowl, cup, or biscuit cutter that is just slightly larger than your cookies and place it over one of the cookies. Gently swirl the bowl around the cookie to make the cookie perfectly round (and slightly thicker). And that’s all there is to it!
A note on oven temperature:
Ovens vary and fluctuate in temperature and might not always actually be at the temperature they claim to be at. If you love to bake like I do, I highly recommend getting an oven thermometer. They are super helpful for letting you know when your oven might be lying to you! I use this one.
ingredients for key lime cookies:
- All purpose flour: for structure and chewiness.
- Baking soda: helps the cookies rise and the edges crisp up.
- Salt: to help balance and bring out the sweetness of the cookies
- Unsalted butter: for tenderness and flavor. You can use salted butter in place of the unsalted, just be sure to omit the extra salt from the cookies. We’ll also be browning the butter for some extra delicious toasty flavor. If you’re looking to make this dairy-free, Miyoko’s Creamery vegan butter has the ability to brown just like regular butter and works like a charm.
- Granulated sugar & light brown sugar: a combination of both gives us cookies with crispy edges and soft and chewy centers.
- Key limes: we’ll only be using the zest of the key limes. Honestly, you can use a regular lime instead – I just think that key limes make it more fun!
- Egg: for binding and for moisture.
- Vanilla: for flavor.
- White chocolate: I used Valrhona feves which I love, but they are definitely on the pricier side and more of a treat-yourself item. If you’re not using feves, I recommend using a white chocolate baking bar. You can also of course use chocolate chips here, just note that the cookies will end up a little thicker.
how to make key lime cookies
Here are the basic steps to follow to make these cookies. You can find the complete recipe at the end of this blog post.
- 1. Brown the butter. Place the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat, and occasionally swirl until the butter turns amber in color and develops little specks. Remove the butter from the heat, pour it into a medium-sized mixing bowl and set it in the freezer for 5 minutes.
- 2. Whisk together the wet ingredients. Use your hands to rub together the granulated sugar and lime zest. This helps release oils from the zest and therefore, adds more flavor into the dough. Then, whisk in the brown butter and brown sugar – followed by the egg and vanilla.
- 3. Fold in the dry ingredients. Fold in the flour, baking soda, and salt until only a few flour streaks remain in the cookie dough. Then, add in your white chocolate. Fold the mixture together just until no more flour streaks remain.
- 4. Bake the cookies. Evenly space out heaping 3 tbsp. scoops of the cookie dough on a cookie sheet and top with additional white chocolate and lime zest. Bake until the edges are golden brown and the middles have almost completely set.
- 5. Get perfect cookies. Once the cookies come out of the oven, I recommend “scooting” them. This just means take a bowl, cup, or biscuit cutter that is slightly larger than the cookie, place it on top of the cookie, and swirl the bowl around to make the cookie perfectly circular. It’s not needed at all but it will help you get that perfectly round cookie look! Also, leave the cookies to cool on the hot baking sheet for 5 minutes to help them set up.
- 6. Serve and enjoy!
key lime white chocolate chip cookies recipe q&a
What is brown butter?
Brown butter is super simple to make so don’t worry! It’s just regular butter that is cooked on the stove until some of the moisture evaporates, allowing the milk solids in the butter to be toasted. The result is this butter with an amber hue and little speckles that has a toasted and slightly nutty aroma.
Do I need to use key limes?
Not necessarily – we won’t be using the juice from the limes so you can definitely just use a regular lime if you’d like!
can I double this recipe?
Definitely – I’ve tested this recipe up to quadrupling it with no problem. Please be sure to use grams for the best results.
can I make these cookies ahead of time?
Definitely – cookie dough really only gets better with time. You can keep the cookie dough tightly covered in the fridge for up to 2 days before baking. For longer term storage, you can also freeze the cookie dough balls. Just be sure to take the dough out of the fridge at least 30 minutes to 1 hour before you want to bake, so that it becomes soft enough to scoop again.
How to store key lime cookies
Store these cookies in an airtight container at room temperature. They will keep for up to 5 days, but will taste the best 1-3 days after baking.
cookies troubleshooting
tools and ingredients:
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other recipes you might enjoy:
did you make this recipe?
I’d love to see and know your thoughts! please leave a comment and review below, and tag me on instagram @freshbeanbakery. #freshbeanbakery
Key Lime Cookies
Ingredients
- 113 g unsalted butter (½ c.)
- 50 g granulated sugar (¼ c.)
- zest of 3 key limes*
- 110 g light brown sugar (½ c.)
- 1 egg
- ½ tsp. vanilla
- 150 g all purpose flour (1 ¼ c.)
- ¾ tsp. baking soda
- ½ tsp. salt
- 140 g white chocolate (¾ c. + 1 tbsp.)
Instructions
- In a small saucepan set over medium heat, brown the butter. Stir the butter occasionally until it turns amber in color and develops little brown specks.
- Transfer the brown butter to a small heat-safe bowl. You should be left with at least 90g of brown butter (but not more than 95g). If you have a little less than 90g, just add in some water until you reach it.
- Place the brown butter in the freezer for 5 minutes to cool down.
- In the meantime, chop your white chocolate and pour the granulated sugar into a medium-sized mixing bowl
- Zest the limes into the bowl of sugar, then use your hands to rub together the zest and sugar until sugar is fully coated and kind of resembles wet sand.
- Add in the brown sugar and the brown butter once it has slightly cooled, then mix together until combined.
- Whisk in the egg and vanilla until well combined.
- Add in the flour, baking soda and salt. Use a rubber spatula to fold the mixture together just until a few flour streaks remain.
- Add in the white chocolate and fold just until no flour streaks remain.
- Cover the dough and chill it for at least 15 minutes. Annoying, I know – but so worth it and necessary to ensuring your dough doesn't spread too much!
- Preheat the oven to 350°F / 175°C. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
- Scoop out heaping 3 tbsp. scoops of dough (or use a 1/4 measuring cup), setting them on the cookie sheet at least 2" apart to allow room for spreading.
- Top each cookie with additional white chocolate and a little bit more lime zest if desired, and bake for 12-14 minutes, or until the edges of the cookies are golden brown.
- Immediately after taking the cookies out of the oven, you can take a bowl that is slightly larger than the cookies and swirl it around over the cookies to make them a little more uniform and circular.
- Serve and enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
Please note that the nutrition facts are only an estimate and may vary based on different brands of ingredients and any substitutions made.