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Home » Recipes » Cookies

Lime Meltaway Cookies

Aug 18, 2023 by Heather Janak · This post may contain affiliate links ·

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These Lime Meltaway Cookies are a melt-in-your-mouth lime cookie topped with a sweet lime glaze and garnished with lime zest. This lime cookie recipe is easy and only requires a few simple ingredients.

lime meltaway cookie with bite removed on round wire rack with crinkled parchment, limes in background, lime slice in foreground

This post may contain affiliate links. Please see my Disclosure Policy.

August is the last month of peak lime season, so I got these lime cookies done just under the buzzer! Lemon is probably my favorite citrus, but lime is a close second. I love to add lime zest to savory and sweet recipes alike.

The base recipe for these citrusy cookies are from my Lemon Meltaway Cookies. I fell in love with the melt-in-your-mouth texture and decided I needed to make these in every citrus iteration. I turned that recipe into my Grapefruit Meltaway Cookies for grapefruit season and now into this lime version for the last month of lime season.

Jump to:
  • Why you'll love this recipe
  • Ingredients
  • Substitutions and variations
  • How to make lime cookies
  • Hot tips
  • Recipe FAQs
  • More recipes you'll love
  • 📖 Recipe
  • 💬 Comments

Why you'll love this recipe

  • The bold lime flavor comes through thanks to both lime zest and juice in the cookies and the glaze!
  • The glaze is thick and adds the perfect delicate sweetness.
  • These are tender and melt-in-your-mouth.

Ingredients

overhead view of ingredients clockwise powdered sugar, corn starch, kosher salt, unsalted butter, lime zest and juice, vanilla extract, heavy cream, all-purpose flour
  • All-purpose flour and corn starch provides a tender crumb.
  • The cookies and glaze are sweetened by powdered sugar.
  • Kosher salt and vanilla extract balances the overall flavor profile.
  • Heavy cream brings richness to the glaze.
  • Lime juice and zest packs a citrus punch in the cookies and glaze.
  • Unsalted butter brings richness to the cookies.

See recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.

Substitutions and variations

Here’s how to customize these cookies to your liking:

Save this recipe! ✉️

We'll email this post to you, so you can come back to it later!

  • No glaze — Skip the glaze completely for a lower-sugar cookie.
  • Citrus mash-up — Combine lime and lemon or lime and orange for a citrusy mash-up. Swap some of the juice and/or the zest garnish with another citrus.
  • No heavy cream — Use half and half or milk instead. You may need to increase the amount of powdered sugar to reach the desired consistency.
  • White chocolate — Add chopped white chocolate to the dough for an added-sweetness.
  • No cookie cutter — scoop out balls with a cookie scoop or spoons and mash slightly.

This recipe has not been tested with any substitutions or variations. If you try any, please let me know how it turned out by commenting below!

How to make lime cookies

a stand mixer with creamed butter and powdered sugar, paddle attachment out of bowl

Step 1: Cream the butter and powdered sugar together. Add the lime zest and juice and mix. Add the dry ingredients and mix just until combined.

lime meltaway cookies dough wrapped in parchment to chill

Step 2: Wrap dough in plastic or parchment and chill at least 2 hours.

six punched out lime cookie dough circles on a tray

Step 3: Roll out the chilled dough and punch out 3-inch rounds. Freeze until solid. Bake.

white lime glaze in glass bowl with whisk in bowl

Step 4: Whisk together the powdered sugar, heavy cream, lime juice and vanilla. Pipe or spoon onto cooled cookies.

Hot tips

  1. Do not skip chilling. Chilling is important for the flavors to meld and so the cookies don’t spread too much in the oven.
  2. Start with less powdered sugar in the glaze and work your way up to your desired consistency. I like mine thick so I use a full 2 cups.
  3. I pipe my glaze with a plain round piping tip and piping bag, but you could also spoon it on or dip your cookies instead.

Recipe FAQs

How do you store meltaway cookies?

Store meltaway cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for 3-4 days.

Can I omit the corn starch?

This is not recommended as the corn starch plays a vital role in the tenderness of the cookie.

Can I use another citrus?

Yes, absolutely. Swap for lemon, grapefruit or orange with no issue.

Can I freeze the cookie dough?

Yes, wrap tight in plastic and store in a freezer bag or airtight container for up to 3 months.

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    Grapefruit Meltaway Cookies
  • triangle pistachio lime scone with glaze and lime zest garnish
    Pistachio Lime Scones
  • six eggless shortbread cookies with varying shades of blue white chocolate dip garnish on a round marble tray, butterfly pea powder in sifter at left, small gold spoon below, butter and lemon above
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Lastly, if you make this Lime Meltaway Cookies recipe be sure to leave a comment or give it a rating. I love to see when people make my recipes, so please tag me @youthsweets on Instagram if you post!

📖 Recipe

lime meltaway cookie with bite removed on round wire rack with crinkled parchment, limes in background, lime slice in foreground

Lime Meltaway Cookies

Heather Janak
Melt-in-your-mouth lime shortbread cookies with a sweet lime glaze.
No ratings yet. Be the first!
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes mins
Cook Time 10 minutes mins
Resting Time 45 minutes mins
Total Time 1 hour hr 5 minutes mins
Course Dessert, Snack
Cuisine American
Servings 12 cookies
Calories 140 kcal

Equipment

  • Rolling Pin
  • 3-inch round cutter
  • Microplane
  • Citrus juicer
  • Kitchenaid mixer
  • Piping Bags
  • Large Whisk
  • Large Metal Mixing Bowl
  • Silicone baking mats

Ingredients
  

Lime cookie dough

  • 193 g unsalted butter (14 tbsp) room temperature
  • 56 g powdered sugar (½ cup)
  • 1 tablespoon lime zest
  • 2 tablespoon lime juice
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 200 g all purpose flour (1 ½ cups)
  • 35 g cornstarch (¼ cup)
  • ½ teaspoon salt

Lime glaze

  • 1 ¾-2 cups powdered sugar
  • 2 tablespoon lime juice
  • 2 tablespoon heavy cream or half and half or milk
  • lime zest for garnish
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Instructions
 

Do ahead

  • This dough can be made ahead of time and stored in the fridge or freezer until ready to use.

Make the dough

  • In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium speed for about 3 minutes. Add powdered sugar and beat until fully incorporated, about a minute more.
  • Add the 1 tablespoon of lime zest, 2 tablespoons of fresh lime juice and vanilla extract and mix on low.
  • In a separate bowl whisk together the all-purpose flour, cornstarch and salt.
  • Slowly add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture, mixing just until combined.
  • Place the cookie dough on plastic wrap and wrap tight. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
  • Roll out the dough on a floured surface to ⅜ inch thick. Punch out circles with a 3-inch cutter.
  • Preheat the oven to 350°F.
  • Place 2 inches apart on a parchment lined baking tray and pop in the freezer for at least 15-20 minutes to freeze solid before baking.
  • Bake for 10 minutes. Do not overbake as these cookies should not take on a lot of color.
  • Let sit on the baking pan for 5 minutes before removing to a cooling rack and to cool completely.

Make the glaze

  • Sift powdered sugar into a medium bowl. Add lime juice and heavy cream. Whisk until there are no lumps.
  • Spoon or pipe onto cooled cookies. Sprinkle lime zest over the top while the glaze is still wet.
  • Allow the glaze to fully set before storing in an airtight container.

Notes

Do not skip chilling the dough. Chilling is important for the flavors to meld and so the cookies don’t spread too much in the oven.
Start with less powdered sugar. Keep adding until you have your desired consistency. I like my glaze thick enough so that it does not drip all the way off the cookie.

Nutrition

Serving: 1cookieCalories: 140kcal
Keyword cookie, cookies, glaze, lime, lime cookies, lime meltaway cookies, lime meltaways, lime shortbread, lime zest
Tried this recipe?Let me know how it was!

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Hi, I'm Heather!

I am a baker with a passion for elevated desserts. I personally write, test and photograph every recipe you see here. Follow along as I develop easy and challenging recipes alike!

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