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Lime sugar cookies are bright, sunny, and impossible to eat just one of: palm sugar pulsed with fresh lime zest for rolling, and more zest worked into the dough. Soft centers, crisp edges, a citrus perfume. They are summer in cookie form.
Pro Tips
- Pulse 1/2 cup of the palm sugar with lime zest until fragrant. That scented sugar is the crust that makes these cookies special.
- Grate the zest finely and avoid the bitter white pith, which would sharpen the flavor the wrong way.
- Two teaspoons of zest go into the dough as well, so the lime runs all the way through, not just on the surface.
- Space the cookies about three inches apart. These spread more than the other sugar cookie variations.
- Flatten with a greased glass and sprinkle the remaining lime sugar on top before baking for the crackly finish.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use bottled lime juice?
This recipe wants zest, not juice. Freshly grated zest carries the lime oils that flavor the dough without adding liquid.
Do lime sugar cookies taste strongly of lime?
They taste clearly of fresh lime, bright rather than sour. The palm sugar rounds the citrus into something mellow and sweet.
How do I store them?
Airtight at room temperature for up to 5 days. The lime aroma is most vivid in the first couple of days.
Are lime sugar cookies paleo?
Yes. Almond flour, palm sugar, coconut oil, eggs, vanilla, and lime zest: grain-free and dairy-free.
Recipe Card
Ingredients
Method
- 1.
- Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 350°F.
- Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper. Process ½ cup palm sugar with one teaspoon grated lime zest in a food processor (about 10 seconds).
- Spread the ½ cup palm sugar and lime zest mixture in a shallow dish for rolling.
- In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt together.
- 2.
- In a separate large bowl, beat the coconut oil and remaining 1½ cups palm sugar together with an electric mixer on medium speed for about 30 seconds or until well combined.
- Beat in the vanilla, two teaspoons grated lime zest, and then the eggs one at a time until combined (about 30 seconds), scraping down the bowl and beaters as needed.
- 3.
- Reduce the mixer speed to low and slowly add the flour mixture, beating until combined (about 30 seconds). Give the dough a few final stirs with a rubber spatula to make sure it is well combined.
- 4.
- Working with two tablespoons at a time, roll the dough into balls with wet hands, then coat with the palm sugar.
- Place balls on the prepared baking sheets, spaced about three inches apart. Flatten the cookies to a three-quarter-inch thickness with the greased bottom of a drinking glass.
- Sprinkle the remaining palm sugar over the flat tops.
- 5.
- Bake the cookies, one sheet at a time, until the edges are set and beginning to brown, but the centers are still soft and puffy (10 to 12 minutes), rotating each baking sheet halfway through the baking.
- Cookies will spread out and flatten.
- 6.
- Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes.
- Serve warm or transfer to a wire rack and cool completely.
