Key Lime Thumbprint Cookies
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Key Lime Thumbprint Cookies are the perfect combination of sweet and tart. Their buttery texture and tart citrus flavor make them the perfect treat for a special occasion.
Last week I made a delicious lime curd. It was sweet but pretty tart and I just knew it would great in a cake or cookies. The only problem was I didn’t have a recipe handy to use it with so I started looking.
I thought a thumbprint cookie would be a good idea because the cookies are generally sweet and they would pair well with the tart key lime curd. Plus I thought the bright yellow green of the curd would really pop on a pale colored cookie.
The cookies are reminiscent of my sugar cookies but they are rich and buttery. I also liked that there was no chilling time which is different from my sugar cookies. I hate making cookie dough then having to wait and hour or two until I can find more time in order to bake the cookies.
Ingredients:
- all purpose flour
- baking powder
- salt (I like sea salt for these but you can use table salt)
- butter (I like salted butter but you can use unsalted)
- granulated sugar
- egg
- vanilla extract
- lemon (you will just need the zest)
- key lime curd (find my recipe HERE)
These cookies are easy to make and bake in under 30 minutes. My five year old was able to help me dump the ingredients, mix the dough, and hand me dough balls to put on my cookie sheet.
After the cookies are rolled into balls they are flattened slightly and put in the oven. Once the cookies come out of the oven you need to put an indentation in the center of the cookies. Then they need to cool.
You can use homemade key lime curd or you can buy it. I prefer to make to myself because I can control how sweet or tart it is. I find store bought curd to be sweeter than what I make myself.
Can I use another type of curd?
You can use your favorite type of citrus curd. You can mix and match the zest in the cookies with the curd in the filling or you can keep it the same. For these cookies I used lemon zest in the cookies which paired well with the key lime curd.
How do you flatten the cookies?
You can use your hand to flatten the cookies but I have a secret technique. I like to rub the bottom of a flat glass on a piece of cookie dough then I dip it into granulated sugar. I then use the bottom of the glass to press down on cookie dough balls. I continue dipping the bottom of the glass into the sugar then onto the cookie balls. It keeps my hands clean and make a neat press to the dough.
How do you make the thumbprint?
You can make the thumbprint the old fashioned way and use your actual thumb. I did this for years. More recently I use a teaspoon or a tablespoon depending on the size of the cookies. It makes a clean indentation in the cookies and it makes them all the same size.
How do you store these cookies?
If you fill the cookies they will need to be store in an air tight container in the refrigerator. I tend to store the unfilled cookies in an air tight container for up to 5 days and fill them as we eat them so I don’t have to keep them in the refrigerator.
Once the cookies have cooled you can put a teaspoon of the key lime curd in the center of each cookie. If you don’t want to eat them all at once you can fill some and save the others to fill for later.
If you want to get fancy you can sprinkle some powdered sugar over top of the cookies. You could also sprinkle with some sparkling sanding sugar for an extra shine and a hint of crunchiness.
More Cookie Recipes:
- Lemon Rhubarb Cookies
- Lemon Sandwich Cookies
- Copycat Crumbl Banana Bread Cookies
- Blueberry Lavender Tea Cookies
- Soft Brown Sugar Cookies
These cookies are amazing. The cookies are sweet and chewy with just a hint of crunch on the bottom.
The key lime curd is tart with a bit of sweetness. The combination of the cookie and curd is pure perfection. This cookie is the perfect way to brighten up anyone’s day.
If you’ve tried my Key Lime Thumbprint Cookies or any other recipe on Hezzi-D’s Books and Cooks please take a minute to rate the recipe and leave a comment letting me know how you liked it. I love hearing from you! You can FOLLOW ME on:
Key Lime Thumbprint Cookies
Ingredients
- 2 c. all purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 c. 2 sticks butter, softened
- 1 c. sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 lemon zested
- 1 lemon zested
- 1 c. key lime curd
- 1 c. key lime curd
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
- In a medium bowl combine the flour, baking powder, and salt. Mix and set aside.
- In a large bowl cream together the butter and sugar. Add in the egg, vanilla, and lemon zest and mix until combined.
- Add half the flour mixture to the butter mixture and mix until combined. Add remaining flour mixture and mix until just combined.
- Roll the dough into 1 tablespoon balls and place on a baking sheet 2 inches apart. Use the bottom of a glass and flatten into a disk shape.
- Bake for 8-10 minutes or until the cookies look set and the bottoms are just beginning to brown.
- Remove from oven and use a teaspoon to press an indentation in the center of the cookies. Let the cookies rest for 3 minutes then remove to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Fill each indentation with 1 teaspoon of key lime curd.
Notes
