Key Lime Pie Cookie Cups

Key Lime Pie Cookie Cups deliver big, sweet-tart key lime flavors in a tiny package, with a lime sugar cookie crust and key lime pie filling!

Key Lime Love

The combination of sweet and tart has always been a weakness for me, and I’ve never been able to say no to a big slice of gorgeous Key Lime pie. Over the years I’ve realized that it’s kind of hard to serve pie at parties, which is a huge bummer because who doesn’t love pie, right? Key Lime Cookie Cups are the perfect way to not only serve pie at parties but to fully embrace your love of everything lime! The cookie dough and filling are both bursting with amazing lime flavors and Key Lime Pie Cookie Cups are great make-ahead treats to impress all of your guests!

Key Lime Pie is a classic that is loved far and wide and makes every summer feel complete, and no matter the time of year, Key Lime Pie Cocktails are a decadent way to enjoy the day!

Other Recipes to Serve with Key Lime Pie Cookie Cups

• Easy snacking is a huge party requirement, so have delicious nibbles on the table, like Pepperoni Pizza Puffs, that both kids and adults love!
• Lemon-Lime Sangria is a great make-ahead drink that is great for all of the adults in the crowd!

Ingredients

Cookie Cups: Check out the Lime Sugar Cookies recipe to make the cookie cups. Half of the dough will be used for the cookie cups, so there will be enough dough to make cookies, too! Double score!

Key Lime Filling: To make the filling, you will need key lime juice, egg yolks, sweetened condensed milk, and vanilla extract. Key lime juice can be freshly squeezed or bottled, and if you can’t find either, then regular lime juice will work in a pinch.

Garnish: No key lime is complete without whipped cream on top, so grab a can or a tub of whipped cream! Spray whipped cream is a straightforward way to garnish the cookie cups, or you can pipe whipped cream on too. Also, add a little slice of lime to each cookie cup to finish the look.

How to Make Key Lime Pie Cookie Cups

STEP ONE: Start by making the Lime Sugar Cookies ahead of time. Once the dough is ready, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and spray a mini muffin tin with non-stick spray. Portion out about one teaspoon ball of dough and place it in each muffin well. Cook for 10-13 minutes or until golden.

STEP TWO: Once the cookies are done, remove them from the oven, and using the end of a wooden spoon, press the middle of the cookies down to create a cup shape. Allow the cookie cups to cool completely while making the filling.

STEP THREE: In a medium saucepan, add the key lime juice, egg yolks, sweetened condensed milk, and vanilla and whisk together for 10-15 minutes until everything is warmed through. Allow the filling to cool completely.

STEP FOUR Once the cookie cups and filling are completely cooled, they can be assembled. To make filling the cookie cups easier, spoon the key lime filling into a piping bag or ziplock bag with a corner cut off. Fill each cookie cup with filling and chill in the fridge until set.

STEP FIVE: Top each cookie cup with a dollop of whipped cream and have a lime slice before serving.

Tips for Success

• The Lime Sugar Cookie dough recipe makes enough for both the cookie cups to make a batch of cookies. You can halve the recipe if you don’t want the extra dough to worry about. If you make the full batch but don’t have time to use the other half of the dough, refrigerate the dough for up to three days or wrap it tightly and freeze it for up to three months to use later!
• Both the cookie cups and the filling can be made the day before, which makes party prep even easier. Since they need to be completely cooled before assembling, making them ahead can be a time saver.
• Finding key lime juice or fresh key limes can be a challenge sometimes, so substituting regular lime juice is just fine.

What happens if you cook cookie dough in a muffin tin?

There are a couple of yummy things that happen when you bake cookie dough in a muffin tin. The first thing is that the cookies remain super soft and chewy because they don’t spread like they do on a baking sheet. The cookie comes out soft but firm, which is why it’s a great “crust” for fillings like key lime pie!

The second is that you can shape these cookies into cups, baskets, or even cauldrons to fill or enjoy them as is. Cookie cups let you get creative with your sweet treat ideas!

What’s the difference between key limes and regular limes?

There are subtle differences between key limes and regular limes that are found in not just size but also flavor. Key limes are smaller and have a stronger lime flavor than regular limes. The intense lime flavor with floral notes of key limes makes them perfect for desserts where lime is the star, like in the key lime pie.

Regular limes have a less intense tart lime flavor, which many find better for desserts, drinks, and general recipes. Key limes are seasonal, which makes them harder to find, so using bottled key lime juice, fresh regular limes, or bottled lime juice is typically much easier and always a tasty idea.

So Many Ways to Love Lime!

• Jello Lime Pie
• Jalapeno Lime Chicken Wings
• Key Lime Whipped Lemonade
• Lemon-Lime Layer Cake
• Grilled Honey Lime Chicken

*This post was originally posted on 06/14/2016.