Lime Snowball Cookies have bright flavor and a buttery-soft texture you're really going to love! They're made with lime zest and juice, and covered in a snowy layer of sugar. These sweet cookies are a treat inspired by New Englanders' love of sharing easy-to-make, homemade cookies at gatherings throughout the year.
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Looking for a cute cookie that's crisp, yet melty, sweet, yet citrusy? Well, you are in the exact right place! Lime Snowball Cookies are fun to make and hard to stop eating!
They're made with my Simple Butter Cookie dough, so the texture is lightly crunchy on the outside and tender inside. Plus plenty of lime juice and zest.
Lime Snowball Cookies are good warm or chilled, perfect when you want a refreshing dessert to serve at cookouts, holiday gatherings, or just to have in the house for a snack.
Reader Review
"I am so glad that I was diligent with Google and finally found your recipe, thank you! These cookies are delicious! From a fellow New Englander!"
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
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A cookie for all seasons
Despite the wide availability of ingredients, including those that are technically out of season, it's still true that certain dishes and drinks evoke nostalgia tied to specific seasons and times of the year. And that's certainly true of New England foods!
There are whole celebrations on March weekends across the region when maple syrup is boiled up from freshly-gathered sap, and folks eagerly trade recipes for maple biscuits, maple cookies, maple-glazed ham, and maple fudge. Gingerbread will always taste like Christmas. And apple cider donuts just don't taste true unless they're baked up fresh at orchards in October.
It's nice, though, when you find a recipe that's truly versatile, one that fits well on the dessert table whether there's snow swirling through the air or it's seventy-five and sunny. I think these lime cookies with powdered sugar are one of those treats!
Here's why. No matter what time of the year, folks just love cookies. They stash them in the pantry, unveil them to eager coworkers in the breakroom, or deliver them with a smile to new neighbors. The fresh lime flavor is one of my favorites in springtime when everything is turning green, and in summer, of course, when citrus of all shades brightens up every dessert, drink, and dinner. In cooler months, snowball citrus cookies are festive and cozy to look at, and so pretty as part of a holiday sweets spread.
Write down or print this recipe and keep it in your recipe box under the heading of "cookies for all seasons!"
What's the difference between limes and Key limes?
Sometimes it seems like every lime dish, drink, and dessert has the word "Key" thrown in no matter which kind of limes are used to make them. But there actually is a difference between limes and Key limes!
The limes found in grocery stores are typically Persian limes. They have thick, dark green rinds and are bred to have few or no seeds. The flavor of Persian limes is very tart.
In contrast, Key limes are smaller than Persian limes, with thinner skins that have a yellow-green hue. They also have more seeds. Because they're less tart and more aromatic, Key limes are a favorite citrus to use in drinks and desserts.
Whichever lime variety you're using, fresh juice and zest will always be more flavorful. This recipe calls for ordinary Persian limes, however if Key limes are available at your store, feel free to use them instead in these snowball cookies.
Why you'll love these treats
This recipe for Lime Snowball Cookies comes together quickly, and they're easy to make—that means it's a fun project to do with your kids! Make a batch for Christmas cookie exchanges or to bring to a potluck meal.
The cookies are similar in texture to other powdered sugar-covered cookies like Mexican wedding cookies and Russian tea cakes. However, these snowball cookies are unique because they're full of flavor from fresh lime juice and zest. They make a tasty treat that's sweet, but not overwhelmingly sweet.
Because the lime butter cookies keep well for up to five days, you can make them in advance for when you need them.
🔪 How to make Lime Snowball Cookies
Ingredients:
- Unsalted Butter: Use a quality butter for the best-tasting cookies with lime, such as Cabot, Kate's, or Kerrygold.
- Confectioners' Sugar: Fine powdered sugar is used in the cookie dough and also to coat the outside of the cookies to make them look like snowballs.
- Lime Zest and Juice: Pick up whole limes to use the fresh juice and zest for the very best flavor in this snowball cookie recipe.
- Vanilla Extract: Use a quality vanilla extract like Nielsen-Massey brand.
- All-Purpose Flour: King Arthur Flour is my go-to brand for all flours.
- Salt: Just a pinch of salt makes all the flavors more vibrant.
Make the dough
Mix together the butter, sugar, lime zest, and extract, then add in the flour to make a soft cookie dough. Chill it for 30 minutes.
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Make the cookie balls and bake
Scoop and roll one-inch cookie dough balls, then bake them.
Roll in sugar
As soon as the cookies come out, roll them in the confectioners' sugar and place them on a cooling rack.
Roll in sugar again!
Let the cookies cool completely, then roll them in a second coating of confectioners' sugar. They're ready to eat, and they store well for up to five days!
FAQs
These lime snowball cookies do not need to be refrigerated. Just cover them tightly and store them at room temperature. The exception would be on particularly hot and humid days when the sugary coating may get sticky; on days like this, store the covered snowball cookies in the fridge. The good news is that these cookies actually taste really good when they're cold!
When you keep your snowball cookies tightly wrapped or sealed in an airtight container, they will last for a week.
Yes, you can freeze these easy snowball cookies, and there are two ways to do this. The first is to make and then freeze the cookie dough for up to two months. Let it thaw overnight in the fridge before using. You can also freeze the baked and coated cookies in a single layer; once they're frozen, transfer them to a resealable freezer bag. Store them in the freezer for up to two months. Let them thaw in the bag in the fridge. You may need to reroll them in powdered sugar if the original coating has disappeared.
Tips:
- Remember to allow at least 30 minutes for the cookie dough to chill before you bake them. This helps the cookies keep their shape when baking, and prevents the butter from melting out of the dough.
- Lime Snowball Cookies are also quite good when chilled! Stash some in the fridge for a cool, sweet treat on hot days.
I am sure you will love them as much as my family and I do!
The recipe for Lime Snowball Cookies is below! And here are a few more cookie recipes you should consider:
💬 Did you make and devour this recipe? Leave a comment below.
📖 Recipe
Lime Snowball Cookies
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Ingredients
For cookie dough:
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup confectioners' sugar
- 2 tablespoons lime zest (about two regular limes worth)
- 4 teaspoons fresh lime juice
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 2½ cups all-purpose flour, unbleached
- ¼ teaspoon salt
To coat cookies:
- 2-3 cups confectioners' sugar
Instructions
Make cookie dough:
- Preheat oven to 325° F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Cut the butter into chunks. Place the butter and the 1 cup of confectioners' sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer. Beat the ingredients together on high speed for three minutes.
- Add in the lime zest, lime juice, and vanilla extract to the bowl and mix them in.
- Add in the salt and flour: mix them in on low speed, scraping once or twice, and continue only until the dough just comes together.
- Remove the dough and squeeze it together a few times by hand. Flatten the dough into a disk. Wrap in plastic and place in the fridge for 30 minutes.
Make the cookie balls:
- Place the 2-3 cups of confectioners' sugar in a bowl and hold it aside - you'll use this to coat the cookies when they come out of the oven. Have a cooling rack ready as well.
- Use a teaspoon: scoop a teaspoon of dough and roll it between your hands into a ball about 1 inch in diameter. Place it on the lined cookie sheet. Continue until you fill the baking sheet, leaving about 1½ inches between dough balls.
- Bake the cookies for 18 minutes: they should be lightly browned on the bottom. . Remove the pan from the oven.
- Roll each baked cookie in confectioners' sugar, then place it on a cooling rack.
- Continue making cookie balls, baking them, and coating them in sugar until they're all done.
Coat them in sugar—again:
- Once the cookies are cool (15-20 minutes) roll each one a second time in confectioners' sugar.
- Store the double-coated, cooled cookies in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
- Makes about 75 Lime Snowball Cookies.
Notes
- Remember to allow at least 30 minutes for the cookie dough to chill before you bake them. This helps the cookies keep their shape when baking and prevents the butter from melting out of the dough.
- Lime Snowball Cookies are also quite good when chilled! Stash some in the fridge for a cool, sweet treat on hot days.
Nutrition
Penny Pefley says
I made a half-batch to test this out. They’re delicious as is, yet the lime flavor was a bit subtle, and yes I used a real lime. I’d increase both zest and juice a bit more next time. Squashing the dough into a one-inch thick disk, chilling, and using a one-inch cookie scoop made forming the balls slick and quick. I did chill the dough disk around an hour and a half.
To coat with powdered sugar the second time, gently rolling them in a covered plastic container with powdered sugar worked great!
Nancy Mock says
Hi Penny, I'm so happy to hear you like these cookies! You can absolutely boost the lime flavor in your next batch; be careful adding more juice as too much could affect how the dough bakes up, however you can add all the extra lime zest you'd like. Thanks for making my recipe and for the 5 stars!
Stephanie L says
Hello Nancy!
I cannot tell you how thrilled I am to find this recipe! King Arthur Flour used to have a little lime cookie recipe, this was a good 15-20 years ago. It was on the back of the package of lime powder that they no longer sell and subsequently removed the recipe from their website.
I did not have the lime powder package with the recipe anymore. This is almost exactly the same (from what I remember) except their recipe used the lime powder. I can’t tell you how excited I am! I am so glad that I was diligent with Google and finally found your recipe, thank you! These cookies are delicious! From a fellow New Englander!
Nancy Mock says
Okay, to say this comment made my day would be the understatement of the year! Stephanie, thank you so much for giving my recipe a try. I'm so happy that these little cookies have the flavor of the King Arthur recipe you used to treasure. It's always frustrating when a company discontinues a product we love; at least with these cookies you'll be able to get that bright, citrus flavor with easy-to-find fresh limes. Have fun making and sharing them! ♥
Haley says
Delicious and refreshing! Very yummy!
susan miroslavich says
I would like to send these to my granddaughter at college. Do you think these would be a ok during shipping.
Nancy Mock says
Hi Susan! Yes, these cookies should do just fine in shipping. Let them cool completely before bagging them up, pressing out the extra air. Add bubble wrap or crumbled newspaper to the box so the cookies will be snug and not shift around. You're a good grandma to send her a college care package. 🙂 I hope she loves the cookies!