My head is in a sugar fog. This is the second year in a row, I’ve participated in the Great Food Blogger Cookie Swap! Food bloggers from all over the world are matched up with other bloggers to raise money for pediatric cancer research. Our sponsors: OXO, Dixie Crystals, and Land O’ Lakes will match dollar for dollar what is raised by this grand carb-o-tarian effort, so if you can, please donate!
Here’s how it works:
Not only am I making and sending these little bites of Florida Sunshine to my fellow baker-buds — I’m also on the receiving end of their cookie wizardry!
To help us in our philanthropic endeavor, OXO sent us some absolutely adorable and very functional liquid measuring cups in a rainbow of colors. From the one cup measure, right down to a teaspoon. So freakin’ cute.
And Dixie Crystals knows it takes more than sugar to bake a perfect cookie! Their contribution to this project (aside from sugar) was a baking silpat, to keep my crispy critters from sticking to the pan.
Finally, the cookie recipe I used came straight from the Land O’ Lakes website! (The sprinkles were my idea!) Thanks to the sponsors for all the goodies and support!
The Cookies:
My cookies were being sent to California and Louisiana and I thought it would be fun to send something that screams “Florida” – Key Lime Sparkle Cookies. I baked, iced and sprinkled, then shipped off my sweet treats in little holiday tins to the uber-talented Aimee, Allison and Rebecca! Their names are highlighted so you can check out their beautiful and mouth-watering blogs.
Sent to me:
From Jess at The PinterTest Kitchen — Apple Cider Caramel Cookies – an apple cider flavored cookie wrapped around a caramel. They came with instructions to pop them in the microwave for a few seconds to enjoy warm and gooey! SHUT UP!
From Lisa at The Clutter Cafe — Tart Little Lemon Wreaths are embellished with gold stars! Very festive and gobble-worthy!
And from Teresa at Food On Fifth — Chocolate Chia Pistachio Tea Cookies, dotted with nuts and finished with a shimmer of sparkling sugar. Refined, delicious-ness!
You can get the recipes by clicking on their websites. Speaking of, here’s the recipe and pix for my Key Lime Sparkle Cookies. If you can get fresh key limes, please do, otherwise try Nellie and Joe’s Famous Key West Lime Juice or use regular persian limes.
Check out the fun from last year!
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 1/2 cup cornstarch
- 2 sticks butter at room temperature
- 1 tablespoon key lime juice from fresh key limes or bottled - I like Nellie and Joe's Famous
- 2 teaspoons lime zest from about 2 limes
for glaze
- 1 1/4 cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon lime zest
- 2 tablespoons key lime juice
- Sparkling Sugar for garnish
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, combine the flour, powdered sugar and cornstarch and mix together. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, beat the softened butter until creamy. Add about half of the flour mixture and mix in until just combined. Add the rest of the flour, the lime juice and zest and mix until it forms a soft dough.
- Cut two large pieces of plastic wrap and lay them flat on a work surface. Divide the dough in half. Place one half in the center of one piece of plastic wrap. Fold the plastic wrap over on the dough and work the dough into a 10" log. Repeat with the second piece of dough. Seal them in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least two hours. Remove the dough and make sure that the log is round, by rolling it on a flat surface. If you have one or more areas of the dough that have flattened out from resting, roll them a little more until they're round and refrigerate for an additional 10-20 minutes, until firm.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or a silpat and set aside.
- Use a very thin, sharp knife to slice the cookies into 1/4" slices. Place 1" apart on the cookie sheets and bake 9-11 minutes until edges are lightly browned. Cool for one minute on the cookie sheet, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
To make the glaze
- Mix the powdered sugar, lime zest and lime juice in a bowl and stir until smooth. Set aside.
To glaze the cookies
- After the cookies have cooled, spoon a little of the glaze on top and smooth out with the back of a spoon. Sprinkle with the sparkling sugar and let stand until the glaze has hardened.
I have to tell you, when I stumbled upon these cookies this evening I was surprised at myself. I normally do NOT care for cookies that have an icing on them. I think its for several reasons. First, often icing, frosting, glaze, whatever it may be is super sweet and I am not a super sweet kind of gal when it comes to eating cakes or cookies. Next, they’re messy to store or keep and almost impossible to ship. And finally…..it’s just one more step that by the time I’m finished baking the cookies I want to be done with them and not worry about a topping to mess with. Now don’t get me wrong, I don’t say I will NEVER do it, its just not my first choice and almost always when I see a cookie with a topping I keep right on going. But these were different, I’m not sure why. I even surprised myself how interested in the cookie I was. I don’t know if it was the sparkling sugar or what about them but I stopped, I saved, and now, I’m actually surprised at how excited I am and how quickly I want to get some baked. Unfortunately the first batch I can’t have any at all. I sadly have to eat gluten free. I may take a little nibble to see what they’re like but that will be it. If I completely fall in love with them for ME……I’ll try converting them to gf with the Cup4Cup flour substitute. Life has become SO much easier since this has FINALLY hit the market. I’m hoping I can find a way to package and send to a friend in Texas. With all the Tex-Mex and also Mexican food they eat these should fit right into the menu.
I’m right there with you Pamela — I like to make the cookies and be done with it. These truthfully didn’t take that long — the hardest part was waiting for the icing to dry. I’m sorry to hear about the gluten-free. I’ve actually got a few baking recipes on the site that are gluten free – there’s a banana bread and blueberry muffins both VERY GOOD. I haven’t done a gluten free cookie yet, but with you as a reader, I guess I need to look into that!
I love lime cookies and I would love to receive these in a cookie swap.
Glad you approve!
This sounds like fun, and your cookies look divine! The ones you received looked pretty fantastic too! I also love that it’s for such a great cause!
Cookie swaps are always fun! I love trying everyone else’s specialties!
Such a great cause and loving the sound of Key Lime Cookies. I use a lot of limes so I can just imagine the wonderful flavors going on here 🙂
Definitely a good cause! And yes, these cookies are fantastic!
I miss the Great Food Blogger Cookie Swap! Those liquid measuring cups are a huge hit with my kids. These cookies look incredible! Great way to add some citrus flavors in a beautiful package.
So do I! I did another swap this year, though and it was fun!
What a wonderful cause to support, and what a fabulous collection of cookies! Your Key Lime Sparkle Cookies look and sound wonderful. I can’t get key limes here in England but I’d love to give the recipe a try with ordinary limes!
They’ll work with Persian limes too!
Hi and Happy Holidays! Love your cookie recipe! Signed up for your blog as well as pinned your recipe to my lime board!
Thank you again for sending these to me, they were so good! My fiance, who’s not normally a sweets kind of guy, kept asking, “Do we have anymore of those cookies I like?” “You mean the key lime ones?” “Yeah, those… they’re really good.” I fear for our waistlines now that you’ve posted the recipe, because no doubt about it, I’ll definitely be making them soon! ^_^
Congratulations on your upcoming nuptials! I’m so glad you and your fianc? enjoyed them! Don’t fear for your waistline, another five minutes on the treadmill should do it!
OMG, looks so good. I have to try this!