Key Lime Cookies

This past March, Pi Day to be exact, I was provided with the opportunity to sample my very first piece of key lime pie and instantly became a fan.  Something about the refreshing lime taste of the filling, in combination with the sweetness of the graham cracker crust, just made my taste buds cry out for more.  It was absolutely delicious!

To this day, I still have not made my own key lime pie (mostly because the opportunity hasn't presented itself) but when I was trying to think about ideas for a good cookie, key limes suddenly sprang to mind.  I just felt like they'd be a great flavor for the beginning of summer, and for me, that's what today is.  As of 3:00 this afternoon I was officially done with school and my summer began!  And what better way to celebrate, than with these great summer flavored cookies......except of course, for maybe these cookies in combination with a Margarita or two!

Key Lime Cookies
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Makes about 36 cookies

Ingredients:
½ cup (1 stick) butter, softened to room temperature
1 ¼ cups granulated sugar
1 egg + 1 egg yolk
¼ cup key lime juice or regular lime juice (freshly squeezed tastes the best)
2 ½ tsp. lime zest (grated)
2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. salt
¾ cup white chocolate chips
½ cup (or less) macadamia nuts (chopped)
Confectioner’s sugar for dusting

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line a baking pan with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat (however the dough needs to refrigerate for about an hour ahead of time, so don’t preheat the oven too early).

In the bowl of an electric mixer beat together the butter and sugar, on a medium-high speed, until it's well combined and becomes fluffy in texture.  Next, add in the egg and egg yolk and beat together until well blended and creamy.  After that, add in the lime juice and the lime zest and beat until just combined.

Now, using a wooden spoon, or a spatula, add in the flour, baking powder, salt, white chocolate chips, and macadamia nuts until a dough like texture is formed and everything is blended together.  Refrigerate the dough for at least 60 minutes, or as long as overnight.

Once ready, shape the dough into 1 inch balls by rolling the dough around in the palm of your hands.  Then place the prepared dough balls onto the baking sheet, about an inch apart.

Bake 10-12 minutes, or until the cookies just begin to turn light golden in color.  Immediately transfer to a wire rack.  Once the cookies have cooled completely, lightly dust them with powdered sugar and serve.

Source: Adapted from Honest Fare