Key Lime Cookies

These lime cookies are really great for summer, but the green tint makes them a unique addition to the Christmas cookie assortment. Everything else is so sweet, but these cookies have a twist of tart, fresh lime.

Key Lime Cookies

Cookie:
1 1/2 sticks butter, softened
1 cup sugar
3 egg yolks
Zest of 1/2 of a lime
Juice of 1/2 of a lime
2 cups all purpose flour
1/8 tsp salt
Green decorating sugar

Icing:
Zest of 1/2 of a lime
Juice of 1/2 of a lime
1 TBS maple syrup (sugar free works as a substitute here)
1 cup powdered sugar

Cream together butter and sugar with mixer. Mix lime zest, juice, and egg yolks into batter. Remove mixer. Add flour and salt all at once. Using rubber spatula, scrape sides of bowl and fold mixture until it forms a ball of dough. Divide the dough in half. Roll each half into a log. Roll logs in green sugar. Wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours.

Cut and discard the ends off the log. Or, bake the ends for yourself as taste tests. Roll the log in green decorating sugar. Slice the rest of the log into 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick slices. Place on lightly greased cookie sheet, making a slight thumb print depression in the center of each cookie. Bake at 375 for 8-10 minutes or until edges just begin to brown. Remove from oven and let stand on cookie sheet 5 minutes. Then use spatula to gently transfer cookies to wire rack to cool.

Combine icing ingredients in a small sauce pan on very low heat. As icing heats up, it will be easy to drip from a rubber spatula in a little puddle on top of each cookie. When icing cools, it will be solid. Makes about 1 dozen cookies per log.