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Home » Recipes » Desserts » Crispy Coconut Lime Sugar Cookies

Crispy Coconut Lime Sugar Cookies

Posted October 18, 2021, Updated October 20, 2022 //  by Michele Peterson 2 Comments

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A pin with the ingredients for Crispy Lime Coconut Sugar Cookies
Feature pin for Crispy Lime Coconut Sugar Cookies with a stack of cookies on a white pedestal next to two limes

Daydreaming of swinging in a hammock on a Caribbean beach dotted with swaying palm trees? These Crispy Coconut Lime Cookies are the next best thing!

Delicious sweet and tart, these tropical sugar cookies that are made with shredded coconut, cream cheese, butter, lime juice and zest, and coconut extract. They’re perfect for gift-giving or munching on any time of day.

A short stack of Crispy Coconut Lime Cookies on a pedestal with two flat cookies in front and limes in back.
Enjoy a taste of the Caribbean with these sweet and tart sugar cookies. 

Why We Love This Coconut Lime Cookie Recipe 

Just like the lyrics ‘Put ‘da lime in the coconut’ in Harry Nilsson’s Coconut song, lime and coconut just go together naturally!

In this recipe, the tropical flavours meet in a classic sugar cookie that’s like sunshine on a plate. Here’s why we love it and you will too!  

  • They’re fun to make and feature ingredients you may not normally see in everyday cookies. 
  • Irresistibly creamy, the sweet coconut aroma and flavour is as rich as a piña colada under the tropical sun. 
  • Much like champurradas, the famous sesame seed cookie of Guatemala, these Latin American sugar cookies are thin and crispy. They’re super versatile and perfect with coffee and cocoa or with savoury cheeses and nuts. 
  • They freeze beautifully. 
Ingredients for sugar cookies in bowls on a wooden board.
Ingredients for sugar cookies in bowls on a wooden board. (Credit: Michele Peterson)

Ingredients 

Flour: White flour makes up the base of these cookies. 

Baking powder and baking soda: These are leaveners that help make the cookies rise. 

Salt: Salt is used for intensifying flavour and for adding texture to the dough.  

Shredded sweetened coconut: Sweetened coconut flakes add both texture and coconut flavour.

Granulated sugar: White sugar helps make the cookies crispy and add sweetness. 

Cream cheese: This adds richness and helps make the cookies moist. 

Butter: Butter gives flavour and helps make the cookies crispy.

Vegetable oil: A little extra fat helps hold the cookies together. 

Egg: An egg helps the cookies rise, keeps them together, and adds moisture to the dough. 

Lime Zest and Juice: Adds citrusy freshness. 

Milk: A splash of milk makes the cookies tender and soft. 

Coconut extract: Coconut extract is for an extra boost of coconut flavouring. If you don’t have coconut extract, you can substitute a coconut rum like Malibu Coconut Rum Liqueur for even more tropical flavour. 

A short stack of cookies on a table with two flat cookies in front and limes in back.

Step by Step Instructions 

Please scroll down to the recipe card for the exact quantities of ingredients and the full method.

1. Whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt in a large mixing bowl. Combine, then add chopped coconut and stir again. 

Wet ingredients in bowls surrounding a large glass bowl with a whisk on a white surface.

2. In a medium bowl, mix the sugar, lime zest, and cream cheese until combined.

Dry ingredients for lime coconut cookies in a glass bowl on a white surface next to a whisk and melted butter.

3. Melt the butter and allow it to cool slightly. Add cooled melted butter to sugar and cream cheese and mix to combine. 

4. Add milk, oil, egg, lime juice, and coconut extract to the sugar mixture and mix to combine.

Pouring ingredients in a glass bowl on a white surface.
Mixing ingredients in a glass bowl on a white surface. (Credit: Michele Peterson)

5. Add the wet ingredients to the flour mixture and mix until combined.

Pouring ingredients in a glass bowl on a white surface.

6. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap. Chill the dough in the fridge for at least one hour.

Mixing dough in a glass bowl on a white surface.

7. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a baking mat. Scoop the dough onto the tray. 

A scoop of cookie dough above a baking sheet.
A scoop the cookie dough and drop onto a baking sheet. 

8. With the bottom of a glass or measuring cup, flatten the cookie dough. 

*NOTE: The thicker the cookie, the chewier it will be. 

Flattening cookies with a glass on a baking sheet.
Flattening cookies with a glass on a baking sheet. 

9. Bake until the edges just turn golden brown.

A short stack of cookies on a table with two flat cookies in front and limes in back.

How to Serve These Sugar Cookies

  • Make a basket of cookies to give away to your friends or family. You can include Chocolate Eggnog Cookies, Champurradas – Guatemalan Sesame Seed Cookies, and Healthy No-Bake Energy Balls. 
  • Serve these cookies after dinner. Some ideas that would go well with them are: Perfect 15-Minute Grilled Halibut with Peach Salsa, Beer Pizza Dough with Brie, Basil and Prosciutto, Hilachas – Guatemalan Shredded Beef Stew, or Grilled Steak in Beer Marinade with Salsa Fresca. 

Key Lime Cookies and Other Variations 

  • Make these cookies with key limes and zest instead of limes. Or go for lemons instead of lime.  
  • Remove the coconut flakes and extract and add an herb like rosemary, tarragon, thyme, or basil instead. 
  • Make these cookies thick instead of thin so they’re chewy instead of crispy. 
  • Take out the lime and coconut and use vanilla for a more classic taste. 
  • Add macadamia nuts for crunchy and fun cookies. 
  • Toss in some white chocolate chips for a creamy, melty texture. 

 

A short stack of cookies on a table with two flat cookies in front and limes in back.
Enjoy these cookies any time of day.

FAQs

How do you make lime coconut sandwich cookies? 

You can use two of these cookies and a cream cheese filling to make them into cookie sandwiches. 

Can you make coconut lime cookies gluten-free? 

Yes, you can make these cookies gluten-free by removing the all-purpose flour and using almond flour instead. 

What kind of frosting can you use with coconut lime cookies? 

You can make frosting with powdered sugar, lime juice, and heavy whipping cream and spread it over the cookies. Don’t forget to sprinkle the tops with lime zest!  

Stack of coconut cookies on a pedestal.
Print
4.93 from 13 votes

Crispy Coconut Lime Cookies

Dreaming of swinging in a hammock on a Caribbean beach dotted with swaying palm trees? These crispy coconut lime sugar cookies are the next best thing! 
Prep Time10 mins
Cook Time24 mins
Chilling time1 hr
Total Time1 hr 34 mins
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: Caribbean
Servings: 18 cookies
Calories: 183kcal
Author: Michele Peterson
Cost: $8

Equipment

  • Baking sheet
  • Parchment Paper or Silicone Mat
  • Electric mixer

Ingredients

  • 2¼ cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup finely shredded sweetened coconut
  • 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
  • 2 ounces cream cheese softened
  • 6 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
  • 1/3 cup vegetable oil
  • 1 egg large
  • 1 tablespoon milk
  • 1 teaspoon coconut extract
  • 1 tablespoon lime juice fresh
  • 1 teaspoon lime zest
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Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350
  • Whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt in a large mixing bowl. Combine, then add coconut and combine.
  • In a medium bowl, mix the sugar, lime zest, and cream cheese until combined.
  • Add cooled melted butter to sugar and cream cheese and mix to combine.
  • Add milk, oil, egg, lime juice, and coconut extract to the sugar mixture and mix to combine.
  • Add the wet ingredients to the flour mixture and mix until combined.
  • Form into a ball, cover with plastic wrap and chill dough in the refrigerator for at least one hour.
  • Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a baking mat. Using a spoon or cookie scoop, place about 1½  tablespoon of dough on a cookie tray, about 3½  inches apart.
  • With the bottom of a glass or measuring cup, flatten the cookie dough to about ¼ inch.
  • Bake at 350 degrees for 11-12 minutes or until the edges just turn golden brown.

Notes

Note: Nutritional information is created by online calculators so the figures are only estimates.
  • Be sure to leave plenty of space between the cookies. They'll spread quite a bit to about 3 inches in diameter.
  • The thicker the cookie, the softer and chewier it will be.

Nutrition

Serving: 18g | Calories: 183kcal | Carbohydrates: 30g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 23mg | Sodium: 117mg | Potassium: 59mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 18g | Vitamin A: 174IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 19mg | Iron: 1mg
Tried this recipe?Mention @ATasteForTravel or tag #ATasteForTravel!

Other Tropical and Coconut Recipes You’ll Love 

  • Easy Mango Piña Colada Popsicles
  • Kiwi and Coconut Milk Chia Pudding (Vegan & GF)
  • Light Mango Coconut Panna Cotta
  • Tahitian Fish Coconut Salad 

 

Feature pin for Crispy Lime Coconut Sugar Cookies with a stack of cookies on a white pedestal next to two limes

A pin with the ingredients for Crispy Lime Coconut Sugar Cookies

Michele Peterson
Michele Peterson

Dividing her time between Canada, Guatemala and Mexico (or the nearest tropical beach), Michele Peterson is the founder of A Taste for Travel. Her award-winning travel and food writing has appeared in Lonely Planet’s cookbook Mexico: From the Source, National Geographic Traveler, Fodor’s and 100+ other publications.

View more posts by Michele Peterson Read more

« 15 Bucket List Things to Do in Nevis
20 Brunches You Don’t Want to Miss in Aruba »

About Michele Peterson

Dividing her time between Canada, Guatemala and Mexico (or the nearest tropical beach), Michele Peterson is the founder of A Taste for Travel. Her award-winning travel and food writing has appeared in Lonely Planet’s cookbook Mexico: From the Source, National Geographic Traveler, Fodor’s and 100+ other publications.

View more posts by Michele Peterson Read more

Previous Post: «Hammock with Mount Nevis in the background Credit Nisbet Plantation 15 Bucket List Things to Do in Nevis
Next Post: 20 Brunches You Don’t Want to Miss in Aruba A brunch tray in a swimming pool at Boardwalk Boutique Hotel Aruba.»

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. wcjr

    July 29, 2022 at 11:55 pm

    4 stars
    This recipe makes a delicious cookie. We love the crispy sticky result. The combo of coconut and lime is awesome.

    Maybe it should be baked/refrigerated in two batches. The first half of the refrigerated dough spooned out nice and firm – made for perfect cookies. The second half of the dough became warm and soft and spooned out a bit messy. However, nobody complained and all were eaten up happily.

    BTW: Don’t preheat the oven as stated in step 1 – there is a 1 hour refrig time before baking.

    Reply
    • Michele Peterson

      July 30, 2022 at 9:06 am

      Thanks for the tips!

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Michele Peterson in Tuscany Italy Credit Insight Vacations.

Hi, I'm Michele! Welcome to A Taste for Travel, one of the world’s top culinary travel blogs, welcoming over 1.5 million readers annually! 

Along with a team of expert travel writers, enthusiastic eaters and skilled photographers, we help readers plan incredible adventures and make delicious global recipes at home.

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Michele Peterson in Tuscany Italy Credit Insight Vacations.

Hi, I'm Michele! Welcome to A Taste for Travel, one of the world’s top culinary travel blogs, welcoming over 1.5 million readers annually! 

Along with a team of expert travel writers, enthusiastic eaters and skilled photographers, we help readers plan incredible adventures and make delicious global recipes at home.

More about me →

Popular Posts

  • Insider’s Guide to Seaweed Conditions in Cancun and Riviera Maya in 2023
  • 19 Best Canned Sardine Recipes from Around the World
  • 20 Bucket List Things to Do in Bonaire
  • Best Caribbean Beaches Without Seaweed – Where to Go in 2022 and 2023
  • 25 Bucket List Things to Do in Huatulco, Oaxaca
  • Pepián de Pollo – Guatemalan Spiced Chicken Stew

Winter Stews and Soups

  • Bacalao a la Vizcaina (Spanish Salt Cod Stew)
  • Sopa de Albondigas (Healthy Meatball Soup)
  • Slow Cooker Chipotle Chicken Soup
  • Hilachas – Guatemalan Shredded Beef Stew
  • Guatemalan Black Bean Soup – Sopa de Frijol
  • Tapado – Guatemalan Seafood Soup with Coconut Milk

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