A sparkling Mexican sugar cookie recipe that tastes like a bright, juicy lime. These cookies get ever so crisp on the outside but stay soft and chewy thanks to a combination of cornstarch, butter and vegetable shortening.
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Recipe last updated May 26, 2026.
Why You’ll Love These Lime Sugar Cookies
- Bright lime flavor, just like my lime shortbread bars
- Soft and chewy centers with lightly crisp edges
- Easy cookie dough recipe with simple pantry ingredients
- Great for any season from Christmas cookie trays or spring gatherings
- The sanding sugar gives them a crunchy bakery-style finish
Lime Sugar Cookie Ingredients
- All purpose flour — Gives the cookies texture and flavor
- Cornstarch — Keeps the cookies soft and tender instead of turning into crunchy cookies.
- Baking powder + baking soda — Help the cookies puff slightly while still spreading enough for those soft centers and crisp edges.
- Kosher salt — I always use Morton kosher salt unless specified
- Unsalted butter — Use room temperature butter for the best results. Cold butter won’t cream properly with the sugar.
- Vegetable shortening — This is what gives the cookies their soft, bakery-style texture that stays tender even the next day.
- Granulated sugar — Sweetens the cookie dough and helps create those lightly crisp edges.
- Fresh lime zest + lime juice — The real star here. The citrus flavor makes these cookies taste bright, fresh, and summery.
- Egg — Helps bind everything together and keeps the cookies soft.
- Honey — Adds moisture and gives the cookies a softer texture than a classic sugar cookie.
- Vanilla extract — Rounds out the lime flavor and adds warmth to the buttery cookies.
- Green food coloring (optional) — Totally optional, but fun if you want a light green hue
- Coarse sanding sugar — Rolled on the outside of the ball of dough before baking for that sparkly bakery finish and crunchy top of the cookies.
How To Make Lime Sugar Cookies
Step one
Prep the oven and baking sheets. Heat oven to 350°F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
Step two
Mix the dry ingredients. Whisk the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, and kosher salt together in a bowl until combined.
Step three
Cream the butter and sugar. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the unsalted butter, vegetable shortening, sugar, and lime zest on medium speed until light and fluffy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl a couple of times for the best results.
Step four.
Add the wet ingredients. Add the egg, honey, vanilla extract, lime juice, and food coloring if using. Mix on low speed until smooth and fully combined.
Step five
Form the cookie dough. Add the dry ingredients and mix just until a soft cookie dough forms. Scoop about 2 tablespoons of dough, roll in sanding sugar, then place on the prepared baking sheets and flatten slightly.
Step six
Bake and cool. Bake for 10-15 minutes, until the edges are set but the centers still look soft. Let the cookies cool a few minutes on the baking sheet before transferring to a wire rack or cooling rack to cool completely.
What To Make With Extra Limes
The second limes start looking good at the grocery store, I buy way too many. By mid-summer, they’re ending up in marinades, margaritas, salad dressings, paletas and whatever dessert I’m making that week.
If you want something savory, these roasted lime chicken thighs are loaded with fresh lime flavor.
For summer grilling nights, Spicy Papaya Lime skewers are one of my favorite recipes. The shrimp soak up all that sweet-tart marinade, then pick up smoky char on the grill that makes them impossible to stop eating.
And if your lime stash is headed toward cocktail territory, make a batch of palomas. It’s cold, citrusy, ridiculously easy, and exactly what I want sitting next to me at a pool party or backyard barbecue.
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Buy Now → Storage and Leftovers
- To Store: Keep cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days. They’re even better the next day once the lime flavor settles in.
- To Freeze: Freeze baked cookies or cookie dough for up to 3 months.
What To Serve With Lime Sugar Cookies
These buttery lime sugar cookies fit right into a Mexican dessert spread, especially when you mix in a few creamy desserts and cinnamon-sugar favorites. The bright citrus flavor keeps everything from feeling too heavy, which is why I love serving them after big dinners like chicken enchiladas, beef barbacoa, or pork tacos.
FAQs
Yes. Scoop the dough into balls and freeze on a baking sheet until solid. Transfer to a freezer bag and bake directly from frozen, adding 1-2 extra minutes.
Absolutely. The food coloring is completely optional and only changes the appearance.
Stored in an airtight container, they stay soft for about 4 days.
Soft and Chewy Lime Sugar Cookies
A sparkling Mexican sugar cookie recipe that tastes like a bright, juicy lime. These cookies get ever so crisp on the outside but stay soft and chewy thanks to a combination of cornstarch, butter and vegetable shortening.
Ingredients
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 3 tablespoons vegetable shortening, at room temperature
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg, at room temperature
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 drops Green food coloring , optional
- 1/2 cup coarse sanding sugar (1- 4-ounce container) , to decorate (you could also use green sugar or granulated sugar)
- 1 tablespoon lime zest , (from 3 limes)
- 1/4 cup fresh-squeezed lime juice (from 3 limes)
Instructions
- Heat oven to 350°F and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Combine 2 cups flour, 2 teaspoons cornstarch, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a medium bowl. Whisk to incorporate and break up any lumps.
- Combine 1 stick softened butter, 3 tablespoons shortening, 1 cup sugar, and 1 tablespoon lime zest in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat on medium-high until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes.
- Add 1 egg, 1 tablespoon honey, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla, the 1/4 cup lime juice, and 3-4 drops green food coloring to reach desired intensity of color (if using). Mix to combine. Add dry ingredients and mix on low speed until fully incorporated.
- Place sanding sugar in a bowl. Scoop about 2 tablespoons of dough at a time and roll in the sanding sugar. Transfer to the baking sheets, placing about 2 inches apart.
- Bake about 12-15 minutes or until firm and golden on the edges, but still soft in the middle. Let cool on the baking sheet a few minutes, then remove to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
- The Honey Factor: The tablespoon of honey is a humectant; it’s what keeps these cookies chewy for days. If you swap it for corn syrup, you'll get a similar texture but lose that subtle floral note.
- Storage: Store in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Add a slice of white bread to the container to keep them extra soft.
- Not Enough "Lime" Punch: Lime juice acidity can vary. For a guaranteed "zing," add 1/4 teaspoon of citric acid to the dry ingredients.
- Glaze Option: If you want an even punchier lime flavor, skip the sanding sugar before baking. Instead, whisk together 1 cup powdered sugar and 1-2 tablespoons lime juice to drizzle over the cooled cookies.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 12 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 209Total Fat: 5gSaturated Fat: 2gUnsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 20mgSodium: 127mgCarbohydrates: 37gFiber: 1gSugar: 2gProtein: 3g
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