Key Lime Pie Sandwich Cookies

These key lime pie sandwich cookies are heaven in cookie form: key lime cream cheese filling is sandwiched between two soft graham cracker sugar cookies!

I don't know about you guys, but my summer is flying by waaaay too quickly! How is it almost August?!

It's around this time in the summer when I look at my summer bucket list and realize it's still pretty much full.

One item on this list was to take Kai hiking. So this past week-end, we got out the hiking backpack and headed out for a walk in the wilderness...sort of. It was a pretty well trodden path. Yet somehow we ended up off this well trodden path, bush-wacking, stepping through mud-holes, and at one point, stepping over a rusty barbed-wire fence. Luckily we found the trail again, and got back to the car.

So...success! I can cross something off my list!

One more thing on my list? Key lime something. So here we go: key lime pie sandwich cookies!

I have professed my love for key lime before, and I am doing it again.

Specifically: key lime pie! If you have never had key lime pie before, you are missing out! It is sweet, creamy, and limey...but key limes are a bit different from normal limes...they are tiny for one thing, less tart, and almost a little bit orangey in flavor. {And I hate oranges, but somehow I love key limes...go figure!}  One of the most important parts of a key lime pie is that sugary graham cracker crust. Can't skip that part!

I don't make a lot of cakes or pies here, since it's just the three of us, and Kai is a long way  few months from his pie eating days. So I wanted to recreate the flavors of key lime pie in a more manageable size for our family...cookie size!

The easy way to make these key lime pie sandwich cookies would have been to use graham crackers straight out of the package, but I am not a real fan of graham crackers...they are too dry and crumbly. Doesn't a nice, soft cookie sound better?

So I played around with a basic sugar cookie recipe, subbing out some of the flour for graham cracker crumbs and adding a touch of cinnamon to enhance the graham crackery-ness.

I struck gold with this recipe...I would eat these cookies without the key lime part! They are almost like a ginger snap, but much milder in the spice-department and have that awesome graham cracker flavor. Graham crackers without the crumbly dry mess? Ah-maze-ing!!!!

For the filling, I combined cream cheese, powdered sugar, and the zest and juice of a few key limes. Super fast and simple and delicious...try not to eat it straight out of the bowl, it is even better when smooshed between the graham cracker cookies!

These key lime pie sandwich cookies are good. Really good. The non-sweet-tooth Ben proclaimed these the 'best cookies he's ever eaten'. I have to agree...and I'm a cookie connoisseur!

They taste exactly like a key lime pie. If that's your kind of thing, these are the cookies for you!

Did you make this? Tag me on social @sweetpeasandsaffron and be sure to leave a comment and rate the recipe!

Key Lime Pie Sandwich Cookies

4.94 from 15 votes

Prep Time: 20 minutes mins

Cook Time: 10 minutes mins

Total Time: 30 minutes mins

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These key lime pie sandwich cookies are heaven in cookie form: key lime cream cheese filling is sandwiched between two soft graham cracker sugar cookies!

12 sandwiches

Ingredients

Graham Cracker Cookies

• ▢ ¾ cup all purpose flour {94g or fluffed, spooned & levelled}
• ▢ ¾ cup graham cracker crumbs {85g}
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon baking powder
• ▢ ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ▢ ½ cup unsalted butter {113g}
• ▢ ½ cup granulated sugar {100g- plus more for rolling}
• ▢ ½ tsp vanilla
• ▢ 1 egg yolk

Key Lime Cream Cheese Filling:

• ▢ 8 oz cream cheese (softened {light is OK})
• ▢ ½ cup powdered sugar {63g}
• ▢ 1 tablespoon key lime zest
• ▢ 1 tablespoon key lime juice

Instructions 

Graham Cracker Cookies

• Pre-heat oven to 375 F. Line cookie sheets with parchment or silicone baking mats.
• Cream together butter and sugar. Add the vanilla and egg yolk and blend.
• In a separate bowl, combine flour, graham cracker crumbs, cinnamon, baking powder and baking soda.
• Mix the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. They may not seem to come together right away but keep blending until your dough sticks together {1-2 minutes}.
• Roll dough into 1-inch sized balls. Roll balls in granulated sugar to coat.
• Bake for 6-7 minutes, until bottoms of cookies are lightly browned. Cool 5 or so minutes on cookie sheet and transfer to wire rack to cool completely.

Key Lime Cream Cheese Filling:

• Beat cream cheese with a stand or hand mixer until completely smooth. Add the powdered sugar and mix until completely incorporated.
• Add the lime juice and zest and mix. Taste and adjust lime if desired.

Assembly:

• Spread 1 or so tablespoons of cream cheese mixture on the bottom of a cooled cookie. Top with a second cookie.
• Serve immediately.

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Tips:

Makes 12 'sandwiches', or 24 total cookies.
Don't assemble cookie sandwiches until just prior to serving.
If you would like to firm up the filling, chill for an hour or so before assembling the sandwiches.

Nutrition Information

Serving: 1sandwich, Calories: 241kcal, Carbohydrates: 24g, Protein: 3g, Fat: 15g, Saturated Fat: 9g, Cholesterol: 57mg, Sodium: 143mg, Potassium: 52mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 15g, Vitamin A: 512IU, Vitamin C: 1mg, Calcium: 32mg, Iron: 1mg

Author: Denise Bustard

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

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• Filling inspired by Martha's recipe