Coconut Lime Shortbread is the perfect cookie for coconut lovers, stuffed with flaked coconut and decorated with colored sugar. Lime zest gives a little zing. These store and pack well and are great for a bake sale, lunch boxes, or afternoon tea/coffee snack.
Coconut Lime Shortbread in the cookie jar just makes like better, if you’re a coconut fanatic like I am. Luckily, my husband is the same, and will eat anything coconut, anytime.
So after I pulled the first batch of these out of the oven, he said, “Great, but can you add more coconut?” So I made them several more times, upping the coconut each time. Finally, I have the coconutty version we like best!
Eventually as my trials went on, lime zest seemed like a natural, and I had key limes on the counter, so in went that zest.
Are we all singing the Harry Nilsson song yet? You know, “Put the Lime in the Coconut [1].” I’ll wait while you open that in a tab. OK, are you back? Let’s make cookies! Leave the song on in the background; it’s the 16-minute extended version and is quite mesmerizing. In fact, I have it on as I am writing this.
How to make Coconut Lime Shortbread
First, gather your ingredients. For these Coconut Lime Shortbread cookies you will need:
- butter
- sugar
- vanilla extract
- all purpose flour
- flaked coconut
- lime zest. I added these to the version after I shot this photo, so they are missing from the picture.
- Coarse sugar crystals (I used “Bunny Hop” sugar sprinkle mix from Sweets & Treats)
- You’ll also need a good non-stick baking sheet. (I used a 10×15-inch cookie pan by Anolon)
Mix up the dough using an electric mixer. It will be thick! (Note: In subsequent versions I tried it with lime zest, so lime doesn’t appear in the dough in this photo, but I recommend it!)
Roll the dough into 7- to 8-inch logs. You can use a measuring tool to check your work, but don’t obsess.
Put the 2 dough logs in a container and refrigerate for 4 hours (or a day), until firm.
Cut each roll into 16 slices. I do this the easy way by cutting each roll into half horizontally, then cut each half into 2 pieces, then cut each of those pieces into 2 pieces, etc. until you have 16 slices from each roll. This is easier than starting at one end of the roll and trying to cut 16 even slices all in a row. Even slices are the goal, so they bake evenly.
Lay the cookie dough slices on nonstick baking sheet, and sprinkle tops liberally with coarse colored sugar crystals.
I mean really pile the sugar crystals on there! The heat from baking will adhere them.
After you remove them from the oven, use a spatula to move the cookies to a cooling rack. Cool completely.
The cook gets a quality-control taste test, right? Always.
Coconut Lime Shortbread is the perfect cookie for coconut lovers, stuffed with flaked coconut and decorated with colored sugar. Lime zest gives a little zing. These store and pack well and are great for a bake sale, lunch boxes, or afternoon tea/coffee snack. Note: The dough needs to chill 4 hours (or overnight) before you bake the cookies.
Ingredients
- 2 sticks (8 ounces total) butter
- (add 1/2 tsp. salt if you use unsalted butter)
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups flour
- 1 cup sweetened flaked coconut
- 2 Limes, zested
Directions
- In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream the butter (and salt if you are using unsalted butter), sugar and vanilla. On low speed, mix in flour, coconut and lime zest until combined. (Save the actual lime for a beverage or something else.)
- Shape into 2 6- to 7-inch rolls (exact length not super critical), place in a covered container and refrigerate 4 hours or overnight, until firm.
- Heat oven to 350F degrees. Remove dough rolls from refrigerator and put on a cutting board. Cut each roll into 16 slices. I do this the easy way by cutting each roll into half horizontally, then cut each half into 2 pieces, then cut each of those pieces into 2 pieces, etc. until you have 16 slices from each roll. This is easier than starting at one end of the roll and trying to cut 16 even slices all in a row. Even slices are the goal, so they bake evenly.
- Place slices 1 inch apart on a nonstick baking sheet, and sprinkle tops with coarse sugar crystals (colored is fun, but white if that's all you have). Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until edges are lightly browned. (You oven may run hot or colder, so check them at the 11-minute mark and bake more if needed.)
- Remove from oven, use a spatula to place cookies on a cooling rack, and allow them to cool completely. Store in an airtight covered container on the counter.
- Makes 32 cookies.
Notes
Recipe source: Dorothy Reinhold | Shockingly Delicious
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