RECIPE: Merry Christmas: REC: Key Lime Sparkler cookies

RECIPE:

mistral

Well-known member
I made these last night and they are delicious. Tart and sweet and the lime/citrus flavor comes up even more when you start to chew!

They are better the next day. I used the large end of a melon baller to scoop up dough to roll into small balls as I like small cookies when dusted in powdered sugar. I got a WHOLE lot more than 3 dozen cookies; it was more like 80 cookies. Took all but about 6 of these into work and between the 8 of us (and giving the sub a dozen for Christmas), there were only about a dozen left. All my co-workers loved them and I had to promise to take recipes in.

The Lime oil I found at a local cake decorating/candy supply store in little, teeny 2 dram bottles.

I measured with an eye dropper and 1/8 tsp is 14-15 drops of lime oil.

I also needed more powdered sugar/citric acid for rolling, so I used a total of 1-1/2 cups powdered sugar and 1/8 teaspoon PLUS a half of 1/8 teaspoon of citric acid (I just eyeballed the half of 1/8 teaspoon.

Key Lime Sparkler Cookies (made with Citric Acid, AKA "sour salt")

King Arthur Flour Site

Mouth-puckeringly tart AND satisfyingly sweet, these crunchy, sugar-coated cookies are bound to quickly become a family favorite.

Cookies

3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking powder

2 tablespoons Key Lime Juice

1/8 teaspoon lime oil

1/8 teaspoon sour salt (citric acid)* OR 1/2 teaspoon Tart & Sour Flavor

1 large egg

2 1/2 cups King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour

Coating

1/8 teaspoon sour salt (citric acid*)

1 cup glazing sugar or confectioners' sugar

2 tablespoons white edible glitter (optional)

*Sour salt (citric acid) is what gives the cookies their sour bite—if you want less tang, use just a pinch.

In a medium-sized bowl, beat together the butter, sugar, salt, and baking powder till well blended. Beat in the lime juice, lime oil, sour salt (citric acid), and the egg. Blend in the flour thoroughly.

Roll the dough into 1" balls, and place them on lightly greased or parchment-lined baking sheets. Bake the cookies in the top third of a preheated 350°F oven for 14 to 16 minutes, until the cookies are browned on the bottom. Remove them from the oven, and cool on the pan for about 10 minutes before transferring to a rack.

Mix together the sugar coating ingredients in a pan or bag. Gently shake and roll the still slightly warm cookies in the sugar till coated. Allow the cookies to cool completely, then repeat, coating again with the sugar. (If you're freezing the cookies, you may choose to recoat the cookies in sugar once they've been removed from the freezer, before serving.) Yield: 3 dozen cookies.

Recommendation: Pour leftover powdered sugar-citric acid mixture (after rolling cookies) in a good sized container with a tight fitting lid. Let cookies cool completely then place in the container with the sugar mixture, cover tightly and then turn gently several times to coat completely. Store the cookies in the container until needed.

 
Definitely giving this a try. Another use for the citric acid I brought from Israel. Question:

I have lemon oil, orange oil, almond oil, and lemongrass oil--but no lime oil. Do you think the lemongrass might work--or should I take the time to find lime oil???

 
The lime oil I used. . .

was called a "candy oil" an was supposed to be very strong. I used what the recipe called for and it was fine.

Now the flavor: Everyone that tasted it thought they were *lemon* cooler cookies. Nex time I am going to try just a few drops more of lime. I will also be tring my lemon oil as well.

Your lemongrass oil sounds good to me. I would try that, as regular lemongrass is lemony, but definitely has a "flowery" thing going on. Maybe lemon AND lemongrass oil?

I think that any one of your oils would be just fine used in these cookies. I just saved this recipe because I adore limes. Next time I make I think I will add some 'standard" lime zest to the cookies as well (standard like in the usual, bigger limes that one finds in the store)>

 
After zesting 2 key limes for those other cookies, I'm a fan of the "standard" lime

Golly, those key limes are small suckers. And juicing them! Ha! Dough is now rolled and chilling

 
Michael (in P) had a good idea. Just nip off the top and ream out, rather than cut in half.

I'll be trying that method. Picked up my lime oil and keylimes yesterday.

 
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