Wednesday, March 31, 2010

"K " is for Key Lime Bites and Key West

















Back in our early years of our marriage, my husband I flew to Florida and drove all over the state.  We took the impressive ride on the Overseas Highway to Key West.  We spent a few nights in Key West Florida and discovered key limes.  Key West is famous for Key Lime Pie.  I came home with a bottle of key lime juice in my suitcase!  I had never had key limes or key lime juice before.  Now, key limes are readily available and I still love them.  They are more acidic than persian limes, the normal limes.

I put together this recipe called "Key Lime Bites" after being disappointed with other key lime cookies.  I wanted the strong tangy flavor of key limes, not just a mere trace of flavor! 

Notes:  These are the kind of cookies that just taste better the next day after baking.  The cookies I have pictured are a tablespoon-sized.  If you want even more key lime flavor, you could make the cookies smaller.   

















Key Lime Bites

Cookie Ingredients and Directions
1 cup butter
2 teaspoons key lime juice
2 teaspoons grated key lime peel
1/4 cup powdered sugar
2 cups flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup chopped macadamian nuts

In a medium bowl with electric mixer, cream butter, sugar, key lime juice and peel until mixture is creamy and fluffy.  Next add flour and salt and beat until thoroughly incorporated.  Add macadamian nuts to dough mixture by hand.  Roll dough into one inch balls and space about two inches apart on a cookie sheet.  Bake in a 350 degree oven for 10 minutes.  Do not overbake.  Place cookies on a wire rack and cool for about 5 minutes.  Ice cookies according to directions below.  Key limes do not provide much grated peel.  You could cheat and grate peel from a persian lime.

Icing Ingredients and Directions
1/4 cup key lime juice
1 teaspon grated key lime peel
2 cups powdered sugar

Mix key lime juice and peel and powdered sugar in a medium bowl until thoroughly mixed.  Dip cooled cookies in icing ingredients.  After dipping, place on wire rack to dry.  Dip another time in icing and place on wire rack to dry.  Makes about 18 cookies. 

I am posting this with Alphabe-Thursday.  Click on below to read other "K" posts.

Jenny Matlock

I am also posting this with Michael at Foodie Friday.
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29 comments:

Sarah said...

Oh, my, I think I need a midnight snack. These look delicious. I love anything with lemon or lime, especially with powdered sugar. :-)

Anita Diaz said...

This looks wonderful!! I love limes anyway, and this I must try! Thanks so much for stopping by:-) I just started collecting the Fostoria. I have some candle holders I cannot wait to use soon too.

Esme said...

Thanks for this -I love key lime anything.

Jen R said...

Well, those look and sound frustratingly delicious. Please send me some...somehow.

Unknown said...

these look amazing! i have a bottle of key lime juice in my fridge that i will have to break out..i know a special someone that would love, love, love these yummy bites!

Allie and Pattie said...

I always have key lime juice in my fridge. These look like a great little treat!
xoxo Pattie

Kat said...

Yum! These look and sound wonderful. I love Key Lime, and these sound delicious. Kathy

Unknown said...

This look wonderful. I bet they are great with a cup of tea.

People Who Know Me Would Say: said...

OMG - if they're anything like the taste of key lime pie....I'm all in!!!


I'll email you my address.....you fed ex them overnight. Okay??!!


GREAT K!!!

Viki said...

I've never had key lime. They look really good.

Steph said...

What special memories. I love the flavor of key lime. And the Bites look wonderful. Wish I could have one now.

laterg8r said...

i'm not one for lime but those look delish :D

Jenny said...

These look delicious.

We are going to a potluck at some friends on Saturday night and she has several key lime trees. I will be picking some to give this recipe a try.

Thanks for making our Alphabe-Thursday even more delicious.

Happy K week!

A+

My Slice of Heaven said...

I love the Keys! My husband and I took a trip to them a couple of years ago. I would love to be there sitting outside by the ocean enjoying some of those little key lime bites right now!

My name is Riet said...

Great K word. I love Key West and the lime pie

Rocky Mountain Woman said...

I'm going to have to add these to my collection of key lime recipes.

Sometimes I really miss the Keys, I spent a lot of time there when I lived in South Florida. I do love my mountains though...

Thanks for stopping by and visiting, hope you come again!

Tina said...

Oh if only I weren't hypoglycemic...I'd answer the call...the call which is so loud I'm afraid my children will come running saying, "Mom, where are the cookies????"

Tina said...

Oh if only I weren't hypoglycemic...I'd answer the call...the call which is so loud I'm afraid my children will come running saying, "Mom, where are the cookies????"

GardenOfDaisies said...

Yum yum yum! these look delicious! I love anything lemon or lime flavored!

RNSANE said...

I can't wait to make these. I've been to Key West many times...on cruise ships and I spent a week there back in 1995, after taking a forensic photography class at the morgue in Miami ( needed R & R after that ) - in fact, I was just there last Thursday but I didn't even get off the ship!

Jo said...

oh gee these look incredibly yummy!

Nadeen said...

Oh, ouch. I vowed I would read the 'k' entries in order by yours got to me and I went to it first. So much for order.

We went to Key West (from Montana) on a lark two years ago and it was the lark of my life! We tested Key Lime Pie from the minute we left the mainland until we left. I also removed a bottle of Key Lime Juice from the Island for cooking. Now methink I'll need to get more.

What a wondrous time there. Hope you're was as good as ours. We did ours on a Fly-and-Ride Harley-Davidson rental. Undescribable.

Betty said...

I have never tried a key lime, but I did see them in the grocery store on my last visit. Those sure look good!

Christy said...

Oh, I am joining the fan club....these look unbelievably delicious. Oh I must. have. some. NOW. oh so sad, no limes to be found.

Joyce said...

I am so addicted to Key Limes that I am copying this recipe immediately. Thanks for sharing.
Joyce

Amanda Lee said...

these look delicious -- I love key lime pie, so I'm guessing I would love these!

Kathleen said...

These cookies sound sooo yummy!

Personalized Sketches and Sentiments said...

OH! yummmy!!! I can't wait for a day off to try these out! Yummmy!!! (Oh, I said that already!)

thanks for sharing this recipe....

oooh! I can't wait! (I can't help but repeat myself. I am printing this out now ;o)

Blessings & Aloha!
(I am once again tardy! thankfully, sweet Jenny let me into class...so now I'm trying to get to all the K posts, before it's time already for the L posts! I'd love if you get a chance to stop by mine.)

Cathy said...

I haven't seen key lime juice in my market but will be on the lookout for it. I love the flavors of citrus so know I will enjoy these cookies.

Engageya