Key Lime Snowballs

Key Lime Snowballs

Snowball cookies in the summer? You bet!

These are key lime, you see. The very best of summer citrus condensed into a buttery, decadent cookie. Regular snowballs, move over. It’s time for a warm-weather makeover!

Well, that’s assuming we get any warm weather soon. It’s been raining for like 17 straight days. Why did nobody warn me about DC being moved across the country to Seattle?

Key Lime Snowballs

Last week, somebody made a comment on FB about how people get really whiny about rain and how it’s no big deal. I’m guessing that this person’s mood is not at the mercy of the elements, and I’m jealous. I really need sunshine to feel happy.

Also, it’s apparently good for my bones to get lots of Vitamin D, which is easier when the sun’s out. No, no, I’m not advocating sun worship of any kind. Protect your skin with sunscreen, always!

Key Lime Snowballs

The downside of that is, of course, less natural exposure to Vitamin D. For some people that’s no big deal, but I recently failed a bone density test with flying colors. I’ve been very good with the sunscreen, but not so great with the calcium.

So here I am, loyal readers, asking you for tips. I’m not much of a dairy person, which I realize is a problem. I don’t like yogurt (unless it’s frozen) and I could never eat enough cheese to make it worthwhile to my bones. So what else can I eat? I hear kale is good, and spinach. Give me some recipes or ideas! No beans, please. I’m picky.

Key Lime Snowballs

In the meantime, I’m all good on the cookie front. I get plenty of cookies. If only they had calcium!

I’m a snowball girl through and through. These are easily my favorite kind of cookie. The texture gets me every time. It’s because the dough (egg-free, so you can eat as you work!) is made with powdered sugar instead of granulated, so these have the most melt-in-your-mouth, velvety feel.

Key Lime Snowballs

To spice things up, I added in a little bit of lime juice and a lot of lime zest. The zest is in both the cookie dough and in the powdered sugar that the cookies get rolled in. I wanted to find key limes (and I still will, thus the title of this post), but all I could get for this baking day were the regular kind. Either way, it’ll taste amazing!

It’s rainy out and I want some awesome, sunshiny calcium. Help a girl out!

 

Key Lime Snowballs

Ingredients

Cookies
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1/4 cup powdered sugar
1/4 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon key lime juice
1 tablespoon key lime zest
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
Topping
1/3 cup powdered sugar (for rolling baked cookies into)
1 tablespoon key lime zest

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 350. Line a cookie sheet with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper.
  2. In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the butter, powdered sugar, vanilla, lime juice and lime zest until fluffy. Add flour and salt and beat again until the dough forms.
  3. Roll the dough into tablespoon-sized balls and place on your cookie sheet about 2 inches apart. Bake for 10-12 minutes until the bottoms are just starting to brown.
  4. Putting the topping ingredients into a small bowl and mix them together.
  5. Wait 5 minutes and roll the cookies in the powdered sugar mixture carefully. You don't want to press down, or the cookies will crumble. Wait a few minutes, and then roll them a second time.
  6. Cool completely. Store in an airtight container.
http://justaboutbaked.com/key-lime-snowballs/

 

 

 

Mir

I fulfill many roles in life: wife, mother, teacher, everlasting learner. This site is dedicated to one role that expresses my creativity in ways that I find consistently challenging and rewarding: baker. Inventing new ways to enhance food, especially if that food involves chocolate or peanut butter (or both!), is a passion of mine. I look forward to sharing my ideas with you.

This Post Has 18 Comments

  1. Sues

    I’m all about snowball cookies any time of year! But I love that these have a key lime kick to them 🙂
    Sues recently posted…Jalapeño Lime Cheddar RisottoMy Profile

    1. Mir

      Key lime kicks are the best!

  2. Gayle @ Pumpkin 'N Spice

    Snowball cookies in the spring is just perfect! And I agree with you…I need sunshine to be a more “sunshiny” mood, vitamin D just makes everything better. Love the key lime flavor of these cuties!
    Gayle @ Pumpkin ‘N Spice recently posted…Fried Egg and Avocado ToastMy Profile

    1. Mir

      Vitamin D is pretty important, and we don’t get enough!

  3. Kate @ Framed Cooks

    Broccoli has TONS of natural calcium, and here’s my favorite recipes for it (which involves pasta, of course!): http://www.framedcooks.com/2014/11/pasta-broccolli-pesto.html … and you can have snowball cookies for dessert, because they look all year round perfect!
    Kate @ Framed Cooks recently posted…Russian Napoleon Cake…and a Magical Giveaway!My Profile

    1. Mir

      Thanks, Kate! I will try this. It looks amazing!

  4. Cheyanne @ No Spoon Necessary

    I didn’t know you have a problem with bone density, Mir! I used to have that problem, but now I take supplements. You should try Caltrate soft chews.. they are actually delicious so I feel like I am having a treat vs taking a supplement. I eat the vanilla ones, but my MIL says the chocolate flavor is really good. Anyways, I hope the sun starts shinning for both of us! All this nasty weather is a buzz kill! Staying inside and eating these fabulous key lime snowballs sounds like a great plan until the sunshine comes back out to play! LOVE these, girlfriend! I am a huge fan of key lime anything, so I am totally adding these to my Must Make List! Cheers, chicka!
    Cheyanne @ No Spoon Necessary recently posted…Peach-Sriracha BBQ Baby Back RibsMy Profile

    1. Mir

      I’ll get on the Caltrate action, Chey! Thanks for the tip. I just don’t want to break any bones!

  5. Manali @ CookWithManali

    Snowballs are one of my favorite cookies, doesn’t matter whether it’s summers or winters! love the key time flavor! Hope you great some break from the rain, surprisingly it’s not raining here in Seattle lol!
    Manali @ CookWithManali recently posted…Tropical Granola + A New Look!My Profile

    1. Mir

      Ha! Seattle and DC have totally flipped, Manali!

  6. Dorothy @ Crazy for Crust

    I have a Vitamin D deficiency, so I have to take a vitamin (5000mg). It’s supposed to be good for your bones and heart too! But I guess eating better might help…lol. I’d rather eat snowballs all year long!
    Dorothy @ Crazy for Crust recently posted…Sweet Cream ShootersMy Profile

    1. Mir

      I think that’s my issue too, Dorothy. I take the supplements, but I’m not eating the right stuff. Why can’t brownies have calcium?!

  7. David @ Spiced

    I love a good summer rain shower…even better when there’s some thunder involved. But 17 days in a row? Ugh. No thank you very much. I can see why these key lime snowballs need to make an appearance! What a fun twist on a classic holiday recipe. Yum!
    David @ Spiced recently posted…Cherry Walnut GranolaMy Profile

    1. Mir

      It’s been nonstop. I just cannot. The rain is so sucky!

  8. mira

    I’ll take snowball cookies any time of the year! These look lovely! Great flavors! We’ve had so much rain in the last few weeks around here, too!
    mira recently posted…Strawberry Arugula Salad With Poppyseed Dressing RecipeMy Profile

    1. Mir

      Thanks, Mira! They’re my #1 favorite cookie ever.

  9. annie@ciaochowbambina

    Key lime is one of my favorite pies, which means—–>these will be one of my favorite cookies!! So yum!
    annie@ciaochowbambina recently posted…Watermelon Summer Salad with Basil and BlueberriesMy Profile

    1. Mir

      I like your logic, Annie!

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