These Coconut Lime Sugar Cookies pack a bright citrus punch thanks to a quick kitchen shortcut. Sparkling with sugar and studded with coconut flakes, these cookies are a welcome sign of spring.
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This year I’m in the mood to share a few St. Patrick’s Day–inspired recipes, and these Coconut Lime Sugar Cookies are my latest contribution. They bring the required green color for the holiday, but more importantly they add a burst of tropical lime and coconut flavor—just what I needed to brighten a cold, snowy week. The cookies are cheerful in appearance and flavor, and they disappear quickly from the counter whenever I bake a batch.
These cookies were inspired by a popular strawberry sugar cookie variation, but with simple ingredient swaps and a color change they become a fresh seasonal treat in their own right. They suit classroom celebrations, baby and bridal showers, and any springtime gathering where a light, citrus cookie is welcome. I especially love them straight from the oven—warm, slightly soft, and fragrant with lime and coconut.
Coconut Lime Sugar Cookies
Author: Melanie | Melanie Makes
Yields: 3 dozen cookies
Prep Time: 10 min Cook Time: 10 min Total Time: 20 min
Ingredients
- 1 cup butter, softened
- 1-1/2 cups sugar
- 6 tablespoons lime Jello powder
- 2 large eggs
- 3 cups flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 teaspoons cream of tartar
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup unsweetened coconut flakes
- 1 cup sugar (for rolling)
- Additional unsweetened coconut flakes, to garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
- In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream together the butter and 1-1/2 cups sugar until light and fluffy, about 3–4 minutes. Add the lime Jello powder and mix until well combined.
- Add the eggs and mix for another 2 minutes, until blended and slightly increased in volume.
- Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cream of tartar, salt, and 1 cup of unsweetened coconut flakes. Mix on low speed until the dough comes together and the coconut is evenly distributed. Do not overmix.
- Using a medium cookie scoop or a spoon, form dough balls, then roll each ball in the remaining cup of sugar to coat. Place the dough balls on a parchment-lined baking sheet, spaced about 2 inches apart.
- Bake for 10–12 minutes, or until the cookies begin to crack on top and the edges are set. For taller, chewier cookies, bake as directed; for flatter, more traditional sugar-cookie shapes, gently press the tops of the dough balls before baking.
- Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Once cooled, sprinkle additional unsweetened coconut flakes over the tops if desired before serving.
Notes
If you’d like your cookies more puffy and chewy, bake them as directed without flattening. For a more classic sugar-cookie appearance, press the dough lightly before baking.
These cookies use lime Jello powder as a quick flavor and color shortcut—no fresh lime juice or zest required. The Jello provides a consistent lemon-lime flavor and a pleasant green hue.
Serve these cookies warm for the best experience: the centers are soft and tender right out of the oven, while the exterior sparkles with sugar and the coconut adds a pleasant chew. They make a wonderful afternoon pick-me-up or an easy, festive dessert for gatherings. Store cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to several days; you can refresh them briefly in a low oven if you prefer them warm.
These Coconut Lime Sugar Cookies are simple to make, bright in flavor, and perfectly suited for springtime entertaining or a cheerful addition to your cookie jar. Enjoy baking—and tasting—every batch.