Fresh Mint and Lime Shortbread Cookies

Published: Mar 4, 2020 · Modified: May 12, 2020 ·by Swathi.This post may contain affiliate links ·

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Delicious Fresh mint and Lime Shortbread Cookies made with fresh mint leaves and lime zest and lime juice and powdered sugar.If you are looking for a simple and aromatic shortbread cookie that has combo of mojito drink, then here is the Fresh mint and Lime Shortbread cookies. It is very easy to put together and made with only fresh mint and lime juice and lime zest. As St. Patrick’s Day is coming you can make this delicious and easy shortbread which hints of green from fresh mint and lime zest.

What is short bread?

Shortbread is a traditional Scottish biscuit usually made from one-part white sugar, two parts butter, and three parts of flour. Other ingredients like ground rice or corn flour are sometimes added to alter the texture. Modern recipes also often deviate from the original by splitting the sugar into equal parts granulated and icing sugar and many add a portion of salt.

The texture of shortbread varies from sandy to dense. Sandy shortbread is result of adding rice flour as one of the ingredients. For a dense structure need just flour, butter, cornstarch and sugar.

Main difference between as sugar cookies and shortbread are sugar cookies often have many ingredients including eggs, vanilla, salt and a leavening agent such as baking powder or baking soda. Traditional shortbread has four ingredients at most: sugar, butter, flour and sometimes vanilla. Also, most of the time Shortbread is thicker and denser than a sugar cookie. It also contains more butter, so the taste is richer.

How I made Fresh mint and Lime Shortbread Cookies

Fresh mint and Lime are like buddies when they are together. They make everything not only delicious perfect in every single way. That is, they become ultimate combo in mojito. Refreshing lime with fresh aromatic mint is one of kind, you can mix both mint and lime with various others combination of herbs and fruits, still this combination is topmost one.

Why I like this recipe is because it uses fresh mint, fresh lime zest and lime juice. There is no extract or artificial flavoring in this Fresh Mint and Lime Shortbread cookie recipe. Since it is a shortbread, it doesn’t have egg. Best part is the taste of mint and lime lingers in your mouth for quite some time. This recipe is adapted from Sister pie cook book

If you are looking for not overly sweet cookies, then try this fresh mint and lime shortbread cookies. I didn’t coat with powdered sugar after baking the cooking.

Tips to remember

Finely mince the mint leaves, make sure to get fresh one, give preference to young one. Also make mint sugar mix so that mint release oil and make the shortbread more minty flavor.
Soften the butter in room temperature so that you can easily incorporate powdered sugar.
Use freshly squeezed lime juice rather than bottled one, as bottled ones contain preservatives.
Feel free to bake either as round cookies or even cut out designs just I like did in this recipe.
You can make ahead the shortbread dough and store it in refrigerator up to 2 days or you can freeze them up to 3 months. Once you are ready to bake shape the cookies and bake.
This cookie can be stored in air tight container for up to 1 week.

Why wait venture into your kitchen garden and get some mint and grab lime and start making the delicious shortbread. Let me know how it turned out for you.

Print Recipe

5 from 23 votes

Delicious Fresh mint and Lime Shortbread Cookies made with fresh mint leaves and lime zest and lime juice.

Prep Time15 minutes mins

Cook Time16 minutes mins

2 hours hrs

Total Time2 hours hrs 31 minutes mins

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: cookie

Servings: 8 serving

Calories: 380kcal

Author: Swathi ( Ambujom Saraswathy)

Ingredients

2 ¼ cup all-purpose flour
¼ cup fresh mint leaves finely chopped
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
1 cup 2 sticks butter soften at room temperature
¾ cup powdered sugar
2 teaspoon lime zest
3 tablespoon lime juice
¼ teaspoon salt

Instructions

In a bowl mix four, salt and mix well and set aside.
In another bowl add mint leaves and sugar and mix well and set aside.
In a kitchen aid mixer fitted with paddle attachment place butter, powdered sugar and lime zest and mint leaves and incorporated.
To this incorporate lime juice and mix once again, gradually add flour and salt mixture and combine everything.
Remove the dough and shape it into either log or a disc and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight, you can keep upto 2 days refrigerated dough.
When you are ready to bake pre-heat oven to 350F and line the baking sheet with parchment paper.
Transfer the refrigerated dough the well-floured work bench and spread it into ¼ thickness rectangle. Then cut out desired shaped and transfer to the baking sheet.
Bake it until the sides becomes slightly golden brown about 14-16 minutes.
Transfer the cookies to cooling rack and let it completely cool . Dust with powdered sugar before serving.
I preferred without powdered sugar.
See Also
Strawberry Jam Cookies - Heart Thumbprints Chewy Brown Sugar Cookies Frosted Lemon Sour Cream Sugar Cookies Recipe Lemon Butter Cookies (Dairy Free Option)
Enjoy

Nutrition

Tried this recipe?Mention @nidhinikhil or tag #zestysouthindiankitchenrecipes!

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Other shortbread cookie recipes are

Nankhatai: Indian Style Shortbread cookies
. Rose Cardamom Pistachio Shortbread cookies
Jackfruit Shortbread cookies
Chai Shortbread Cookies

Swathi

This is Swathi ( Dr. Ambujom Saraswathy Ph.D) from Zesty South Indian Kitchen who loves to explore cuisines from all over the world. Whenever possible I try to to give an Indian touch to several of the world cuisine, and has weakness for freshly baked bread. All the recipes you see here are created by me and approved after taste-test by my family.

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Reader Interactions

Comments

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Debra says

December 08, 2022 at 2:04 pm

Loved that little citrus zing from the lime...the most flavorful shortbread I've tasted.

Reply
Giangi Townsend says

December 07, 2022 at 8:58 am

As I am reading the recipe, my mouth is watering and my taste buds craving those super delicious lime shortbread. Holidays are here and I just printed to make them this weekend. Thank you for sharing.

Reply
Gloria says

December 07, 2022 at 8:46 am

Shortbread cookies are perfect for the holidays. I have never tried them with mint. What a wonderful idea. I will add these to my baking list.

Reply
Elizabeth says

December 07, 2022 at 6:06 am

Lime zest and mint, definitely have to try! Thanks for the recipe!

Reply
Linda says

August 08, 2022 at 8:38 pm

Deliciously different cookies! Was able to use my fresh mint from the garden. Fun to make as well!

Reply
Laurie says

December 18, 2021 at 8:54 am

I will try this with lemons instead of limes. I love mint lemonade.

Reply
Chris T. Hoov says
See Also
Strawberry Jam Sugar Cookies - Butternut Bakery

March 16, 2020 at 2:44 am

Wow,thia is such a unique recipe! I love shortbread cookies.. Trying different flavors would be fun..

Reply
Rosemary says

March 07, 2020 at 10:04 pm

Shortbread cookies are my favorite kind and didn't know about their Scottish origins. What a wonderful idea to make them with fresh mint. I'm going to have to try this recipe soon!

Reply
Chef Dennis says

March 07, 2020 at 3:19 am

Thank you for sharing more about Short bread. This is really good to know. Your recipe Fresh mint and Lime Shortbread Cookies looks really delicious and I love that they're made with fresh mint leaves.

Reply
Lizzie Lau says

March 06, 2020 at 3:47 pm

Mojito is one of my favorite drinks, so I know I'll enjoy these fresh mint and lime shortbread cookies. I prefer the denser texture over the sandy texture.

Reply
Catalina says

March 06, 2020 at 3:28 pm

These cookies must have a wonderful flavor! So curious to try them!

Reply
Melissa says

March 06, 2020 at 12:22 pm

These fresh mint and lime shortbread cookies look yummy. They would be perfect for a tea to celebrate St. Patrick's Day. I can't wait to make them.

Reply
Leslie says

March 06, 2020 at 10:21 am

Shortbread cookies are a classic favorite of mine! I've never tried this flavor before but I bet it's delicious!

Reply
Kathy says

March 06, 2020 at 10:06 am

These sound like a really interesting flavor. I have never had anything like it before. I'm really interested in trying these though.

Reply
Kristine Nicole Alessandra says

March 06, 2020 at 1:00 am

I like the flavor combination of these shortbread cookies. Lime and mint together sounds delicious. I will make these on the weekend for me to enjoy while binge watching my shows. Yay!

Reply
Jamie H says

March 05, 2020 at 10:08 pm

Oh yum, yum! Cookies are a weakness for me-- I would rather have cookies than birthday cake, any day! These look fabulous. Not only tasty flavor combination, but they're so cute, too!

Reply
Marysa says

March 05, 2020 at 6:15 pm

This sounds like such a nice combination of flavors. I have never made shortbread type cookies before, but I would like to give these a try.

Reply
Bonnie G says

March 05, 2020 at 3:07 pm

Those look so cute and perfect for spring. The sound of the mint of the lime sound really tasty.

Reply
Tasheena says

March 05, 2020 at 12:53 pm

These cookies look really yummy and perfect for spring. Looking forward to trying this recipe. It would be perfect for my guest the next time I have a gathering.

Reply
melissa chapman says

March 05, 2020 at 10:11 am

Those cookies look amazing and who does not love shortbread. I never knew why they call it shortbread but thanks for the lesson.

Reply
Tammy says

March 05, 2020 at 10:10 am

I love shortbread cookies but have never thought of using mint before. Yum.

Reply
Rog Willis says

March 05, 2020 at 8:52 am

Your shortbread cookies look so soft, which is something I can never get when I get any brand of shortbread cookies. I'm going to share this with my family!

Reply
- Swathi says
  
  March 05, 2020 at 10:05 am
  
  Yes this one is soft and melt in mouth, we can't get that in store brought brand.
  
  Reply
Amber Myers says

March 05, 2020 at 7:31 am

I just love this flavor combo! We love our cookies, so I'll have to make these for sure. I am all about mint treats.

Reply
Kusum says

March 05, 2020 at 7:13 am

While baking them in OTG should we keep both the rods on with fan?

Reply
- Swathi says
  
  March 05, 2020 at 10:04 am
  
  Middle rack, both rods on (toast mode) watch from 9- 10 minutes.
  
  Reply
Danielle says

March 05, 2020 at 5:21 am

Fabulous cookie recipe that is an absolute keeper. I will need to make a big batch of these and enjoy throughout the week. I love that this recipe is all about lime, too!

Reply

Fresh Mint and Lime Shortbread Cookies - Zesty South Indian Kitchen (2024)

FAQs

What is the difference between shortbread cookies and sugar cookies? ›

The main difference between these two cookies is the ingredients and the ratios of the ingredients. Sugar cookies typically contain eggs, while shortbread cookies do not. Shortbread also has a higher ratio of butter to flour and are usually more crumbly and tender as a result.

Why does shortbread taste so good? ›

Shortbread tastes good because of butter, glorious butter. Few cookies fill your mouth the way shortbreads do. And the flavor! One bite of a real shortbread cookie, with its fine crumb and rich sweet taste, is confectionary ecstasy.

See Details ›

Why are my shortbread cookies chewy? ›

Check doneness by looking for an even, light brown colour across the top of the biscuits, with slight darkening at the edges. Begin checking at the tail end of the cooking time. Undercooked shortbread will be doughy and chewy. Slightly overcooked and it will become chalky, brittle and hard.

Find Out More ›

What do shortbread cookies taste like? ›

Buttery, crumbly, with a lovely buttery but sandy mouthfeel.

Just the way shortbread should taste like. You only need 3 ingredients for this shortbread cookies recipe.

Get More Info ›

What is the secret to making good shortbread cookies? ›

Tips To Make the Best Shortbread Cookies

Choose High Quality Butter. No matter what brand of butter you buy, if it's real butter, you can rest assured that it's the best. ...
Keep Ingredients Simple. ...
Add Flavor. ...
Don't Overwork. ...
Shape Dough. ...
Chill Before Baking. ...
Bake Until Golden. ...
Add Finishing Touches.

Show Me More ›

What are common mistakes when making shortbread? ›

The most common mistakes when making shortbread are over-working the dough, and incorporating too much flour. The less you work the dough, the more crumbly and melt-in-your-mouth your shortbread cookies will be.

View Details ›

What country makes the best shortbread? ›

Scotland has gifted the world with many treasures, including the Loch Ness Monster, stuffed sheep stomach, and the voice of Sheena Easton. Scotland has also given the world shortbread. For something traditionally made with just three ingredients (butter, flour, and sugar), shortbread shouldn't be hard to screw up.

Explore More ›

When making shortbread What must you not do? ›

Avoid making your shortbread too thick

This is much thicker than a roll-and-slice sugar cookie — or really any other popular type of cookie. If you keep your dough any thicker, you risk the dough coming out of the oven raw. If it's any thinner, the cookie will have a crispy texture with the snap of a graham cracker.

Keep Reading ›

Why do you put shortbread in the fridge before baking? ›

Why do you put shortbread in the fridge before baking? Chilling the dough before baking will help the shortbread keep their shape while cooking.

Get More Info ›

Why poke holes in shortbread? ›

The word "bread" comes from "biscuit bread" which was made from leftover bread dough that was sweetened and dried out in the oven to make biscuits. Why do you poke holes in shortbread? The holes allow the moisture to escape during baking and more even heat distribution. This helps dry out and crisp up the cookies.

Find Out More ›

Should you chill shortbread before baking? ›

After shaping the cookies, don't rush to the oven! Instead, chill the dough in the refrigerator for 30 minutes or so (overnight is OK, too). A short stay in the fridge will firm up the cookies and solidify the butter. This will help keep them from spreading too much.

See Details ›

What is the formula for shortbread? ›

This recipe for shortbread cookies follows a classic 3:2:1 shortbread recipe model: 3 parts flour, 2 parts butter, 1 part sugar, by weight. This is a classic ratio, and makes the recipe super easy to scale, especially as this is an egg-free cookie recipe.

Is powdered sugar or granulated sugar better for shortbread? ›

Confectioner's sugar.

This is the secret to the tender texture and perfect sweetness of these cookies.

Read On ›

Does the queen eat shortbread? ›

And while we don't know what type of biscuits she preferred, we quite like to imagine that she adored shortbread for its buttery richness and simplicity. Regarding tea cakes, her former chef once said, “chocolate biscuit cake is Her Royal Majesty the Queen's favorite afternoon tea cake by far.”

Tell Me More ›

How to tell when shortbread is done? ›

Since you will be cooking your shortbread in the lower third of the oven, you will get some top browning as the cookie bakes. The surface of the shortbread should be a toasty light brown when it is cooked. It should never appear raw or slightly opaque in the middle.

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What defines a shortbread cookie? ›

In simple terms, shortbread is a type of cookie classified by its high butter content. It is named shortbread due to its short, or crumbly, structure—which is caused by the high proportion of fat. The traditional recipe, developed in Scotland, consists of one part sugar, two parts butter, and three parts flour.

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When making shortbread, what must you not do? ›

Find Out More ›

What is the difference between Scottish shortbread and shortbread cookies? ›

So if you hear the term "Scottish shortbread," you might think it's a different version of the shortbread you're familiar with, right? Well ... actually, no. "Shortbread" is just Scottish shortbread; they're one and the same.

Tell Me More ›

What is the difference between shortbread and shortcake cookies? ›

Shortbread is similar to shortcake but doesn't include baking powder. Lots of rich butter gives shortbread a high fat content, resulting in a fine, crumbly texture. Shortcake and shortbread biscuits are delicious on their own, with fruit and cream, or simply topped with a delicate dusting of sugar.

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