Tequila and Lime Sugar Cookies

These fun Tequila and Lime Sugar Cookies have all the yummy flavours of a margarita baked into a sweet little treat!

If you like margaritas, then these cookies are the sweet treat you didn’t know you need! They have all the flavours of a classic margarita- a little zesty lime and a hint of tequila.

This fun twist on a classic sugar cookie is not only easy to make but they’re so fun to eat too!

Don’t worry, these cookies aren’t very strong. Instead, the cookies have just a hint of tequila and lime flavour so it is not overpowering. It is a dessert, after all!

These cookies are perfect for Cinco de Mayo celebrations, summer get-togethers and Mexican- themed party menus.

A pile of tequila and lime sugar cookies on a parchment lined cooling rack drizzled with royal icing and lime zest.

Ingredients in tequila lime sugar cookies

For the sugar cookies, you will need:

  • Flour
  • Butter (softened)
  • Sugar
  • Egg
  • Tequila (just 1 teaspoon)
  • Lime zest
  • Salt

How to make Tequila and Lime Sugar Cookies

1. In your stand mixer, cream together butter and sugar until it is nice and fluffy.

2. Add the tequila, egg, salt and zest and mix to combine.

3. With your mixer on the lowest setting, slowly begin to add the flour until it is well blended.

Steps to Make Tequila & Lime Sugar Cookie Dough

4. Turn out the dough onto a clean work surface and form into a ball. Divide into 2 equal pieces and then form each piece into a disk.

5. Working with one disk at a time, place in between two pieces of parchment paper and using a rolling pin, roll out until it is 1/4 inch thick.

6. Place the rolled out disks into the refrigerator for 20 minutes (the dough will be easier cut using cookie cutters if it is cold).

7. Remove dough from fridge and form into shapes using your cookie cutter.

Steps to Roll Out and Form Tequila & Lime Sugar Cookies

8. Place cookies on a parchment lined baking sheet. Bake in an oven preheated at 325F for 10-15 minutes. Keep your eye on them to ensure they do not overcook. As soon as they begin to look “dry” on top and you see the edges turning slightly golden, remove them. Place cookies on a cooling rack and let cool completely before icing them.

A parchment lined tray of baked round sugar cookies.

How to make tequila-lime icing

  • Meringue powder
  • Tequila
  • Lime juice
  • Water
  • Icing sugar
  • Lime zest for garnish, optional

The tequila and lime flavour in the cookies is subtle but if you would like more of a punch, you can replace the water in the icing with more lime juice of tequila, depending on your preference.

  1. In the bowl of your stand mixer, add meringue powder, tequila, lime juice and water and whisk by hand for 3 minutes until it is frothy.
  2. Attach to your stand mixer base with the whisk attachment, whisk on medium speed, slowly adding the icing sugar. Continue to whisk for about 5 minutes until the royal icing can hold a stiff peak. Apply icing onto cookies.
Steps to Make Royal Icing
Freshly iced sugar cookies topped with royal icing in a zigzag pattern on a black cooling rack.

Tips, tricks and substitutions for making the best tequila and lime cookies

I love the flavour in this recipe for lime cookies as is. The flavours are subtle and not overpowering at all, and that tends to be a crowd-pleaser. That said, there are definitely some variations you can take to suit these to your own tastes. With this recipe for lime cookies, you can:

  • Omit the tequila. If you are serving these up at a party that will include kiddos or a crowd that does not partake in alcohol, omitting the tequila in this recipe is an easy way to please everyone. You can replace the tequila in the recipe with just water or, if you want to increase the lime flavour, use more lime juice instead.

  • Increase the lime flavour: I added lime zest on top of my cookies to add a little more lime flavour. To do this, sprinkle on the zest while the icing is still wet so it sticks. Another option is to replace the water in the icing recipe with more lime juice!
A stack of lime sugar cookies on a rectangular cooling rack surrounded by fresh limes.

How many cookies does this recipe make?

Using this recipe, I made about 16 cookies but that will depend on the size of the cookie cutter you use. I used a 2 inch cookie cutter and rolled out my cookie dough to a 1/4 inch thickness.

This recipe can easily be doubled. I would recommend making it in 2 separate batches though as I find the stand mixer may not be able to handle all that dough when the flour is added in.

Two lime sugar cookies on a white plate with a lime slice.

Can you make these cookies in advance?

These cookies can be made in advance, making party-planning that much easier! You can bake the cookies, ice them and then store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature. This will keep them fresh for several days.

Another option is to prepare the cookies and then freeze them (without the icing). Then all you have to do is thaw them, ice them and you are ready to go!

You can also freeze unbaked dough. Form the dough into 2 balls and then flatten them out into disks. Wrap the dough up tightly with food wrap and place it in a freezer safe bag. Then when you are ready to use it, you can just thaw the dough and prepare it as stated in the recipe.

I hope you enjoy this recipe!

-Cathy

Close up of a pile of lime sugar cookies on a parchment lined cooling rack.

Looking for more tequila recipes? Check out my favourite margarita recipes:

Cucumber Margarita
Pomegranate Margarita
Grapefruit Margarita

If you are hosting a Cinco de Mayo party, be sure to check out these recipes:

Queso Blanco Dip
Taco Stuffed Mini Peppers
Baked Chicken Taquitos
Beef Empanadas
Chili Lime Shrimp Tacos with Mexican Street Corn Salsa
Churros

This post was updated on May 1, 2022 with new photos and information.

A pile of tequila and lime sugar cookies on a parchment lined cooling rack drizzled with royal icing and lime zest.

Tequila and Lime Sugar Cookies

Catherine
These tequila and lime cookies offer a nice, mild flavour of tequila and, you guessed it, lime.
5 from 4 votes
Prep Time 45 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Course Dessert
Cuisine Mexican
Servings 15 servings
Calories 175 kcal

Ingredients
  

Sugar Cookies

  • 1 1/2 cups flour
  • 1/2 cup butter softened
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 1 teaspoon tequila
  • zest of 1 lime
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt

Tequila Lime Icing

  • 1 tablespoons meringue powder
  • 1 tablespoon tequila
  • 1 tablespoon lime juice
  • 1 tablespoon water
  • 1 1/3 cups icing sugar (powdered sugar)
  • lime zest for garnish, optional

Instructions
 

Sugar Cookies

  • In your stand mixer, cream together butter and sugar until it is nice and fluffy.
  • Add the tequila, egg, salt and zest and mix to combine.
  • With your mixer on the lowest setting, slowly begin to add the flour until it is well blended.
  • Turn out the dough onto a clean work surface and form into a ball. Divide the ball into 2 equal pieces and then form each piece into a disk.
  • Working with one disk at a time, place in between two pieces of parchment paper and using a rolling pin, roll out until it is 1/4 inch thick.
  • Place the rolled out disks into the refrigerator for 20 minutes (the dough will be easier cut using cookie cutters if it is cold).
  • Preheat oven to 325F.
  • Remove dough from fridge and form into shapes using your cookie cutter. Place on a parchment lined baking sheet. Bake for 10-15 minutes. Keep your eye on them to ensure they do not overcook. As soon as they begin to look “dry” on top and you see the edges turning slightly golden, remove them.
  • Place cookies on a cooling rack and let cool completely before icing them.

Tequila Lime Icing

  • In the bowl of your stand mixer, add meringue powder, tequila, lime juice and water and whisk by hand for 3 minutes until it is frothy.
  • Attach to your stand mixer base with the whisk attachment, whisk on medium speed, slowly adding the icing sugar. Continue to whisk for about 5 minutes until the royal icing can hold a stiff peak. Apply icing onto cookies. Optional: add lime zest on top of the icing before it dries to help it stick]

Notes

  • Note: If icing seems thick, thin it out with water.
  • Note: Metric ingredient measurements are provided as a courtesy using a third-party calculator and are rounded to the nearest unit. The recipes provided on this site have not been tested with metric measurements and their accuracy cannot be verified.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 175kcalCarbohydrates: 27gProtein: 2gFat: 7gSaturated Fat: 4gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 27mgSodium: 98mgPotassium: 21mgFiber: 1gSugar: 17gVitamin A: 205IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 6mgIron: 1mg

    The nutritional information provided is based on third-party calculations and is an estimate only. Accurate nutritional facts will vary based on the particular brands used, portion sizes, measurement accuracy and more.

    Keyword cinco de mayo, cookies, lime, sugar cookies, tequila
    Tried this recipe?Leave a star rating and comment below to let us know how it was!

    One Comment

    1. Chrissie

      I made these (sort of). Actually tripled the recipe, added extra tequila in place of water, ultimately 1 1/4 cp. Used zest and juice of to fresh limes. To mimic orange liquor used zest of an orange. To grab a little extra citrus tang, used zest and juice of a lemon. Put zests in a small bowl and blend well. Use 2/3 of the zest in the cookie and remaining in the icing.
      Icing adjustments: (Pump up lime taste with up to 1 tbls concentrated lime juice). Use up to 1/2 cp. tequila in icing, but add up to a half cup added powdered sugar to match/balance consistency of extra liquids. Icing may take up to 36 hours to dry out and get hard. Fantastic final product. Almost like shortbread consistency.

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