CHEESECAKE FILLING

1. Add cream cheese and granulated sugar to a small bowl. Use a hand mixer on medium high for 2 minutes until smooth.

2. Add lime zest and mix until combined.

3. Spoon a dozen dollops onto a small wax paper lined plate.

4. Place in freezer to firm up.

 COOKIE

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Add macadamia nuts to a small baking sheet. Toast for 5-7 minutes until light brown and fragrant. Set aside to cool. Add graham crackers and macadamia nuts to a food processor and pulse until mixture becomes fine crumbs. 
2. Add flour, salt, baking soda, and baking powder to a bowl. Whisk together and set aside.
3. Add brown sugar and granulated sugar to a bowl. Add lime zest and mix with your fingers to release the oils from the zest. Add softened butter and mix on medium high until light and fluffy. About one minute. Add egg, egg yolk, vanilla extract, and key lime juice. Mix until combined. Scrape the bowl down as needed.
4. Add dry ingredients plus 1/4 cup graham cracker mixture to wet ingredients. Mix until just combined. Scoop out 12 cookies using a #20 (3 tablespoon) cookie scoop. Refrigerate cookie dough for 30 minutes. This will make it easier to add the cheesecake filling to the center of the cookie. 
5. Remove cheesecake dollops from freezer and cookie dough from refrigerator. Press your thumb into the cookie dough to make a small indentation. Add cheesecake filling. Gently fold the sides back over to seal in the filling. Roll cookie dough in the graham cracker mixture and place on a lined baking sheet. Refrigerate cookie dough for 1 hour.
6. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bake for 13-14 minutes. Allow to cool for 15-20 minutes. To serve, top with extra graham cracker mixture and lime zest.

NOTES

Rubbing the lime zest with the sugars will help enhance the citrus flavor. Don’t skip this step!

Want a picture-perfect cookie? Once the cookies come out of the oven gently scoot them into a circle using a cookie or biscuit cutter.