It’s back to school time. Most students are in the full swing of things now, learning the do’s and don’ts of the classroom and the most important questions like when’s lunch, recess, and which one is the bathroom pass? But I am here today to focus on that of higher education.
I learned two very important things in college (other than dorm room walls are very thin). One was my social security number. It was given out to anyone and everyone that asks. Like a drone it would spew from my mouth automatically anytime anyone seemed to ask me anything.
And the second was how to play Super Mario Brothers. The original. Now this is actually unusual, as I don’t really like video games all that much. I like my Wii but I usually do more Wii Fit stuff than anything on it, or bowling. I mostly don’t like games because I suck at them. Mario wasn’t really any different but it became highly addicting. Sadly (and I am so dating myself with this) we played the version back in the day that could not be saved. So if you were to run out and save the princess, you had to run through the whole stinking game.
I didn’t actually own the game. My neighbors down the hall did. We would almost do a tag team effort planning our days to play the game around our classes. If we really got going good and made it to a level we hadn’t been to, sometimes those classes got missed. Don’t worry mom and dad, in case you didn’t notice, I did graduated from college, so it all worked out in the end. 😀 Plus in my defense, this was senior year, and who is really doing any work then anyway?
Hours and hours spent trying to rack up as many coins as possible. Lucky for me I was an RA (resident assistant) so I got to live alone, or else I am sure I probably would have driven a roommate insane mumbling coins to myself all the time.
It was a Tuesday. Around 3 am when we finally rescued that princess. We got a hug and a thank you. Bitch please. Mario (and the three people playing the role of Mario) just spent about 7 hours straight getting to this point. A hug and a thank you aren’t going to cut it! Just saying. And just like that, we never played it again. Months and months of buildup, and then let down. There’s a lot of ways I can go with that but I’ll just keep quiet for once. 🙂
So to honor back to school time I decided to make some coins of my own. Super simple, a little tart (they are key lime after all), and buttery all at the same time. You can make them whatever size you wish but I really liked the coin size. It brought back fun memories for me. Plus small equals less guilt. I’ll be sure to give some of these to Mario as he sure wasn’t get anything good from that less than grateful princess.
Key Lime Glazed Cookie Coins
¾ cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
Zest of two key limes
2 egg yolks
¼ tsp. vanilla extract
1 TBSP key lime juice
Pinch of salt
2 cups all-purpose flour
In a medium bowl combine the sugar and the lime zest. Rub the zest into the sugar to release the oils into the sugar. Run through a sifter so that the zest stays behind (if a little gets in that is fine).
Using a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, on medium-high speed, cream together the butter and lime scented sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
Add yolks one at a time, scraping down the mixer after each addition.
Add vanilla and key lime extract and beat for another 30 seconds on medium-high speed.
Add salt and flour and mix on low speed until ingredients are fully incorporated.
Divide dough into four logs. Rolling so that they are the size of a quarter if you were to slice them. Wrap them in plastic or wax paper and place into fridge for 1 hour. You can go as long as overnight if you have stuff to do.
Preheat oven to 350F.
Remove cookies from fridge. Slice cookies to about ½ inch thick. Place on a parchment lined (or you can use baking spray) cookie sheet and space about an inch apart. They don’t really spread out all that much.
Bake for 14-16 minutes depending on the size of your cookies. They aren’t going to be a super soft cookie. More of a shortbread bite if you will.
Let them cool, then cover with glaze.
Key Lime Glaze
2 cups powdered sugar
¼-1/3 cup key lime juice (maybe even more)
Whisk the sugar and juice together until it’s a thick but pourable glaze. Pour over cookies. Let glaze set up and eat.
Victoria says
These look super yummy!! I’m going to have to try them. I love anything key lime. 🙂 Thanks for the recipe!
Kita says
Loved (and still do) me some Mario on the original Nintendo. Haven’t gotten the chance to try it on the Wii yet, but probably wont love it the way I love the original.
Allison says
Aren’t all video game endings sad? Like you said, you spend so much time trying to beat the damn thing, nothing will ever make up for all those lost hours. Not that I’ve beaten many video games, or even one for that matter. But still…just sayin’.
sarah says
ahhh…love those games! i remember putting our nintendo & sega games on pause so we could reun and eat dinner real fast and then rushing back to play all night! and i was obsessed with collecting coins too! thanks for the recipe & memories!
Rosa says
Those cookies are so cute and look delicious!
Cheers,
Rosa
Joanne says
My game of choice in college was Guitar Hero. That got played until, whenever I looked away, the room started to spin and I saw moving colors wherever I looked. Not good. Fun. But not good.
I miss playing super mario. That would make med school infinitely better. I should bring that back.
In the meantime I’ll just gaze longingly at this coins. If that’s okay.
heather says
it’s about time i make a roll-and-slice cookie. these have all the flavors we love here in florida (especially my fiancée), made even better with a glaze!
cheers,
*heather*
wendyywy says
I loved Castlevania, and never do too well for Mario simply because Mario needs more agility and something that I lack, mentally and physically. hahaha!! I can never play games that move too fast, can never react promptly w/o hitting the person next to me.
Sara says
Wait, there’s a version that allows you to save your progress? But, I do have fond memories of making my parents listen to that stupid music while we ate dinner, because I didn’t want to lose my progress in the game. (Of course I never bothered to turn down the volume!)
Maybe that’s why I preferred Legend of Zelda – you could at least save some progress…. How sad is it that I still miss that game?
Felice says
Pacman was big for my group of friends but I really sucked at it. I still suck now when playing my daughters’ Nintendo DS. No matter how many times she tells me when to jump, I fall off the log. Sigh. Thank god I was good at sports at school or my life would have been in ruins 🙂
These cookies look really good and I love the taste of lime. I laughed when I realized they were coin-sized. It is hard to tell their true size in the first photo and I thought they were hockey-puck sized.
Hannah says
Simple and sweet little cookies… That glaze is what really sets them off. Those wonderful photos are making me hungry!
Erika says
I hate video games….probably b/c I was never good at them!
I love the looks of these cookies, though. I think I’ll try lemon instead of lime.
Lisa Seatter says
Glad you learned at least 2 things in college! I just put my 5 year old on the bus for her second day of kindergarten, it’s caused me to travel down memory lane as well. Key lime coins sound really great, maybe an after school snack! Yum! Have a spiffy day!
Patricia Scarpin says
My brother and I would spend hours playing Super Mario Bros. to the point my father would have to drag us to the kitchen to eat something. 😀
These little cookies are adorable, Pea! And lime… Yum!
Amalia says
Are you kidding me?! My favorite game ever is the first and original Super Mario Bros! It really isnt my generation of games, but it was the one my cousin passed to me and I’ve tried others but is got nothing on the original one! I NEED to make these cookeies right now just because the idea of them being conins KILLED me. I’m always amazed by your creativity, thank you so much! (:
Eliana says
I royally suck at video games so never did too well on Super Mario Brothers. I would do much better with these coins though. And probably couldn’t be trusted around them.
Jessica says
I’m not a video game person either, but loved playing Mario! It’s funny…your key lime ice cream tarts are on my list of things to make, and now these are too.
Andrea says
I used to play Super Mario Land on my Gameboy (the big, grey kind) and I have to admit… I never beat the game. So I’m impressed with you. Well done.
Amanda says
Haha! Funny story about Mario. I’m like you, never really was into video games, but will sheepishly admit that I was addicted to Toontown several years ago! LOL These coin cookies look fabulous 🙂
Megan says
Yummy!
Oh, and my husband called one of those video game exchanges places last night because he wanted a replacement gun for Duck Hunt.
The staff person snickered and said “We don’t carry any of that old stuff here.”
I’m torn between laughter and shock that it’s now considered so old that it’s not carried in stores!
Sues says
Haha so true! I don’t think I knew my SSN until college and then I gave it out to anyone and everyone who asked!
Mmmm I’d likely put that key lime glaze on everything! If you make me some, I’ll give you my SSN! 🙂
annie says
I also was never into video games, but I always liked a great cookie, and these look so tasty. That icing on top of the buttery cookie must be awesome.
Lynn says
I could never master Mario. I was Queen of Zelda, though. Rescuing the princess was very gratifying there, flashing lights, trio-force trophy, plus then you get a whole new bonus level of the game to play.
I love the coin cookies. Perfect for gamers’ night!
LimeCake says
we don’t get key limes here in australia, so i’m guessing regular limes will do? these look too delicious to pass up!
rachel says
HA I just literally laughed out loud! My brother and I were OBSESSED with the original Mario brothers. I’ve always felt like the newer versions that let you save are cheating. The coin cookies look delicious!
Elle says
Poor Mario…all that effort and she acts like a Princess.
Your “coins” are a whole lot better than the ones in the game.
Jude McIntyre says
These look gorgeous. We don’t get key limes here in Aus could I substitute with ordinary limes?
Jude
Nutmeg Nanny says
At least you actually rescued the Princess. I have yet to be able to beat that damn game…haha. These coins are perfect and I bet Mario would take you over that ungrateful Princess any day 🙂
Natasha P. says
This post made me laugh! I also am not a video game gal, but I loved and still love the original Super Mario Brothers. I still have a console and that one game and occasionally I will get it out and play and just like old times get addicted all over again. I, however, have still not managed to save the princess at the very end. It’s sad, I know!
Scott at Real Epicurean says
Will you please stop it; I’m supposed to be trying to lose weight!
tigerbutter says
Didn’t it just destroy you when you got superfar, farther than you had ever been before, and then died on some stupid gumba that came round the bend?
I always did that. Nerves.
Your coins look delicious, and pretty simple — I might try to break in the bf’s new apartment kitchen with this recipe. (He has sugar, wheat thins, and gin in his cabinet right now; looks like I have to go shopping.) Or I could just try to make a cookie with sugar, wheat thins, and gin. 😀 Thanks for the lovely recipe and pictures!
Kiwi says
As soon as I got about halfway or so down your post I realized I love your stuff so much because we have so much in common! We bake, we play (or in my case played, but still love) hockey, attempted video games, and we were both RAs! It all made me so happy, like all your posts do, and I had to share. I shall have to make coin cookies at my next gaming session.
Lori @ RecipeGirl says
These are pretty cute. But when are you going to make that Mexican/Asian Key Lime Tres Leches Cake?
Peabody says
I’m working on it!