Key West Cookie Lady Magic

Hundreds of people peddle sweets in the Florida Keys, but few rise to the iconic status of Marilyn Kellner, better known to the world as “The Cookie Lady.”  My first Cookie Lady encounter occurred in 1996 during a visit to Fort East Martello Museum. There was an exhibit featuring Key West characters that included a stuffed likeness of Marilyn. It portrayed her selling desserts from a bicycle and sharing space with a tribute to The Iguana Man.  The exhibit’s sign informed me she “pedaled” sweet treats at Mallory Square. Despite her name, The Cookie Lady wasn’t in the cookie business. She specialized in Key lime tarts and brownies that were so decadent the Miami Herald described them as “addictively delicious,” “barely legal,” and “served with a rhyme.” My mouth started to water, and my ears were hungry for her rhymes. I left the museum and headed to Mallory Square on a mission to taste The Cookie Lady’s Key lime pie, but my plans came to a screeching halt when I was told The Cookie Lady didn’t live in Key West anymore.

Marilyn was born in Cleveland, Ohio. She grew up helping her mom bake, and together, they made everything from scratch. They loved baking for friends, and Marilyn’s mom included notes with poems when they delivered treats for birthdays, anniversaries, and other special occasions.  Marilyn had a knack for helping with rhymes, and her first poem was published before she graduated from first grade. As Marilyn grew up, she kept her passion for baking and poetry close to her heart.

A sailboat brought Marilyn to Key West in 1980. She hit the ground running and began whipping up desserts to sell to tourists at sunset. Mallory Square was unregulated and had just a few vendors, so Marilyn quickly became a fixture. Her name grew with her fame, and people started seeking her out for peanut butter chocolate chip brownies, mint chocolate chip brownies, turtle bars, fudge, Key lime tarts, rhymes, and good times.

Marilyn outgrew her home kitchen as more and more people sought out The Cookie Lady. She approached local restaurants to utilize their space, and through the years, she prepared her baked goods everywhere, from the bagel shop on the boulevard to the kitchen at Blue Heaven before it was Blue Heaven. Marilyn became a media darling. She frequently appeared in newspapers, had a cameo in Carl Hiaasen’s Trap Line, and was hired to portray herself alongside Billy Crystal in Running Scared.  Her legend spread around the world, but it was on the docks of Mallory Square that The Cookie Lady truly shined.

Marilyn left Key West in 1995 to recalibrate. She returned in the early 2000s, but the void she left at Mallory Square remained as Marilyn dedicated her time and energy to other artistic outlets. I stalked her on Facebook to see if The Cookie Lady would come out of retirement to bake a Key lime pie. I was delighted by her response.

Marilyn still lives in Key West. She invited me to her house, where her kitchen was decorated with the famous signs that used to adorn her bicycle and advertise her baked goods. She shared dozens of amazing stories, and as we baked, I observed her well-practiced techniques. Marilyn mixes fresh granola and honey into her Graham cracker crust. She uses three egg yolks plus one whole egg to create a lighter custard. For safety and texture, Marilyn likes to bake her pies for a good 15-20 minutes. Her signature topping is a lightly sweetened coconut whipped cream. Her mother taught her to clean as she went. It’s a process that brings back fond memories for Marilyn every time she does.

Key lime pies are fundamentally the same, but slight differences in preparation, technique, and enhancements of the base ingredients leave a maker’s mark from each baker that makes the pie uniquely their own. Equally important to these nuances is the personality behind the pie and the setting where it is consumed or devoured. Marilyn hit a home run every step of the way.  She served our slices in the dining room. I saw a gleam in her eye that I sensed she inherited from her mother. As I took my first bite, the flavors rolled across my tongue like waves. Creamy coconut awakened my taste buds with tropical flavor. The familiar tartness that gives the pie its name then strolled to center stage with a well-choreographed dance that didn’t disappoint.  I was surprised with the granola as it mellowed things out and brushed my palate with perfect sweetness and texture. It left me feeling like a taste roller coaster ride had just come to an end, and I wanted to jump back in line for more.

It occurred to me that I had been waiting for this taste of Key lime pie for almost 24 years. I soaked in the experience and thought, “It can’t get any better than this.” Then The Cookie Lady sang me a rhyme, and it did.

 Love & Limes

The Cookie Lady’s secret recipes are revealed in her cookbook Rhymes & Recipes by The Cookie Lady of Key West. Autographed copies are available at Key West Island Bookstore.

The Cookie Lady’s Key Lime Pie

Crust

4 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons honey

1 cup granola

1 cup Graham cracker crumbs

 Filling

3 egg yolks

1 egg

1 14 oz. can condensed milk

3 oz. Key lime juice

Topping

1 pint heavy whipping cream

1 tablespoon coconut extract

Sugar to taste

Steps

Melt butter. Add honey and stir well. Add granola and Graham cracker crumbs and stir well. Pour into lined cupcake pans or a 9-inch pie pan. Chill until firm.

Preheat the oven to 350˚. Beat the egg yolks well. Add the whole egg and beat well again. Add the condensed milk and mix well. Add the Key lime juice and mix again. Pour the mixture into the chilled crust and bake for 15-20 minutes, or until the filling is firm. Freeze.

When ready to eat, whip cream, sugar, and coconut extract together and garnish.