Lemon Crinkle Cookies
These Lemon Crinkle Cookies are flavored with real lemon zest and juice. They’re sweet, tangy, and down right delicious!
Crinkle Cookies
Why is it called a crinkle? Crinkle cookies are cookies that crack (intentionally) while baking. The contrast between the outer powdered sugar coating and the inner cookie is a beauty to behold.
You’ve probably had chocolate crinkle cookies before, but I love crinkles so much that I’ve created several variations. Pumpkin crinkle cookies, key lime crinkle cookies with coconut, and apple butter cookies that are actually coated in cinnamon-sugar instead of powdered sugar, but still have those same beautiful cracks.
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It was time to add another version to my list. This time — Lemon Crinkle Cookies!
For the Lemon Lovers
Lemon desserts are my favorite! And these lemon crinkle cookies have real zest and juice in them to boost that lemon flavor. Perfect for the lemon lovers.
In fact, it tastes almost identical to classic lemon bars, but in cookie form. Delicious!
How to Make Lemon Crinkle Cookies
It’s pretty simple to make these cookies, AND you don’t have to chill the dough!
NOTE: The full ingredients and instructions are in the recipe card at the end of the post.
- Whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl. Set aside.
- Using a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, cream the butter, sugar, and lemon zest until light and fluffy.
- Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition.
- Add the lemon juice and a drop or two of yellow food coloring (optional). Mix to combine.
- On low speed, gradually add the flour mixture and mix until just combined.
- The dough will be thick and slightly sticky.
NOTE: If the dough seems especially wet and sticky, your butter may have been too soft. Simply chill the dough until it’s firm enough to scoop.
Scooping and Coating
- Place the granulated sugar and powdered sugar for coating the dough in two separate small bowls.
- Use a medium cookie scoop (#40 scoop; about 1.5 Tablespoons) to spoon the cookie dough into a ball. (A trigger scoop is recommended due to the stickiness of the dough.)
- Drop the dough into the granulated sugar. Roll it around and shake off any excess. (This helps make the dough more manageable.)
- Next, generously coat the dough with powdered sugar.
Baking and Storing
- Place the cookies several inches apart on a parchment or silicone lined baking sheet.
- Bake at 350˚F for 9-11 minutes, until cookies are puffy and the edges are firm to the touch. The center of the cracks will be almost matte (just slightly wet/shiny still).
- Cool for several minutes on the pan, then transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week.
Tips for Success
- Use room temperature butter. This is actually cooler than some people think. When you touch room temperature butter, it will make a small indent, but will still be semi-firm and won’t make your fingers greasy. If you can easily indent the butter with your finger, and it sticks like lotion, then it’s too soft. Butter that is too soft will make the cookies spread too much. If you think your butter was too soft, you can remedy this by placing the cookie dough in the fridge to chill, until firm enough to scoop.
- Coat the dough twice. Since becoming a crinkle cookie aficionado, I have learned that if you coat the dough with granulated sugar first, and then powdered sugar, the sugar doesn’t dissolve into the cookie during storage. It also creates just a slight crispness while keeping the interior soft and chewy.
- For thicker cookies: While this recipe can be baked immediately, but if you desire thicker cookies, then you must chill the dough. This helps slow the spread of the dough during baking.
How to Freeze Lemon Crinkle Cookies
You can freeze lemon crinkle cookies before or after baking.
- Freeze scooped cookie dough balls, un-coated, on a baking sheet. Then transfer frozen dough to a freezer safe bag. Freeze up to 3 months. Coat dough balls with both sugars and add a few extra minutes of bake time, if baking from frozen. You may thaw dough balls in the fridge overnight, if desired.
- Freeze baked cookies, after they have cooled completely, in an airtight container with parchment paper between the layers for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator or on the counter.
If You Make This Recipe, Please Rate and Review it in the Comments Below. THANKS!
Lemon Crinkle Cookies
Ingredients
- 2⅓ cups (280 g) all-purpose flour, stir, spoon & level
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ cup (113 g) unsalted butter, (1 stick) room temperature
- 1¼ cups (250 g) granulated sugar
- 1 Tbsp lemon zest, about 2 lemons
- 2 large eggs
- ¼ cup (59 ml) lemon juice, about 2 lemons
- yellow food coloring, optional
Coating:
- ¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar
- ½ cup (60 g) powdered sugar
Equipment
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350℉. Line baking sheets with silicone mats or parchment paper. Set aside.
- Whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl. Set aside.
- Using a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, cream the butter, sugar, and lemon zest until light and fluffy.
- Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Add the lemon juice and a drop or two of yellow food coloring (optional). Mix to combine.
- On low speed, gradually add the flour mixture and mix until just combined. The dough will be thick and slightly sticky. NOTE: If the dough seems especially wet and sticky, your butter may have been too soft. Simply chill the dough until it’s firm enough to scoop.
- Place the granulated sugar and powdered sugar for coating the dough in two separate small bowls. Use a medium cookie scoop (#40 scoop; about 1.5 Tablespoons) to spoon the cookie dough into a ball. (A trigger scoop is recommended due to the stickiness of the dough.)
- Drop the dough into the granulated sugar. Roll it around and shake off any excess. (This helps make the dough more manageable.) Next, generously coat the dough with powdered sugar. Place the cookies several inches apart on the prepared baking sheets.
- Bake at 350℉ for 9-11 minutes, until cookies are puffy and the edges are firm to the touch. The center of the cracks will be almost matte (just slightly wet/shiny still). Cool for several minutes on the pan, then transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool completely. Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week.
Notes
- Freeze scooped cookie dough balls, un-coated, on a baking sheet. Then transfer frozen dough to a freezer safe bag. Freeze up to 3 months. Coat dough balls with both sugars and add a few extra minutes of bake time, if baking from frozen. You may thaw dough balls in the fridge overnight, if desired.
- Freeze baked cookies, after they have cooled completely, in an airtight container with parchment paper between the layers for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator or on the counter.
Nutrition
Did you make this?
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I have mine chilling in the refrigerator now.
Just wanted to know is there any difference in lemon zester?Mine was really fine and hard to get off of the zest tool.Any secret on how to do a better job?
I usually tap the zester first to shake off as much zest as I can, then I use a small spatula or my finger on the backside of the zester to carefully brush the rest off.
Absolutely delicious! Family loved them and they will be featured at an upcoming graduation party.
Yay! I’m so glad that you enjoyed this recipe Laura! Thanks for your comment!
I just made a double batch and they spread like crazy. They are now flat lemon cookies. They smell great.
With the double batch, I think I used too much butter. I should probably cut back to 1.5 sticks of butter. I did chill the batter but that didn’t matter. What do you think?
You may have creamed the butter and sugars too long. They are somewhat thin cookies. You can always use a spatula or round cookie cutter to push the edges inward while the cookies are still warm to help them look thicker.
I made these cookies Friday for a 40th Birthday Bash and they were the big hit!
So light and lemony! I had to send the recipe to 10 people! Making them again for my Family!
Don’t pass this recipe up, it;s a keeper! Delish!
I’m so glad you and your friends enjoyed these cookies Ginny! Thanks for taking the tine to share your experience with the recipe.