These Lemon Crinkle Cookies have perfectly cracked tops, a tender butter soft texture, fragrant vanilla and fresh lemon flavor throughout!
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Citrus desserts hold a very special place in my heart. There’s just something about the fresh, bright flavors of citrus fruit that make my taste buds dance! Grapefruit, orange, tangerine, I love ‘em all. My absolute favorite though? Lemons of course!
From its dazzling yellow skin to its tart juice, lemons are grocery store gold. I’ve made countless lemon recipes over the years but today’s can stand up to the best of ‘em!
Homemade Lemon Crinkle Cookies are soft, chewy, buttery, cheerful, and chock-full of fresh citrus flavor. Let me give you some advice: walk, don’t run, to the kitchen and make this recipe!
Perks and Highlights of Lemon Crinkle Cookies
Have you ever made crinkle cookies? I hadn’t until just a few years ago! Crinkle cookies are basically regular ‘ole cookies rolled in powdered sugar. As the dough bakes, it flattens out and the surface cracks, revealing the cookie underneath and leaving patches of white sugar over the tops.
Cuisine Inspiration: American with a Citrus Twist
Primary Cooking Method: Baking
Dietary Info: Vegetarian, Contains Gluten and Dairy
Key Flavor: Zesty Lemon
Skill Level: Easy Peasy Lemon Squeezy!
Special Perks:
- Sunshine in a Bite: These cookies bring the bright, sunny flavor of fresh lemons to your palate, making even the cloudiest day feel bright.
- Crinkle-tastic Texture: Not only are these cookies a flavor bomb, but they also have that perfect crinkly top and chewy center everyone adores.
- Crowd Pleaser: Lemon is universally loved! These treats are perfect for gatherings, gifting, or a citrusy snack for yourself.
- Easy to Make, Easier to Devour: No complicated techniques here! If you can mix, you can master these delightful goodies.
- Aesthetic Appeal: With their powdered sugar coating and crinkly texture, these cookies are as Instagrammable as they are delectable. They don’t just taste good; they look good too!
How to Make a Crinkle Cookie
The batter for these Lemon Crinkle cookies is uncomplicated and easy to pull together! This recipe only requires pantry staple items and a few basic kitchen tools.
Here’s what you’ll need:
Ingredients
- All Purpose Flour: The base of all things delicious, this is your canvas for the cookie masterpiece. It’s all about structure, folks!
- Kosher Salt: A touch of this, and bam! It’s like a flavor amplifier, making all the other ingredients pop. Sweet loves a hint of salty.
- Baking Soda: This is the behind-the-scenes star that makes sure your cookies have that perfect rise and crinkleness. It’s the puff-daddy of your dough!
- Granulated Sugar: The sweet talker of the bunch. It not only sweetens the deal but also helps get that crisp exterior. Cookie charisma, 100%.
- Unsalted Butter: Oh, baby, this is where the magic happens. Creaminess, richness, and that melt-in-your-mouth joy comes from this right here.
- Vanilla Extract: A whisper of exotic. It’s subtle, but oh-so-crucial for rounding out those flavors. Think of it as the cookie’s secret weapon!
- Eggs: The glue that discreetly keeps the party together. It’s all about that bind and subtle richness.
- Lemon Juice + Zest: Fresh, zesty, and the life of the party! This duo walks in and takes the flavor from “meh” to “aha!”
- Confectioner’s Sugar: The final flourish! It’s sweet, it’s soft, and it gives your cookies that snowy, picture-perfect finish. Plus, it’s fun to play with!
TOOLS
Make sure to grab these tools to get started!
- 2 LARGE BOWLS
- MEASURING CUPS + SPOONS
- WHISK
- RUBBER SPATULA
- COOKIE SHEET
- PARCHMENT PAPER
As with any recipe, I recommend preparing before you start. Take the time to gather and properly measure your ingredients, set out your tools, and read through the recipe. Being organized is the best way to both guarantee success and save yourself some time!
CAN I USE MEYER LEMONS?
Absolutely! Meyer lemons are a small, sweet hybrid lemon that tastes like a cross between a regular lemon and an orange. Know that a meyer lemon is less acidic than a traditional lemon, so you might not get the same tangy bite.
TIP: If you’d like to use meyer lemons but don’t want to sacrifice that strong citrus flavor, try adding a ¼ teaspoon of lemon extract to the recipe.
Can Lemon Crinkle Cookies Be Made Ahead?
Yes! The dough for this recipe can be prepared and stored in the fridge for up to 3 days. If you’d like to store the dough for longer, freezing is a must. To do so, chill the dough as directed in the recipe, then roll into balls, and chill the cookie dough balls for an hour in the fridge. Place the solid and cold dough rounds into large zip-top freezer-safe bags. Freeze the dough for up to 3 months.
When it’s time to bake the cookies, remove them from the freezer and thaw on the counter for at least 30 minutes. Roll the dough in confectioner’s sugar and bake as directed.
Leftover Storage
Crinkle cookies can be stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days. You can freeze these cookies before or after baking. To freeze the baked cookies, let them cool completely first. Freeze in single layers between sheets of parchment paper for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator or on the counter at room temperature.
My Favorite Cookie Recipes
A cookie a day keeps the doctor away, right? If you agree with that sentiment, try out a few more of my most crave worthy cookie recipes:
- Butterfinger Brown Butter Cookies
- Flourless Chocolate Orange Cookies
- Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Gingerbread Crinkle Cookies
- Lemon Tea Cakes
- Key Lime Pie Cookies
Lemon Crinkle Cookies
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Ingredients
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter melted and cooled
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 large egg plus 1 yolk room temperature
- 2 tbsp lemon zest
- 2 tbsp lemon juice A little more than half a lemon
- 1/2 cup confectioners sugar sifted
Instructions
- In a large bowl, whisk together flour, salt and baking soda until just combined then set aside.
- In a separate large bowl, whisk together 1 cup of sugar, melted butter and vanilla until just combined as well.Â
- Stir in egg and egg yolk and whisk until the batter is completely smooth
- Throw in the zest and juice then add in the flour mixture in 3 intervals until completely combined.
- Chill cookie dough for 2-3 hours.
- Once ready to bake, preheat the oven to 325 and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Add your confectioner’s sugar to a separate small bowl.
- Use a tablespoon cookie scoop, scoop out balls of dough, roll them between your hands to form perfect balls then roll in the confectioner’s sugar and place on the baking sheet. Make sure to keep cookies about an inch or 1 1/2 inches apart.
- Bake for 8-11 minutes or until cracks have perfectly formed and cookies have setup. Cool for about 5-6 minutes then serve (I like them warm).
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Best lemon cookies recipe! I made them for this years Easter holidays and everybody loved them, especially my husband. Thank you so much for posting it. I definately am going to try out other recipies from your homepage. I just have to convert everything into gramms. Best greetings from Austria/Europe.
Love lemon any time of the year!
Turned out perfect! Lemon is my favorite!
We are big fans of crinkle cookies. Loving the lemon flavor of these.
Yum. Perfect timing for posting this recipe. We have two lemon trees and they are ready to pick, and I always need a lemon recipe this time of year.
I love these! I’m a lemon nut and these crinkle cookies worked out perfectly!