Lemon Crinkle Cookies

Name: Lemon Crinkle Cookies
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 12 min
Total time: 87 min
Ingredients: 2 cups all-purpose flour; ½ teaspoon baking powder; ¼ teaspoon baking soda; ¼ teaspoon salt; ½ cup unsalted butter, (softened); 1 cup granulated sugar, (plus ¼ cup for rolling cookie dough in before baking); 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice; 1 teaspoon lemon extract; 1 teaspoon vanilla extract; 1 lemon zest; 1 egg; 4 to 5 drops yellow food color gel; ½ cup powdered sugar (for rolling cookie dough in before baking)

These chewy lemon crinkle cookies are so soft with a pop of citrusy flavor and a sweet powdered coating.

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Table of Contents

Lemon Crinkle Cookies Ingredients
Substitutions And Additions
How To Make This Lemon Crinkle Cookies Recipe
How To Serve
Storage
Why We Love This Recipe
More Recipes You'll Love
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Lemon crinkle cookies are such a happy sunny color and have the taste to match. A burst of lemony tartness is balanced with a sweetness that gives these chewy cookies a delightful and fresh flavor.

close up shot of lemon crinkle cookies on a cookie sheet

Lemon Crinkle Cookies Ingredients

lemon crinkle cookies raw ingredients that are labeled

Lemon crinkle cookies are a blend of zesty lemon, sweet butteriness, and a touch of vanilla.

The fresh lemon juice, lemon extract, and zest provide a bright citrusy punch, making them a delightful treat for those who enjoy a balance of sweet and tangy flavors in their cookies.

You’ll need:

2 cups of all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon of baking powder
¼ teaspoon of baking soda
¼ teaspoon of salt
½ cup of unsalted butter, softened
1 cup of granulated sugar plus ¼ cup for rolling cookie dough in before baking
2 tablespoons of fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon of lemon extract
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
zest of 1 lemon
1 egg
4 to 5 drops of yellow food color gel
½ cup of powdered sugar for rolling cookie dough in before baking

PRO TIP:

If you don’t have lemon extract, you can double the lemon juice.

Substitutions And Additions

CITRUS FLAVOR: You could replace the lemon juice and zest with either lime juice and zest, or even orange juice/extract and zest if you want to try something different.

NUTS: Try adding ½ cup of finely chopped pecans or walnuts to the dough for an added crunch.

CHOCOLATE CHIPS: I think white chocolate chips would be such an excellent complement to the tangy lemon flavor in these easy lemon crinkle cookies.

Add ½ cup to the dough to add this sweet surprise to the cookies.

MEYER LEMONS: Meyer lemons have a slightly sweeter taste than regular lemons but can easily be used as a substitute in this lemon crinkle cookie recipe.

LEMON OIL: You can also use seven to nine drops of lemon oil if you do not have the lemon extract.

How To Make This Lemon Crinkle Cookies Recipe

Let’s dive right into making the easy cookie dough and baking these tart lemon cookies.

STEP ONE: Whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set the dry ingredients aside.

lemon crinkle cookies process shot of ingredients in a bowl

STEP TWO: Cream together the butter and one cup of granulated sugar for three to four minutes until light and fluffy.

Using either a stand mixer or a medium bowl and a hand mixer on medium-high speed

STEP THREE: Lower the mixer speed to medium and add the lemon juice, lemon extract, vanilla extract, and lemon zest and mix for an additional 30 seconds.

STEP FOUR: Keep the mixer on medium speed and add the egg, mixing until there are no more streaks of yellow visible.

lemon crinkle cookies process shot of ingredients being blended in a bowl

STEP FIVE: Lower the mixer speed to low and add the flour mixture one cup at a time, mixing just until combined. Do not over-mix.

STEP SIX: Add the four to five drops of yellow food coloring gel and mix until worked into the dough.

lemon crinkle cookies process shot of ingredients before and after being mixed together

STEP SEVEN: Cover and chill dough for at least an hour in the fridge.

PRO TIP:

Chilling the cookie dough for at least an hour will prevent the cookies from spreading out too much while baking. The dough can also be refrigerated for up to three to four days before baking.

STEP EIGHT: Using a tablespoon cookie scoop, scoop out the cookie dough and roll the dough into balls.

Roll the dough balls first in the ¼ cup granulated sugar, then in the powdered sugar.

Space the dough balls two inches apart on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.

PRO TIP:

You can use your hands to roll the dough into balls, but a cookie dough scoop will keep your hands clean and help to form the cookie dough balls into a uniform size.

lemon crinkle cookies process shot of dough balls rolled into sugar then powder

STEP NINE: Bake in a preheated oven at 350°F for 10 to 12 minutes.

The edges should not be golden, and the center not completely set.

PRO TIP:

Oven temperatures vary and may need to be recalibrated periodically to ensure they are accurate. Make sure to check your cookies at the lower end of the recommended baking time.

STEP TEN: Once removed from the oven, allow the cookies to rest on the baking sheet for five minutes before transferring them to a wire rack.

PRO TIP:

The decorative “crinkle” happens when you roll the balls in the powdered sugar before baking. As the cookies expand in the oven, the sugar pulls apart to create a unique pattern.

How To Serve

These soft, pillowy lemon cookies would brighten any cookie platter. Include them in a cookie exchange or as a gift for a neighbor.

Or keep them and enjoy a lemony cookie with a sweet cup of tea, coffee, or latte that will balance the lemony goodness so well.

Add another delicious crinkle cookie to the cookie jar with our chocolate crinkle cookies.

Or how about another recipe for chewy lemon cookies that are sure to be crowd-pleasers? Our lemon meltaway cookies fit the bill perfectly.

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Storage

If these cookies last long enough to have leftovers, here are a few handy tips.

MAKE-AHEAD: You could make these delicious cookies ahead of time, roll them into balls, and freeze them in a freezer bag right before the baking step.

Thaw and pop them in the oven a few at a time to make them last longer.

ON THE COUNTER: Store any leftover lemon cookie crinkles in an airtight container at room temperature for up to seven days.

Make sure to transfer these to the container with care so that the delicate sugar coating does not rub off.

IN THE FREEZER: The baked cookies can be frozen in an airtight container, in a single layer, for up to four months.

close up shot of lemon crinkle cookies stacked on top of each other on a plate with a bite taken out of one

Why We Love This Recipe

VIBRANT CITRUS FLAVOR: The combination of fresh lemon juice, lemon extract, and lemon zest infuses these cookies with a bright and refreshing citrus flavor that’s perfect for citrus enthusiasts.

SOFT AND CHEWY TEXTURE: These cookies strike the ideal balance between soft and chewy, making each bite a delightful experience with a slightly crispy edge.

EYE CATCHING: Rolling the cookie dough in powdered sugar before baking creates beautiful crinkled tops and a visually appealing contrast between the sweet exterior and the lemony interior.

These fluffy lemon crinkle cookies are so elegant looking with their beautiful yellow color. Infused with the refreshing taste of bright lemon flavor and dusted with powdered sugar, everyone will swear that you spent hours in the kitchen.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Can I freeze the dough before baking?

You could whip up the dough, roll it into cookie dough balls, and freeze them in an airtight container or freezer bag. Thaw fully when you are ready to bake.

Can I use bottled lemon juice for these crinkle lemon cookies?

If at all possible, you should use fresh lemon juice in this easy lemon cookie recipe. Bottled lemon juice will not give you the same rich lemony flavor.

How long will these homemade lemon cookies keep in the freezer?

This delicious cookie can be frozen for up to four months.

More Recipes You’ll Love

Lemon Crinkle Cookies

5 from 13 votes

These chewy lemon crinkle cookies are so soft with a pop of citrusy flavor and a sweet powdered coating.

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 12

Total Time 1 27

Servings cookies

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Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
½ cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar, plus ¼ cup for rolling cookie dough in before baking
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon lemon extract
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 lemon zest
1 egg
4 to 5 drops yellow food color gel
½ cup powdered sugar for rolling cookie dough in before baking

Instructions

Whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set it aside.
Using either a stand mixer or a medium-sized mixing bowl and a handheld mixer on medium-high speed, cream together the butter and 1 cup granulated sugar for 3 to 4 minutes, until light and fluffy.
Lower the mixer speed to medium, add the lemon juice, lemon extract, vanilla extract, and lemon zest. Mix for an additional 30 seconds.
Keeping the mixer on medium, add the egg and mix until no more yellow streaks of egg are visible.
Lower the mixer speed to low, add the flour mixture 1 cup at a time. Mix just until the flour mixture is just combined, do not over mix the dough.
Add the 4 to 5 drops of yellow food color gel. Mix just until the yellow is worked into the dough. Cover well and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
Just before you remove the dough from the refrigerator, preheat the oven to 350°F. Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper, set them aside.
Using a tablespoon cookie dough scoop, scoop out the cookie dough. Roll the dough into balls. Roll the dough balls 1st in the ¼ cup granulated sugar, then roll the dough balls in the powdered sugar.
Space the dough balls 2 inches apart.
Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, the edges should not be golden, and the center should appear to be not completely set.
Allow the cookies to rest on the cookie sheet for 5 minutes before moving the cookies to a cooling rack.

Video

Notes

If you don’t have lemon extract, you can double the lemon juice.
Chilling the cookie dough for at least an hour will prevent the cookies from spreading out too much while baking. The dough can also be refrigerated for up to 3 to 4 days before baking.
You can use your hands to roll the dough into balls, but a cookie dough scoop will keep your hands clean and help to form the cookie dough balls into a uniform size.
Oven temperatures vary and may need to be recalibrated periodically to ensure they are accurate. Make sure to check your cookies at the lower end of the recommended baking time.
The decorative “crinkle” happens when you roll the balls in the powdered sugar before baking. As the cookies expand in the oven, the sugar pulls apart to create a unique pattern.

Nutrition

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This recipe was developed, tested, cooked and photographed by the Spaceships Kitchen. From our dinner table to yours, we hope you think it's out of this world!