There’s something irresistibly cheerful about a cookie that balances brightness with a soft, tender bite. This Lemon Crinkle Cookies Recipe is exactly that—a zesty, melt-in-your-mouth treat that’s covered in a delicate dusting of powdered sugar, crackling perfectly on the outside and tender inside. Once you try these, you’ll find yourself reaching for lemon whenever cookie cravings hit!
Jump to:
Why You'll Love This Recipe
I’ve made a lot of lemon cookies over the years, but this Lemon Crinkle Cookies Recipe stands out for how perfectly balanced the flavors are. It’s not too sweet, with just the right zing from fresh lemon juice and zest, plus that iconic crackled powdered sugar coating that gives it so much charm.
- Bright, fresh lemon flavor: Thanks to generous lemon juice and a packed tablespoon of zest, these cookies burst with citrusy goodness.
- Soft, tender texture: The addition of cornstarch keeps the cookies delightfully soft and chewy instead of cakey or tough.
- Easy rolling and baking: Rolling the dough in both granulated and confectioners’ sugar creates that signature crinkled look without the sugar melting away.
- Make ahead friendly: The dough can chill for up to 3 days, making this perfect for planning ahead or last-minute guests.
Ingredients & Why They Work
Each ingredient here plays a specific role in creating that balance of flavor and texture. Pick quality lemons for the best zest and juice, and don’t skip the cornstarch—it really softens the crumb without weighing the cookies down.
- All-purpose flour: The sturdy base for these cookies, spooned and leveled for accuracy to keep the texture just right.
- Cornstarch: A little secret that adds tenderness and helps the cookies stay soft even after cooling.
- Baking soda: Gives a slight lift for a light, soft crumb.
- Salt: Balances the sweet and bright flavors, enhancing overall taste.
- Unsalted butter: Using room temperature butter ensures smooth creaming, resulting in that perfect cookie texture.
- Granulated sugar: Plus a bit extra, since the lemon juice adds tartness, and you want your cookies sweet but not cloying.
- Egg: Holds everything together and adds richness.
- Fresh lemon juice: The star of the show—fresh squeezed gives the brightest flavor, but bottled works in a pinch.
- Lemon zest: Packed with essential oils, this amplifies the lemon punch in every bite.
- Vanilla extract: A subtle counterbalance to the lemon, rounding out the flavor.
- Granulated and confectioners’ sugar for rolling: The granulated sugar prevents the powdered sugar from melting into the dough, preserving that beautiful snowy crinkle look.
Make It Your Way
While I love the classic bright lemon flavor, these cookies are great for a little kitchen creativity. Don’t hesitate to swap the lemon for other citrus or try adding a handful of poppy seeds for a delightful twist.
- Poppy Seed Twist: I once added a tablespoon of poppy seeds and ended up with a fun texture and a slightly nutty contrast to the tart lemon; totally worth a try!
- Meyer Lemon Variation: Using Meyer lemons offers a sweeter, less tart flavor—perfect when you want notes that are floral and gentle rather than bright and tangy.
- Gluten-Free Swap: You can replace all-purpose flour with a gluten-free blend; just check for appropriate ratios as the dough texture will vary slightly.
Step-by-Step: How I Make Lemon Crinkle Cookies Recipe
Step 1: Mix the Dry Ingredients
Start by whisking the flour, cornstarch, baking soda, and salt together in a medium bowl. This ensures even distribution and helps your cookies bake evenly. I usually set this aside while I work on the wet ingredients.
Step 2: Cream Butter & Sugar Until Fluffy
Using a stand mixer or hand mixer, beat the softened butter with granulated sugar on medium-high speed for about 3 minutes. This step is crucial—properly creamed butter and sugar trap air for a lighter cookie texture. If you haven’t creamed butter before, I recommend watching a quick tutorial; it makes a world of difference.
Step 3: Add Egg, Lemon Juice, Zest & Vanilla
Next, pour in the egg, lemon juice, lemon zest, and vanilla extract. Beat on high speed for about a minute. Your mixture might look a bit curdled—that’s totally normal and nothing to worry about. Scrape down the bowl to ensure everything is incorporated evenly.
Step 4: Slowly Incorporate Dry Ingredients
With the mixer on low speed, gradually add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients. The dough will be thick, creamy, and sticky. Don’t overmix here—just combine until you no longer see dry streaks.
Step 5: Chill the Dough Thoroughly
Cover your dough tightly and pop it in the fridge for at least 3 hours, or up to 3 days. This step is non-negotiable because it allows the butter to firm up, making the sticky dough easier to handle and helping the cookies keep their shape during baking.
Step 6: Roll and Coat
Remove the chilled dough and if it’s been in there longer than 3 hours, let it sit out for 10 minutes so it softens slightly for easier scooping. Roll about 1 tablespoon of dough into balls—about 20 grams each. First, roll the balls in granulated sugar to prevent melting, then roll generously in confectioners’ sugar. For extra crackle effect, roll 2-3 times!
Step 7: Bake and Watch the Magic
Place dough balls on parchment-lined sheets about 3 inches apart. Bake at 350°F (177°C) for 12-13 minutes, or until edges are set but centers still look soft. If by minute 9 the cookies aren’t spreading, try lightly tapping the baking sheet on the counter a couple of times to help them along. This little trick works wonders!
Step 8: Cool and Enjoy
Let the cookies cool for 5 minutes on the baking sheet before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. They will deflate slightly as they cool, resulting in a delicate but chewy texture—exactly what you want!
Top Tip
When I first made these cookies, I struggled a bit with the powdered sugar melting right into the dough balls, making them lose their crinkled look. Here’s what I’ve learned that always works:
- Double Sugar Roll: Rolling first in granulated sugar and then multiple times in confectioners’ sugar keeps that beautiful snowy crackle intact.
- Chilling Is Key: Don’t skip the 3+ hours chilling—it makes scooping easier and your cookies bake up perfectly.
- Use Fresh Lemon Zest and Juice: Nothing beats the intensity and brightness of fresh lemon for these cookies.
- Gentle Tap Trick: If cookies aren’t spreading nicely, a quick tap of the baking pan on the counter around minute 9 gives them the nudge they need.
How to Serve Lemon Crinkle Cookies Recipe
Garnishes
I usually keep it simple with just the powdered sugar coating—it’s classic and elegant. For a special twist, I sometimes add a little lemon glaze drizzle or a sprinkle of finely chopped pistachios for color and crunch.
Side Dishes
These cookies pair beautifully with a cup of hot tea or a scoop of vanilla ice cream on the side for a refreshing dessert. They’re also delightful alongside a light citrus salad or fresh berries for brunch gatherings.
Creative Ways to Present
For parties, I love arranging these cookies on a cake stand with lemon slices and fresh mint leaves for a bright, festive look. You can also package them in cute cellophane bags tied with yellow ribbon—perfect for gifts or party favors.
Make Ahead and Storage
Storing Leftovers
Once baked and fully cooled, I store these Lemon Crinkle Cookies in an airtight container at room temperature. They stay soft and delicious for up to a week, but honestly, they rarely last that long in my house!
Freezing
I freeze unbaked dough balls (without rolling them in sugar first) in a single layer on a tray, then transfer to a freezer-safe bag. When I’m ready to bake, I thaw at room temperature for about 30 minutes, then roll in sugar and bake. Baked cookies freeze wonderfully too—just seal in an airtight container and enjoy within 3 months.
Reheating
To freshen up stored cookies, I pop them in a warm oven at 300°F (150°C) for about 5 minutes. This brings back that soft texture and lightly toastes the edges, making them taste almost freshly baked again.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Yes! While fresh lemon juice offers the brightest flavor, bottled lemon juice works just fine if you don’t have fresh lemons. Just make sure it’s 100% lemon juice with no added preservatives for best taste.
Chilling the dough firms up the butter, making the sticky dough easier to handle and helping the cookies hold their shape and spread properly during baking. It also allows the flavors to meld, resulting in more flavorful cookies.
The crinkle effect comes from rolling the dough balls in confectioners’ sugar before baking. As the cookies bake and spread, the sugar coating cracks to create that signature crackled look. Rolling the balls in granulated sugar first helps the powdered sugar stay intact longer for better crinkles.
Absolutely! You can freeze unbaked dough balls (before rolling in sugar) up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature before rolling and baking. Baked cookies freeze well too when stored airtight, maintaining great flavor for up to 3 months.
Final Thoughts
These Lemon Crinkle Cookies aren’t just a recipe to me—they’re a little slice of sunshine on a baking sheet. Making them always brightens my kitchen and mood. I hope you enjoy baking and sharing them as much as I do. With the tips I’ve shared, you’re all set to bake a batch that’ll have your friends and family asking for the recipe. Go ahead, get that zesting tool out and make your kitchen smell like lemon heaven!
Print
Lemon Crinkle Cookies Recipe
- Prep Time: 3 hours 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 13 minutes
- Total Time: 3 hours 33 minutes
- Yield: 40 cookies
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
Lemon Crinkle Cookies are soft, chewy treats bursting with tangy lemon flavor and a delightfully cracked powdered sugar coating. These cookies are perfect for brightening your cookie jar with their zesty freshness and tender texture, achieved by chilling the dough and rolling in sugar before baking.
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients
- 2 and ½ cups (313g) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled)
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
Wet Ingredients
- ¾ cup (12 Tbsp; 170g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 1 cup + 2 Tablespoons (225g) granulated sugar
- 1 large egg, at room temperature
- ¼ cup (60ml) fresh or bottled lemon juice, at room temperature
- 1 Tablespoon lemon zest (packed Tablespoon)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For Rolling
- 3 Tablespoons (35g) granulated sugar (optional)
- 1 cup (120g) confectioners’ sugar
Instructions
- Mix Dry Ingredients: Whisk the flour, cornstarch, baking soda, and salt together in a medium bowl. Set aside.
- Cream Butter and Sugar: In a large bowl using a hand mixer or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter and granulated sugar together on medium-high speed until fluffy and creamed, about 3 minutes.
- Add Wet Ingredients: Add the egg, lemon juice, lemon zest, and vanilla extract to the creamed butter mixture. Beat on high speed until fully combined, about 1 minute. The mixture may appear curdled, which is normal. Scrape down the bowl sides and bottom.
- Combine with Dry Ingredients: Add the flour mixture and beat on low speed until just combined. The dough will be thick, creamy, and sticky.
- Chill Dough: Cover the dough tightly and refrigerate for at least 3 hours or up to 3 days to firm up the sticky dough.
- Prepare Dough for Baking: Remove dough from refrigerator. If chilled longer than 3 hours, let sit at room temperature for about 10 minutes to soften slightly for easier scooping.
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Baking Sheets: Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats.
- Roll Dough Balls in Sugar: Scoop about 1 tablespoon (approximately 20g) of dough and roll into balls. First, roll each ball in the optional granulated sugar, then roll generously in confectioners’ sugar 2 to 3 times for a pretty cracked sugar coating. Place dough balls 3 inches apart on baking sheets.
- Bake: Bake cookies for 12 to 13 minutes, or until edges appear set and centers look soft. If cookies are not spreading by 9 minutes, gently bang the baking sheet 2 to 3 times on the countertop to encourage spreading, then continue baking.
- Cool: Let cookies cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. Cookies will deflate slightly as they cool.
- Store: Store cooled cookies covered at room temperature for up to 1 week.
Notes
- The dough can be made ahead and chilled up to 3 days for convenience.
- Baked cookies freeze well up to 3 months; thaw at room temperature before enjoying.
- Unbaked cookie dough balls (without sugar coating) also freeze well up to 3 months; thaw at room temperature for 30 minutes before rolling in sugar and baking.
- Cornstarch is optional but helps create a softer cookie; omitting it still yields delicious cookies.
- If you don’t have lemons, try substituting with other citrus like Meyer lemons for a different flavor profile.
- Rolling dough balls multiple times in confectioners’ sugar gives the cookies a striking crinkle appearance.
- Use parchment paper or silicone mats to prevent sticking and promote even baking.
- Bring butter, egg, and lemon juice to room temperature before mixing for best dough consistency.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 110 kcal
- Sugar: 9 g
- Sodium: 90 mg
- Fat: 6 g
- Saturated Fat: 3.5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 13 g
- Fiber: 0.4 g
- Protein: 1 g
- Cholesterol: 25 mg
Leave a Reply