These lemon crinkle cookies put a delightful spin on the classic chocolate crinkles! They have crispy edges and soft, lemony centers, making them a simple and enjoyable treat that will be a hit with everyone!
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Crinkle cookies combine the chewiness of a cookie with the texture of a snowball cookie! Before baking, they’re coated in powdered sugar, which creates a classic “crinkle” appearance on top as they spread.
You only need a few basic ingredients for these lemon crinkle cookies:
- Lemon extract: It gives a strong lemon flavor without adding too much acidity, which can affect baking. You can find it in paste or liquid form in the baking aisle of your local grocery store.
- Lemon zest: Optional but adds extra flavor. You can grate fresh lemon zest for this.
- Yellow coloring: Optional for a brighter yellow color. Just a few drops of yellow food coloring will do.
Why Chill the Dough?
Chilling the dough is crucial for a few reasons:
- Hydrating the Flour: Allowing the dough to rest lets the flour soak up moisture from the eggs. This helps control the cookie’s spread during baking, resulting in a nice balance of soft centers and crisp edges.
- Keeping Butter Cold: Cold butter prevents the cookies from spreading too much in the oven. We want some spread for the perfect texture, but too much can lead to flat, dry cookies.
- Easier Handling: The dough for these lemon crinkle cookies is soft and sticky. Chilling it makes it much easier to work with and shape into balls before baking.
Recipe FAQ’s:
How long do these cookies stay fresh?
Store the baked lemon crinkle cookies in an airtight container at room temperature. They will remain fresh for up to 4 days. You can also refrigerate the dough for up to a week and bake them as needed.
Can I freeze the lemon crinkle cookie dough?
Absolutely! Shape the dough into balls, and freeze them in an airtight container for up to 2 months. When ready to bake, thaw for about 30 minutes, roll in granulated and powdered sugar, then bake. You might need to add around 1-2 minutes to the baking time.
Why roll the lemon crinkles in both granulated sugar AND powdered sugar?
Rolling the cookies in granulated sugar first creates a barrier that helps the powdered sugar maintain its texture, giving you that perfect crinkled appearance.
Love cookies? Be sure to check out these other delicious cookie recipes!
Brownies Cookies
Chocolate Crinkle Cookies
Double Chocolate Chip Cookies
Italian Ricotta Cookies
Lemon Crinkle Cookies
These lemon crinkle cookies offer a delightful variation on the classic chocolate crinkles! Featuring crispy edges and soft, lemony centers, they’re a simple and enjoyable treat!
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Chilling Time: 3 hours
Total Time: 3 hours 40 minutes
Servings: 40 cookies
Ingredients
Cookies
- 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- ½ cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs, a room temperature
- 2 tablespoons lemon zest
- 2 tsp lemon extract, optional
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1-2 drops of yellow food coloring, optional
Roll in
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup powdered sugar
Instructions
- Prepare the dough a day before baking to allow it enough time to chill.
- Use a stand or hand mixer to blend the softened butter, granulated sugar, and lemon zest until smooth and creamy.
- Mix in the eggs, vanilla extract, and lemon extract until the mixture becomes light, fluffy, and pale in color. This usually takes 2-4 minutes, but it’s worth it for the texture improvement.
- Add a few drops of yellow food coloring and mix until the color is evenly distributed.
- In a separate bowl, mix together the flour, baking soda, and salt.
- Carefully blend the dry ingredients into the wet mixture until fully combined. Expect the dough to be soft and sticky.
- Place the dough in an airtight container or cover it tightly, then let it chill overnight (or for at least 3-4 hours). Remember, chilling the dough is essential for these cookies! You can store the dough in the
- fridge for up to 3 days.
- Preheat your oven to 350°F and prepare a baking sheet by lining it with parchment paper. Set it aside.
- Pour about ½ cup of granulated sugar into one small bowl and ½ cup of powdered sugar into another bowl.
- Use a 1-tablespoon cookie scoop to form the dough into small balls. Wearing nitrile gloves can make rolling easier and less messy.
- Roll each ball lightly in granulated sugar, then coat generously in powdered sugar. Press the powdered sugar onto the balls for the best outcome.
- Space the balls about 3 inches apart on the baking sheet. Typically, you can fit 9-10 cookies on a half-sheet pan.
- Bake at 350°F for 9-11 minutes. Look for fully set edges with soft centers. The cookies may seem undercooked, but they will firm up as they cool. Avoid overbaking to keep the centers fudgy.
- Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for about 3 minutes, then transfer them to a cooling rack to cool completely.
Notes
- Keep the baked crinkle cookies in an airtight container at room temperature. They will stay fresh for up to 4 days.
Pin this delicious recipe on Pinterest to save and share with your foodie friends!