Lemon Crinkle Cookies
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Lemon Crinkle Cookies are sweet and soft and pillowy… and utterly delicious. Made with fresh lemon juice and zest, and then tossed in powdered sugar that “crinkles” as they bake, these cookies are a favorite. And perfect for the holidays– or any time of the year!
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Especially when you’re craving the bright flavor of citrus!
Do you love chocolate crinkle cookies? Us too. In fact, I can’t conceive of a Santa plate without them. Or a Christmas cookie platter either. Seriously, they are THE first cookie the family asks for every year.
Then, enter Lemon Crinkle Cookies. So fun, so festive, so utterly yummy in every possible way. With a fresh citrus flavor yet still soft and chewy, they are just THE best.
So on my cookie platter this year, there will be both, forever more.
The best part is, they’re made of super simple ingredients I imagine you already have on hand. Here’s what’s in these festive cookies.
Lemon Crinkle Cookies Ingredients
As always, the exact ingredient measurements are in the recipe card below, but I always like to give you a peak at the ingredients so you can determine how quickly you can make them. Hopefully you have most of these ingredients on hand.
- All-purpose flour
- Baking powder and baking soda for the perfect rise.
- Fine sea salt for flavor but regular table salt works too, as does kosher salt.
- Butter, which will be melted for a super easy cookies to make without equipment.
- Granulated sugar and powdered sugar
- Large eggs
- Fresh lemon: you will use both the juice and the zest.
- Vanilla extract because everything is better with vanilla
The Add-In
I separated out this paragraph because I also added an ingredient I rarely if EVER use. But I did… and it’s a completely optional add-in.
As I mentioned, I’m baking these for my holiday cookie plate this year. And I wanted them to stand out amidst the shortbread, sugar cookies, gingerbread, spritz, mocha blossoms, and various Christmas candy recipes I’m making this year.
So… I added a few drops of yellow food coloring. Just a tad to brighten the yellow. This is COMPLETELY optional. And honestly, it didn’t deepen the yellow dramatically, but I still like the pop of color.
How to Make Lemon Crinkle Cookies
Step-by-step instructions are in the recipe card below, but here’s a quick overview:
Whisk together melted butter and the sugar. Then whisk in eggs, vanilla, lemon juice and zest, and the food coloring if using.
Stir in the dry ingredients just until a dough forms. Chill for 30 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 375°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Then scoop the dough (I used a 1-tablespoon cookie scoop) and roll in powdered sugar. Transfer to baking sheet.
Bake for 9 to 10 minutes.
Lemon Crinkle Cookie Tips & Questions
You can store these cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for 4 to 6 days. They freeze beautifully for longer storage.
I definitely recommend chilling the dough. The crinkle batter is somewhat delicate and soft. Chilling helps made the rolling and dredging in powdered sugar easier. Plus, it helps the dough puff in the oven, creating that beautiful pillowy effect.
Lemon crinkle dough needs to be cold in order to reduce the spread of the cookies in the oven. Chilling helps solve this problem! Also, be careful to measure your flour correctly. I like to stir the flour before spooning and leveling it in the measuring cup.
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Lemon Crinkle Cookies
Ingredients
- 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 cup butter melted and cooled
- 1 ¼ cups granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice or juice from 1 lemon
- 3 teaspoons lemon zest or zest from 1 lemon
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2-5 drops yellow food color optional
- powdered sugar for coating
Instructions
- In a large bowl, whisk together the melted butter and the sugar until smooth. Whisk in the eggs and then the vanilla, lemon juice, lemon zest, and yellow food coloring if using.
- Stir in the dry ingredients just until a dough forms. Cover the bowl and chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 375°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Add the powdered sugar to a small bowl and remove the dough from the refrigerator. Scoop the dough using a 1-tablespoon cookie scoop or a couple of spoons. Roll into a ball and coat generously with powdered sugar. Set on the baking sheet 2-inches apart.
- Bake for 9 to 10 minutes, or until the edges are just becoming golden and the center is just beginning to set. You don't want to overbake these cookies for the best flavor and texture. Cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before removing them to a wire rack to cool.
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Nutrition
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
This is a keeper! I found this recipe last year and have made it many times since, family just loves it!
Thank you for sharing.
Yay! I’m so glad you enjoyed the cookies. Thank you for trying them and letting us know!
Can these be frozen?
Yes! They freeze well!
Can I use Real Lemon that I already have that I use for adding acidity in canning?
Absolutely! You will miss a little flavor without the zest, but they will still be good!
I always add yellow food col0ring to make them more yellow
I’m glad I’m not alone in that! Thanks for the comment.