Description
These Lemon Crinkle Cookies are soft, chewy, and bursting with a delicate lemon flavor. Rolled in sugar and powdered sugar, they have a lovely crinkled appearance and a perfect balance of sweetness and tanginess. Perfect for springtime gatherings or a refreshing treat any time of year.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Wet Ingredients
- 1/2 cup butter softened
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 large egg
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 5-8 drops yellow food coloring (optional)
For Rolling
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 3/4 cup powdered sugar (icing sugar or confectioners sugar)
Instructions
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the all purpose flour, baking soda, and salt. Set this mixture aside for later use.
- Beat Butter and Sugar: In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream the softened butter and sugar together until fluffy and light, about 2 minutes on medium speed.
- Add Wet Ingredients: Add the egg, fresh lemon juice, lemon zest, vanilla extract, and yellow food coloring (if using) to the butter and sugar mixture. Mix until well combined.
- Combine Mixtures: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the stand mixer bowl and mix until just incorporated to form the cookie dough.
- Chill Dough: Cover the dough bowl tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 hours to allow the dough to set and firm up, which helps control spreading during baking.
- Preheat and Prepare Pans: Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper to prevent sticking.
- Scoop and Shape: Using a small cookie scoop or spoon, portion out the dough and roll each scoop into a ball. If the dough feels too soft or sticky, chill it again until firm.
- Coat Dough Balls: Roll each dough ball first in regular sugar to coat, then generously in powdered sugar, ensuring a thick coating for the classic crinkle appearance.
- Arrange on Baking Sheets: Place the coated dough balls on the prepared baking sheets spaced about 2 inches apart to allow room for spreading.
- Bake the Cookies: Bake in the preheated oven for 12 minutes until the cookies are set but still soft to the touch.
- Cool Down: Remove the baking sheets from the oven. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes to firm up, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely before serving.
Notes
- For a stronger lemon flavor, double the lemon juice or add lemon extract, but be cautious as too much liquid can cause spreading.
- If dough feels too soft during shaping, refrigerate or freeze briefly to firm it up.
- Use a small cookie scoop for uniform cookie size and even baking.
- Line baking sheets with parchment paper for easy removal and cleanup.
- Do not overbake; cookies should remain soft in the center when removed.
- Measured metric ingredients are approximate and not tested; use standard measurements for best results.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 110 kcal
- Sugar: 12 g
- Sodium: 90 mg
- Fat: 5 g
- Saturated Fat: 3 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 16 g
- Fiber: 0.3 g
- Protein: 1 g
- Cholesterol: 20 mg
