Since lemon crinkles are a crowd-pleaser, let me tell you this is the best and only recipe you'll ever need. Perfectly tender, easy to make, and with an intense fresh lemon flavor, they’re simply sensational!
As far as lemon cookies go, these are extremely good. And truth is that I’m not, in essence, a cookie person. I'm more of a cake fiend.
I told you before how I take all my baking to the office. These little lemony things brought raves and more raves. Pretty much like the brownie cookies, or the Mexican wedding cookies.
They are soft and lemony and keep well for days. I dare say the lemon flavor intensified after a few days.
They're simple lemon cookies that get rolled in powdered sugar before baking so the cracks that happen when the cookies bake are more visible as there's a contrast in colors.
Why do they crack? Because the outer edge of the cookie stops expanding while the center is still raw. As it keeps baking, the center starts cracking looking for a place to grow.
Ingredient list
- Lemon: lemon zest and juice are used for a great flavor.
- White granulated sugar.
- Powdered sugar: also called confectioners or icing sugar, you can easily buy it online. Domino powdered sugar is a very popular one.
- Vanilla: I use pure vanilla extract or pure vanilla paste when available, but a good vanilla essence (artificially flavored) also works.
- Egg: fresh, large.
- All-purpose flour.
- Baking powder and baking soda: make sure they're not expired.
- Salt: I like to use kosher salt when baking. But regular table salt works just fine.
Step-by-step VIDEO
They are very simple, like most drop cookies.
- Cookie dough: it's a simple recipe where you mix all the ingredients until well incorporated. The final mixture (image below) is soft so it needs refrigeration before you can roll and bake them.
- Powdered sugar: roll them in a heavy layer. That way the contrast of colors will be more noticeable. Spoiler alert! Being this a lemon cookie dough with a pale color to start with, the contrast with the white sugar will not be dramatic like for example the chocolate mint crinkles.
Kitchen notes
- Organization: read the recipe first and ensure you have ingredients at the correct temperature, equipment, and enough workspace. This will make the process so much easier.
- Baking time: consider that all ovens and pans are different, even if they look similar. The baking time in my recipes is as accurate as it can be, but it might take you more or less time. You can use a thermometer(like the OXO oven thermometer) to check that your oven is at the right temperature. I recommend you keep track of how your oven works and what tiny details you might need to adjust.
- Dry ingredients: sift them before adding them as they (especially the baking soda) can be clumpy and not dissolve during baking.
- Lemon: use fresh lemon juice, and don't skip it, it makes all the difference. You can use less, 1 or 1 ½ tablespoons instead of two. The amount of lemon zest can vary according to your taste. I don't recommend increasing the juice because it adds liquid to a somewhat soft cookie.
- Extra lemon flavor: use up to a teaspoon more lemon zest or add pure lemon extract or lemon paste. Start small and see how you like them )unless you regularly use them). I use pure ones like Nielsen Massey pure lemon extract or Mc Cormick culinary pure lemon extract. There are artificially flavored ones that you can use if you know are good, like Frontier lemon flavor.
- Dough: you can keep it in the refrigerator for several days making sure it's covered to avoid dryness. Or freeze it for up to a month, well wrapped in plastic. The cookie dough can be more or less sticky depending on the weather, the size of the egg, and the amount of juice you use. You might need to refrigerate it before making the balls.
- Baking: I like them rather soft, but you can keep them a few minutes longer. They will color more and be crunchier. The effect of the sugar will be somewhat lost, but the flavor will be fantastic. Keep in mind what I said about the cracks: each batch will deliver different patterns.
- Storing crinkle cookies: keep them in tins, containers, or jars with tight-fitting lids. You might taste more lemon flavor a few days after you bake them.
- Variation: skip the rolling in powdered sugar and bake fabulous regular lemon cookies. They will be more lemony and less sweet. I love this version. Love it.
When a cookie bakes, the top hardens at some point. This happens in more or less time depending on the type of dough, how cold it is, oven temperature, etc. The amount of cracks also varies with each recipe.
So, if the outer crust hardens before the cookie is fully cooked, the interior will still want to keep on expanding, and the batter will try to rise wherever it can, forcing the hardened crust to separate and crack.
Several things can cause that (or a combination of all of them): the dough wasn't chilled enough, the butter was used melted instead of softened, there was not enough flour (this might be due to inaccurate measuring or maybe the egg was too big)
Oh, I love this question and have pondered on it myself every time I make this recipe. And I don't have a definite answer, that's the truth. Because the sugar is more visible with some batches and less with others, even though I make it exactly the same each time. The flavor is always fantastic. So I'll leave it at that.
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Easy Lemon Crinkle Cookies
Since Lemon Crinkle Cookies are a crowd-pleaser, let me tell you this is the only recipe you'll ever need. They’re simply sensational! Perfectly tender, easy to make and with a fresh lemon flavor. I'm hooked.
- Total Time: 52 minutes
- Yield: 30 medium cookies
Ingredients
- ½ cup (115g) butter, softened
- 1 cup (200g) sugar
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 egg, at room temperature
- Grated lemon zest from 1 lemon
- 2 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon baking powder
- ⅛ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 ½ cups (210g) all-purpose or cake flour
- ½ cup (60g) powdered sugar, to roll cookies
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350ºF/180ºC.
- Line two cookie sheets with wax paper, or grease the bottoms.
- In a large bowl with a hand mixer, mix butter and sugar well.
- Add vanilla, egg, lemon juice and zest and mix well until creamy.
- Mix together flour, salt, baking powder and soda, and add it to the butter mixture. (I suggest you sift the baking soda since it can sometimes have lumps that will not disintegrate during baking).
- Mix until it forms a ball and is well blended with no dry spots.
- The dough at this point might be too soft and sticky to form into balls. Refrigerate it for a few hours until soft but easy to roll between your palms.
- Put powdered sugar in a shallow dish or bowl. Make walnut size balls with the lemon mixture, and roll them in the powdered sugar, coating well.
- Place them in the baking sheets spacing them a bit.
- Bake them for 12 to 15 minutes, until they barely start to color, are crinkled and rather dry on top.
- Let cool on wire rack and keep in tins or airtight jars or containers.
- I find that they taste more lemony 1 or 2 days after they are baked.
Notes
- Organization: read the recipe first and make sure you have ingredients at the right temperatures, equipment needed, and enough workspace. This will make the process so much easier!
- Baking time: keep in mind that all ovens and pans are different, even if they look the same or very similar. The baking time in my recipes is as accurate as it can be, but it might take you more or less time. Use a thermometer inside the oven (like the OXO oven thermometer) to check that the temperature is right. I recommend you keep track of how your oven works and what tiny details you might need to adjust.
- Lemon: use fresh lemon juice and don't skip it, it makes all the difference. You can use less though, maybe 1 tablespoon instead of two. The amount of lemon zest can vary according to your taste. I don't recommend increasing the amount of juice because it adds liquid to an already somewhat soft cookie.
- Extra lemon flavor: use up to a teaspoon more lemon zest or add pure lemon extract or lemon paste. Unless you regularly use them, start small and see how you like them. I use pure ones like Nielsen Massey pure lemon extract or Mc Cormick culinary pure lemon extract. There are artificially flavored ones that you can use if you know are good, like Frontier lemon flavor.
- Dough: you can keep it in the refrigerator for several days, just make sure it is covered. Or freeze it for up to a month, well wrapped in plastic. As I said before, the dough can be more or less sticky depending on the weather, the size of the egg, and the amount of juice you use. You might need to refrigerate it before making the balls.
- Baking: I like them rather soft, but you can keep them a few minutes longer. They will color more and be crunchier. The effect of the sugar will be somewhat lost, but the flavor will be fantastic. Keep in mind what I said about the cracks: each batch will deliver different patterns and sometimes the sugar melts almost completely.
- Storing crinkle cookies: keep them in tins, containers, or jars with tight-fitting lids. You might taste more lemon flavor a few days after you bake them.
- Variation: skip the rolling in powder sugar and bake fabulous regular lemon cookies. They will be more lemony and less sweet. I love this version. Love it.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Refrigeration time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Category: Cookies
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/25
- Calories: 72
- Sugar: 10 g
- Sodium: 76.9 mg
- Fat: 0.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 15.9 g
- Fiber: 0.2 g
- Protein: 1 g
- Cholesterol: 8.1 mg
Keywords: lemon crinkles
Adapted from Mel’s Kitchen Café
Lynn Pogson says
Can you freeze the cookies after baking them and for how long?
Paula Montenegro says
Hi Lynn! You can for 2-3 weeks, but the powdered sugar coating will suffer.
Jenn says
I just made these and while they taste fabulous, mine did not expand flat. They expanded a tiny bit but stayed sort of ball shaped. I followed the recipe to a tee.
★★★★
Paula Montenegro says
Hi Jenn! I'm glad the flavor was great. As for the expansion, maybe the dough was too cold or the oven temp too high. All ovens and refrigerators are different and there are differences, sometimes subtle. I test recipes several times due to this and write the recipe times and temperatures as accurate as I can.
Kristi says
Do these freeze well?
Paula Montenegro says
Hi Kristi, you can freeze them baked, in single layers until solid and then transfer them to a container separated with wax paper or freezer sheets. If freezing unbaked, you can without the powdered sugar coating.
Caroline Costello says
I made these cookies for the first time today and they were delicious - very easy to make and a lovely end result. It was fun to see how the crinkling on each cookie was different - some had lots of detail and other hardly any!! I will definitely make these again! Thank you.
★★★★★
Paula Montenegro says
Happy to hear that Caroline!
MARISA PAZ LOPEZ says
Hi, I made this recipe and the cookies taste really ,really wonderful!! My only problem is that they don't keep it's shape, are runny and come out from the ovrn likr mini pancakes. My city has a high level of humidity, between 85 and 95%. Do not know if it is related.
★★★★★
Paula Montenegro says
Hi Marisa, glad you liked them! The issue with the shape might be humidity. My experience is that they come out different each time.
Erica says
Hello, this recipe sounds delicious! Planning to make for a bridal shower. What size cookie scoop would be considered (walnut size)? Would a medium cookie scoop (1.5 tablesoons) be ok ?
Paula Montenegro says
Hi Erica, walnut-size scoop works well. I use one that is between a tablespoon and 1.5 as you say. It doesn't say exactly but I measured it besides a measuring spoon.
Laurie says
Can you double the recipe?
Paula Montenegro says
Yes Laurie.
Pu says
Hey ...how can I substitute egg in the recipe...
Paula Montenegro says
I don't have an answer for that as I always make the recipe as printed.
Sandra says
These cookies are very delicious! I chilled the dough for 2 hours, and they were very easy to roll. I skipped out on the powdered sugar, and they were just sweet enough! The lemon really comes through! Thank you for the recipe! Will definitely make again! Not to many points on Weight Watchers either! A win/ win!
★★★★★