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!
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As far as lemon cookies go, these are extremely good. And the 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.
Step-by-step VIDEO
Ingredient Notes
Quantities are listed in the recipe card towards the end of this post. The Ingredients page has more details and lists the brands we use.
- Lemon: lemon zest and juice are used to achieve a great flavor. Using fresh lemon juice (as opposed to bottled) makes a huge difference.
- Powdered sugar: also called confectioners or icing sugar.
- Baking powder and baking soda: make sure they're not expired.
They are very simple, like most drop cookies.
- Cookie dough is a simple recipe that involves mixing all the ingredients until well incorporated. The final mixture is soft, so it needs refrigeration before you can roll and bake it.
- 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 possible, 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; 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, covering it to avoid dryness. Or you can 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. Remember what I said about the cracks: each batch will deliver different patterns.
- Storing crinkle cookies: Store them in tins, containers, or jars with tight-fitting lids. A few days after baking, they might taste more lemon.
- 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.
Related recipes you might like:
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Easy Lemon Crinkle Cookies
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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.
Ingredients
- ½ cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1 cup sugar
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 egg, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest, from about 1 lemon
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice, freshly squeezed
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon baking powder
- ⅛ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ cup powdered sugar, to roll cookies
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350ºF (180ºC). Grease with butter or line two cookie sheets with parchment paper.
- Beat ½ cup unsalted butter and 1 cup sugar well in a large bowl with an electric mixer.
- Add ½ teaspoon vanilla extract, 1 egg, 1 teaspoon lemon zest and 2 tablespoons lemon juice and mix well until creamy.
- Sift together 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour, ¼ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon baking powder and ⅛ teaspoon baking soda, and add it to the butter mixture.
- 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 ½ cup powdered sugar in a shallow dish or bowl. Make walnut-sized 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
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 to check that the temperature is right. I recommend tracking how your oven works and what tiny details you might need to adjust.
Lemon: Use fresh lemon juice; don't skip it; it makes all the difference. You can use less, though, maybe 1 tablespoon instead of 2. 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 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. There are artificially flavored ones that you can use if you know are good.
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. Remember what I said about the cracks: each batch will deliver different patterns, and sometimes the sugar melts almost completely.
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.
Nutrition
Calories: 103kcalCarbohydrates: 16gProtein: 1gFat: 4gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.2gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gSodium: 36mgPotassium: 13mgFiber: 0.2gSugar: 10gVitamin A: 123IUVitamin C: 1mg
Did you try this recipe?Let me know in the comments below!
Adapted from Mel's Kitchen Café
juliana says
tengo limones de verdad en la heladera esperando una receta... creo q la encontre! 😉
Karen (Back Road Journal) says
If I had to list one flavoring ingredient that I could not live without, I think it would be lemon. Your little crinkle cookies would put a big smile on my face.
Medeja says
Delicious! I must try these lovely lemony cookies 🙂
Guru Uru says
I understand how things have changed, definitely! But I miss your blogging and your incredible recipes my friend - keep it up and keep us smiling 😀
Cheers
Choc Chip Uru
Easyfoodsmith says
Totally second your thoughts. I made these cookies just a few weeks back and they are truly sensational. We couldn't get enough of them.
Luci Petlack says
Yum yum yum. These look so good. Lemon cookies is something I haven't gotten into, but I'm basically enamored with anything "cookie" so I know I'll love these too! And I agree with one amazing recipe being worth the cost of the book. I hadn't hear that before, but it makes so much sense!
Luci’s Morsels – fashion. food. frivolity.
felicia | Dish by Dish says
Paula...te entiendo como sentis sobre blogging...y como cambio a veces de ser algo que antes hacias por placer y ahora por obligacion ? (a veces siento lo mismo). Pero cuando dejo el resto a parte y pienso que el disfrute de escribir mis pensamientos y sacar fotos lindas, vuelvo a mi original amor por blogging.
p.d los cookies son geniales! tengo que probar una version grain-free!
p.p.d tenemos que juntarnos de nuevo (esta vez, por ahi podemos cocinar juntas o algo relacionado con la cocina!)
Cocoa and Lavender says
Lemon is my absolute favorite - yes, over chocolate! I will try these and trust you implicitly, Paula! xo, David
Alice // Hip Foodie Mom says
Paula, I'm so happy to see another post from you! I agree. . things change so quickly . . even in 2 years. . but I think if we keep our approach to things the same and our outlook and writing, it can still be relaxed and approachable. and I agree with Nancy, just focus on the fun and creative thing and why you started blogging in the first place. keeping it real and authentic and don't worry about the rest.. I hope to see more from you on a regular basis again. . and in the meantime, I will relish these lemon crinkle cookies. Ah, perfection.
Cathleen | My Culinary Mission says
I so need to make these! I love all things citrus. Each time I scroll through my blog roll (is that what it is called? Ha haha) I stop at this. Just beautiful!
Renee says
I was thrilled to see your post in my feed Paula. I've missed your blogging. Things have changed and yet they have not. It is a competition for some but not all. The ones who truly do it from the heart are the ones who will shine through in the end. You always blog from the heart and I enjoy reading every word, seeing every photo, and drooling over your recipes.
Mary says
Paula you have a beautiful blog - it's always a treat to visit!! we also ADORE lemon crinkle cookies:))
Mary
SallyBR says
Paula, I understand how you feel, but I think lots of food bloggers still keep it simple on many levels - photos that are not overly tweaked or food in artistic presentation that has little to do with real life, day to day busy people trying to simply eat well and cook from scratch whenever possible
No doubt that the general trend is to write sponsored posts, accept products to review, cookbooks, you name it, or gear a blog towards the future publication of a cookbook - you can "sense" that in many sites.
still, it doesn't have to be that way and it is a breath of fresh air when I stumble on a blog that has been going for a while but is still doing things from the heart. So to speak..
now these cookies, WOW! They have the crinkles I like in a snickerdoodle, and the lemon flavor that I ADORE.... Pinning!
Mi Vida en un Dulce says
Me encantan las galletas de limón, si mal no recuerdo La Havanna tiene unas, siempre me gustaron. Hace tiempo hice unas y fueron un éxito, así que hoy me tomo prestada tu receta porque estoy segura son deliciosas, además me gusta el que le hayan puesto cake flour, creo que eso las hace como más suaves, imagino que se deben "derretir" en la boca.
Caroline @ Shrinking Single says
I need to stop reading food blogs at breakfast time. I am now craving these for breakfast. Much more delicious looking than my porridge.
Cher Rockwell says
These look delicious, Paula.
And yes, it does feel like things have changed a lot in the five years since I started 🙂
Nancy @ gottagetbaked says
I know how you feel, Paula. Food blogging is so clique-y now. It's a popularity contest. It's, who can get the most sponsors, the most paid posts, who are my closest blogging friends, etc etc. I'm trying not to let it get me down but I feel the same competition, the same jealousy. And it's tiring. And uninspiring. So I'm trying to remember why I started blogging in the first place - because it's fun and creative. And I love the connections that I've made. So I'll continue, for now. I'm so happy you've started blogging again despite your busy schedule. And these lemon crinkle cookies look amazing. Tony would adore these! I should make them for him one of these days.
Deb says
Lemon sweets are my favorite Paula! The gorgeous yellow is evocative of a ripe lemon on a sunny day, a scrumptious cookie!
dentistvschef says
wow, looks delicious,
the photograph made me craving for it even more !
Angie Schneider says
I always love crinkle cookies. These look delightful!