Description
Delightfully soft and tangy lemon crinkle cookies with a sweet powdered sugar coating. These cookies feature a rich lemon flavor balanced by a tender, slightly chewy texture, perfect for a refreshing dessert or snack.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 2 and 1/2 cups (313g) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled)
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Wet Ingredients
- 3/4 cup (12 Tbsp; 170g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 1 cup + 2 Tablespoons (225g) granulated sugar
- 1 large egg, at room temperature
- 1/4 cup (60ml) fresh or bottled lemon juice, at room temperature
- 1 Tablespoon lemon zest (packed)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For Rolling
- 3 Tablespoons (35g) granulated sugar (optional)
- 1 cup (120g) confectioners’ sugar
Instructions
- Mix Dry Ingredients: Whisk the flour, cornstarch, baking soda, and salt together in a medium bowl. Set aside.
- Cream Butter and Sugar: In a large bowl, use a hand mixer or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment to beat the butter and granulated sugar together on medium-high speed until creamed, about 3 minutes.
- Add Wet Ingredients: Add the egg, lemon juice, lemon zest, and vanilla extract to the butter mixture and beat on high speed until combined, about 1 minute. The mixture will appear curdled; this is okay. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl.
- Combine with Dry Ingredients: Add the flour mixture and beat on low speed until combined. The dough will be thick, creamy, and sticky.
- Chill Dough: Cover the dough tightly and chill in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours and up to 3 days. Chilling is mandatory for this sticky dough.
- Prepare to Bake: Remove dough from the refrigerator. If it chilled longer than 3 hours, let it sit at room temperature for about 10 minutes to soften slightly. Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats.
- Shape and Roll Cookies: Scoop about 1 tablespoon (20g) of dough for each cookie and roll into balls. For best results, roll each ball first in granulated sugar (optional), then roll generously in confectioners’ sugar 2 to 3 times for a bright coating. Place dough balls 3 inches apart on baking sheets.
- Bake: Bake cookies for 12–13 minutes or until edges appear set and centers still look soft. If they do not spread by minute 9, remove tray from oven and gently bang it 2–3 times on the counter to help initiate spreading, then return to bake.
- Cool: Let cookies cool for 5 minutes on baking sheets before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. Cookies will slightly deflate as they cool.
- Store: Store cookies covered at room temperature for up to 1 week.
Notes
- Make Ahead & Freezing: Dough can chill for up to 3 days; great for make-ahead baking. Baked cookies freeze up to 3 months. Unbaked, uncoated dough balls freeze well up to 3 months; thaw at room temperature for 30 minutes before rolling in sugar and baking.
- Granulated Sugar Amount: 1 cup + 2 tablespoons sugar is crucial to balance the tart lemon juice flavor with sweetness.
- Cornstarch: Optional but helps maintain a softer, thicker cookie texture; can be omitted if unavailable.
- Lemon Juice and Zest: Typically requires 1–2 lemons. Meyer lemons or other citrus fruits can be substituted.
- Rolling Sugar: Rolling in granulated sugar before confectioners’ sugar helps prevent the powdered sugar from absorbing too quickly into the dough.
- Tips: Check top cookie baking tips such as proper creaming and cooling to ensure best texture.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 120 kcal
- Sugar: 9 g
- Sodium: 80 mg
- Fat: 6 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 15 g
- Fiber: 0.5 g
- Protein: 1 g
- Cholesterol: 20 mg
