Lemon Crinkle Cookies

These Lemon Crinkle Cookies are flavored with real lemon zest and juice. They’re sweet, tangy, and down right delicious!

Author Amber Brady

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 10

Total Time 25

Yields cookies

Ingredients

2 ⅓ cups (292 g) all-purpose flour, (stir, spoon & level)
1 tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
½ cup (113 g) unsalted butter, (1 stick) room temperature
1 ¼ cups (250 g) granulated sugar
1 Tbsp lemon zest, about 2 lemons
2 large eggs, room temperature
¼ cup (59 ml) lemon juice, about 2 lemons
yellow food coloring, optional

Coating:

¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar
½ cup (60 g) powdered sugar

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line half sheet pans with silicone baking mats or parchment paper. Set aside.
Whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl. Set aside.
Using a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, cream the butter, sugar, and lemon zest together until combined.
Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Add the lemon juice and a drop or two of yellow food coloring (optional). Mix to combine.
Add the flour mixture, and mix on low speed until combined. The dough will be thick and slightly sticky. (NOTE: If the dough seems especially wet and sticky, your butter may have been too soft. Simply chill the dough until it’s firm enough to scoop; about 30 minutes.)
Place the granulated sugar and powdered sugar for coating the dough in two separate small bowls. Use a medium cookie scoop (#40 scoop; about 1.5 Tablespoons) to spoon the cookie dough into a ball. (A trigger scoop is recommended due to the stickiness of the dough.)
Drop the dough into the granulated sugar. Roll it around and shake off any excess. (This helps make the dough more manageable.) Next, generously coat the dough with powdered sugar. Place the cookies several inches apart on the prepared baking sheets.
Bake at 350℉ for 9-11 minutes, until cookies are puffy and the edges are firm to the touch. The center of the cracks will be almost matte (just slightly wet/shiny still). Cool for several minutes on the pan, then transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.

Notes

For thicker cookies: While this recipe can be baked immediately (as long as the butter wasn’t too soft), if you desire thicker cookies, then you must chill the dough. This helps slow the spread of the dough during baking.
For more lemon flavor: Rubbing the zest into the sugar helps the oils release for a natural lemon flavor. If even more lemon flavor is desired, you can add 1/8 tsp of food grade lemon essential oil, or 1 tsp of lemon extract to the dough.
TO STORE: Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up 4 days, or in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
TO FREEZE COOKIE DOUGH: Scoop cookie dough balls, un-coated, onto a parchment or silicone lined baking sheet. Freeze for 1-2 hours or until firm. Then transfer frozen dough to a freezer-safe bag. Freeze up to 3 months. Allow the frozen cookie dough to come to room temperature for 20-30 minutes. Coat the dough balls with both sugars, then bake as directed.
TO FREEZE COOKIE BAKED COOKIES: Freeze baked cookies after they have cooled completely, in single layers divided by parchment paper, wrapped well or in a freezer bag, for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator or on the counter. *NOTE: The powdered sugar may absorb into the cookies due to the moisture in the freezer. It will not affect the taste.

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