I love to bake with lemon in the Spring and Summer, there's no doubt about it! Lemon is bright and citrusy and brings a pop of flavor that just makes people happy, plain and simple.
These Lemon Crinkle Cookies balance out that pop of tart lemon with a subtle sweetness. And those crinkles on top give these cookies a fun texture and chew that will have your friends and family reaching for more.
Making these Cookies Lemony
These cookies are bursting with lemon flavor! If you are as into lemon desserts as I am, these cookies are for you. They have two full tablespoons of fresh lemon juice and another tablespoon of lemon zest.
I used about two lemons total for this recipe. So, you don't need a lot, but lemme tell ya, that's enough to bring out a lot of lemon flavor.
But don't worry, they're not overly tart. There's a full cup of sugar in the cookie dough which balances out the tartness. Plus, more powdered sugar on top.
Creating the Crinkles in Lemon Crinkle Cookies
Ah, the crinkles! That texture on top not only makes the cookies look fun and inviting, it also helps give the cookies a nice bite to them.
These lemon cookies retain a nice chew on the inside, too. I find these cookies make for the perfect dessert to bring to a Spring or Summer potluck or outdoor party as they hold up really well in heat and the flavor is quite refreshing!
Tips for Making this Recipe
- As I recommend in most of my recipes, use the freshest ingredients possible. For this recipe, that means buying your lemons as close to when you'll be baking as possible. If you're lucky enough to have a farmer's market close by and open, buy them there the same day as you'll be baking
- Zest the lemons first then juice them. This may seem pretty obvious, but I can't tell you how many times I've cut into my lemons to start juicing them only to realize I needed to zest them first! Let my failures prevent you from making the same mistakes
- To extract the most juice from your lemons as possible, roll them on the counter before slicing them open. Put a little pressure on them while you're rolling, too. I press down with my palm and sometimes, if the lemon has a particularly thick rind, I use my elbow to press down on it as I'm rolling. This will get the juices flowing, literally!
- Slice lemon in half and squeeze into a strainer set over a measuring cup so you can strain out any seeds or pieces of fruit and measure at the same time
- Bake these cookies just until they begin to brown and the tops get that crinkly look. You don't want overly browned cookies here. Leave the cookies on the trays for at least 10 minutes after you remove them from the oven to allow them to continue cooking slightly without browning
Looking for more lemon dessert recipes? Give these a try:
Ingredients
- ½ cup unsalted butter cold and cut into cubes
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 large egg room temperature
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest zest from 2 small lemons, approximately
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice strained, juice from 2 small lemons, approximately
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ cup powdered sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silpats and set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. Mix in vanilla, egg, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Scrape sides of the bowl and mix again until well incorporated. With mixer off, add in flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda and stir until just combined. Scrape sides of bowl and stir again briefly. Pour powdered sugar onto a plate. Roll a heaping teaspoon of dough into a ball and roll in powdered sugar. Place on baking sheet and repeat with remaining dough.
- Bake for 9-11 minutes or until cookies are just turning golden brown on the edges and the tops look cracked and crinkly. Remove cookies from the oven and cool on trays for 10 minutes before transferring to cooling rack.
Notes
- Store cooled cookies in an air-tight container at room temperature up to one week
- Cookie dough may be frozen after rolling into balls, but before rolling in powdered sugar. Bring to room temperature then roll in sugar and bake
Nutrition
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Jake the bajer
Can’t wait to make these!!
Karly
These cookies look so delicious! Can't wait to make them.
Kim
I can't wait for you to make them either! They're so delicious 🙂
Will
These were amazing! I just substituted salt for the sugar and bacon fat for the... JUST KIDDING! I hate when people post their substitutions. These are seriously amazing exactly how you have created them and will be my new go-to when I am craving lemon baked goods. Thanks! 😀
Kim
LOL that made me laugh! I'm so so glad to hear you love them as much as I do!!!
Cortnie
The best!
Kim
so happy to hear that!!
Lucia Lopez
Hi!!! I have made this cookies twice and are absolutely my favorites!1 They are not just like any other lemon cookie wich are ussualt plane and dull, these are full of lemon flavor and resembles something close to a lemon pie!!! There is just one thing that I can not pull off, after baking, all the powdered sugar that i roll the cookie dough into, seems to get absorved by the cookie, so at the end my cookies don´t have that 2crinkle" top... is there a tip or simething that you could give me?
Kim
Try rolling the cookies in granulated sugar first then rolling them in powdered sugar. That should help dry out the cookies so the tops crinkle when they are done baking. Good luck!!
Amalia
These cookies are excellent! Very easy to make (especially with cold butter!) and the amount of lemon juice and zest gives them a great tangy fresh flavor! I made them last weekend and it because a favorite right away.
I liked the texture too because the were mildly crunchy on the outside and chewy on the inside. Perfection!
Kim
I'm so glad you loved them, Amalia! These are some of my faves!
Amalia B
I love these crinkle cookies and every time I make them people goes “nuts” about them and ask for the recipe! It’s a favorite in our house and very easy to make! Yum!!!
Kim
This is one of my favorites so I'm thrilled it's become one of yours too! Yay for lemon cookies!
Deb L
I have a question about creaming the sugar and cold butter until light and fluffy. In my experience, that isn't easy to do. Do you have any technique guidance?
Kimberlee Ho
Sure! Cut the cutter into small cubes. start out with the mixer on low speed and gradually increase the speed to medium / medium-high as the butter and sugar being to combine. If you are using a stand mixer, let the machine continue mixing on that speed for a few minutes, stopping to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl with a flexible spatula as you go. If using a hand mixer, be sure to stop to scrape the bowl and give your hands a rest. It may take longer than you think it should, so be patient!