These lemon crinkle cookies are soft, chewy, and lemony with a slight crisp on the outside. Infused with lemon zest and lemon juice, these lemon cookies are bursting with lemon flavor. Coating them in powdered sugar just before baking gives them that bursting crinkle-look that's so pretty and delicious.
Table of Content
You have to like lemon to enjoy these cookies because they are bursting with lemon flavor. These make perfect holiday cookies in winter and are always a big hit with everyone. I love how they bake flat with a crisp on the outside but still soft and chewy on the inside. You can make these any size you want, and yet I like them medium size (that way I can eat more than one).
I love cookies coated with powdered sugar before baking because it gives them that crinkle look, which looks really pretty. Don't you think? I made chocolate crinkle cookies before, but the lemon definitely gets everyone's attention. And the home smells wonderful when these are baking.
Ingredients and substitutes
- Butter - I like to use unsalted butter in all my baking so I can control the amount of salt. And yet, if you must use salted butter, omit the salt in the recipe.
- All-purpose flour - I always use all-purpose flour with great success. You do not need any other flour.
- Cornstarch - Also known as cornflour - I never miss an opportunity to add starch, cornflour, rice flour, semolina. These add a nice crumbly melt-in-the-mouth feel. It also lightens the cookie.
- Sugar - I've used white sugar of course, because I want the yellow color to shine thru. If you choose to use brown sugar, note that it will add a brown tinge to your cookies, as well as give it a slight caramel taste.
- Lemon zest and juice - You want to use fresh lemon juice for the best flavor and of course, an organic lemon for the zest.
- Vanilla extract - I like using vanilla extract. And yet, it also tends to color the dough. So, if you need a white or plain white dough, add clear vanilla extract or rose essence. That said, always use a good quality vanilla extract. I know it's expensive which is why I make my vanilla extract, vanilla bean paste as well as vanilla sugar.
Step by step instructions
- Combine flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and salt - and set aside.
- Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
- Add lemon zest, and lemon juice followed by the egg - mix well.
- Then, add the vanilla extract and food gel color - combine well.
- Lastly, add the all-purpose flour and combine well.
- Scrape the bowl well to ensure everything is well combined.
- Cover the dough and let chill in the fridge for 30 minutes.
- Preheat the oven at 170 C / 340 F.
- Place powdered sugar in a bowl ready for coating.
- Roll heaped tablespoon of dough into a ball.
- Coat them in the powdered sugar.
- Then, place them on a parchment-lined baking tray.
- Bake in a preheated oven for 9 to 10 minutes or until the outside starts to get a slight color.
- When done, remove onto a cooling rack and cool completely.
- Then transfer to an airtight cookie jar.
- These cookies will keep for up to 2 weeks.
Frequently asked questions
These lemon cookies will keep in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks. You can freeze the dough for up to a month or freeze the cookies for up to three months.
These will spread a bit but should not spread too much.
Too much butter or sugar in the recipe can lead to cookies spreading.
In addition, too much baking powder or baking soda can also make cookies spread too much.
Also, chill the cookie dough before rolling the cookies.
Place cookies on a cold, not hot baking pan.
And make sure the oven is at the right temperature.
I usually chill my cookies for about 15 to 30 minutes. It is always a good practice to refrigerate cookies while the oven is preheating. Chilling cookie dough helps solidify the butter in the cookies. This helps when baking by preventing them from spreading, since chilled dough takes longer to melt compared to room temperature fat.
These lemon cookies have a good shelf life as a dough as well as cookies.
The dough, if wrapped well, can usually stay in the fridge for 5 to 6 days before rolling and baking.
And, you can even cover the cookies and place them on a parchment-lined tray, wrapped well with cling wrap, for about 3 to 4 days.
In addition, sugar cookies dough can be frozen for a month or more if covered well.
Hence, it's a great dough to have on hand in the freezer during the busy festive season.
I have not tried making these eggless, but I do have an Almond Crinkle cookies which are eggless. I highly recommend using that recipe and adding 2 tablespoon lemon juice and 1 teaspoon lemon zest.
You may also like
Did you enjoy this recipe? Please ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ it.
Save it for later.
You can also find a collection of my recipes and tutorials here on Pinterest. Follow me on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
And, don't forget to subscribe to my blog to receive new recipes by email.
Printable Recipe
Lemon Crinkle Cookies
Print Pin Rate Share by Email Share on FB Save GrowDescription
Video
Conversions Used
1 lb = 453 grams, 1 cup = 240 ml, 1 stick = 113g, 1 tbsp= 15 ml, 1 tsp= 5 ml,
Ingredients
- ½ cup (113 g) Butter ((1 stick) unsalted, room temperature)
- 1 cup (200 g) Sugar
- 1 Egg (large)
- ½ teaspoon Lemon zest
- 1 tablespoon Lemon juice
- ¼ teaspoon Salt
- ¼ teaspoon Baking powder
- 1 ½ cup (190 g) All-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon Cornflour
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
- 2 drop Yellow food coloring
- ¼ cup (30 g) Powdered sugar (for coating)
Instructions
- Combine flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and salt – and set aside.
- Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
- Add lemon zest, and lemon juice followed by the egg – mix well.
- Then, add the vanilla extract and food color gel – combine well.
- Lastly, add the all-purpose flour and combine well.
- Scrape the bowl well to ensure everything is well combined.
- Cover the dough and let chill in the fridge for 30 minutes.
- Preheat the oven at 170 C / 340 F.
- Place powdered sugar in a bowl ready for coating.
- Roll heaped tablespoon of dough into a ball.
- Coat them in the powdered sugar.
- Then, place them on a parchment-lined baking tray.
- Bake in a preheated oven for 9 to 10 minutes or until the outside starts to get a slight color.
- When done remove onto a cooling rack and cool completely.
- Then, transfer to an airtight cookie jar.
- These cookies will keep for up to 2 weeks.
Nutrition Information
The nutrition information and metric conversion are calculated automatically. I cannot guarantee its accuracy. If this data is important to you please verify with your trusted nutrition calculator. Thank you
Tracy
I want to make these but am unclear- you state to mix the butter, shortening, and sugar in the second step but shortening isn't listed in the ingredients. Please clarify.
Veena Azmanov
Hey Tracy, No, there is no shortening. Just butter, please. Thanks - it was type error and I fixed it. Thanks for bringing it to my attention.