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Home » Recipes » Cookie Recipes

Lemon Crinkle Cookies

Published: Apr 9, 2020 · Modified: Mar 25, 2023 by Natalie · This post may contain affiliate links · 4 Comments

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These lemon crinkle cookies are soft, chewy and full of tart, fresh lemon flavor. They’re so easy to make in less than 30 minutes and are perfect for both summertime and holiday cookie exchanges.

Lemon crinkle cookies are a delightful and citrusy twist on the classic crinkle cookie. The powdered sugar coating gives them their beautiful crinkled appearance when baked.

If you’re looking for more lemon recipes, try my Lemon Sour Cream Cookies, Lemon Pistachio Shortbread Cookies and these Lemon Rosewater Cookies!

Jump to:
  • Why This Recipe Works
  • Instructions
  • Recipe FAQs
  • Expert Tips
  • More Lemon Recipes You Will Love
  • Lemon Crinkle Cookies

Why This Recipe Works

  • These cookies are made with both lemon juice and the zest of a whole lemon!
  • The sweet powdered sugar coating tastes so good with the tart lemon flavor.
  • You probably have all the basic ingredients needed to make these cookies and they’re made without any special equipment.
  • Lemon cookies are perfect for both summer baking and holiday cookie exchanges!
Labeled ingredients needed to make lemon crinkle cookies laid out on a table.

Below are useful notes about some of the ingredients.

  • Unsalted butter: Depending on the temperature of your kitchen, you should take take butter out to room temperature about an hour before you make your cookies.
  • 1 egg: Use one large room temperature egg.
  • Lemon zest and juice: These cookies get their tangy lemony flavor from 1 medium lemon. I recommend using organic lemons, if possible. They tend to have a stronger lemon zest flavor since they don’t have the same wax coating regular lemons have.
  • Yellow food coloring: A few drops of yellow food coloring gives the cookies their yellow color. Yellow gives people a hint that the cookies are lemon-flavored. If you don’t want to use food coloring, you can omit it.

See the recipe below for the full list of ingredients.

Instructions

Sugar mixed together with lemon zest in a white mixing bowl.
Butter and sugar creamed together with an electric mixer in a bowl.

Step 1: (Picture 1 above) Combine the sugar and lemon zest. Use your fingertips to rub the zest into the sugar. This intensifies the lemon flavor. 

Step 2: (Picture 2 above) Cream the sugar and butter in the bowl of an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add the egg, lemon zest, lemon juice, food coloring and vanilla and beat until combined.

A white bowl with flour in it.
A white plate with a cookie dough ball rolled in powdered sugar on it.

Step 3: (Picture 3 above) Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside. Add the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. Mix until combined.

Step 4: (Picture 4 above) Scoop out a tablespoon of cookie dough. Roll dough balls in granulated sugar and powdered sugar.

Cookie dough balls coated with powdered sugar on a baking sheet.
Lemon crinkle cookies on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

Step 5: (Picture 5 above) Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake 11-13 minutes.

Step 6: (Picture 6 above) Allow cookies to cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.

Recipe FAQs

What are crinkle cookies?

Crinkle cookies get their unique appearance from being coated in powdered sugar before they bake.

How to store lemon crinkle cookies?

Store lemon crinkle cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week.

Can lemon crinkle cookies be frozen?

Yes. Freeze lemon crinkle cookies for up to 3 months. You can also freeze unbaked cookie dough balls (not coated in powdered sugar) for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature for at least 30 minutes then roll in powdered sugar and bake. 

Expert Tips

  • Tip #1: Scrape down the sides of your mixing bowl. This ensures that all ingredients are fully incorporated.
  • Tip #2: Chill your cookie dough. Chilling the dough isn’t necessary, but it does help the flavor develop.
  • Tip #3: Coat the cookie dough balls completely with powdered sugar. Resist the urge to shake off excess before putting them on the cookie sheet.
Lemon crinkle cookies dusted with powdered sugar next to a lemon.

More Lemon Recipes You Will Love

  • Lemon Biscotti
  • Round cookies with lemon slices and a spoonful of white chocolate.
    Lemon Shortbread Cookies
  • A stack of lemon blueberry cookies on a rack, a milk jug and some blueberries.
    Lemon Blueberry Cookies
  • Baked Lemon Donuts

Did you try this recipe or any other recipe on my website? Please leave a 🌟 star rating and 📝 comment below.

Don’t forget to tag me on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest!

 

powdered covered lemon cookies on a rack

Lemon Crinkle Cookies

Natalie
Easy, homemade lemon crinkle cookies made with lots of lemon flavor! They are tender, melt in your mouth lemon perfection.
5 from 4 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 20 minutes mins
Cook Time 12 minutes mins
Course Baking, Cookies, Desserts
Cuisine American
Servings 24 cookies
Calories 113 kcal

Ingredients
 
 

  • ½ cup unsalted butter room temperature
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 large egg room temperature
  • 1 tablespoon lemon zest from about 1 medium lemon
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1¾ cups all purpose flour
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • ¼ teaspoon baking soda
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 4 drops yellow food coloring optional

Powdered Sugar Coating

  • ½ cup powdered sugar
  • ⅓ cup granulated sugar optional

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper. Set aside.
  • In a medium sized bowl, whisk to combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
  • In a large mixing bowl, add the sugar and lemon zest. Rub the lemon zest into the sugar with your fingertips to help the zest release its oils. Alternatively, you can beat the sugar and zest together with a mixer until combined.
  • Add the butter to the lemon sugar and mix with an electric mixer with the paddle attachment or with a handheld mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy, about two minutes.
  • Scrape down the sides of the bowl then add the egg, lemon juice, food coloring and vanilla extract and beat until combined.
  • With the mixer on low speed add the dry ingredients and mix until combined.
  • Pour the powdered sugar into a shallow bowl or pie plate. Add the optional additional granulated sugar to a seperate shallow bowl.
  • Scoop out a tablespoon of cookie dough. Roll into a ball. Roll the cookie dough balls in the optional additional granulated sugar to coat. Next, roll the ball into the powdered sugar. Coat them completely with the powdered sugar. Place cookies at least 3 inches apart on the baking sheet.
  • Bake 11-13 minutes. Let cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before then transferring them to a rack to cool completely.

Notes

Storage: Store baked and cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week or freeze for up to 3 months. Chill unbaked cookie dough in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days or freeze unbaked cookie dough balls (not coated in powdered sugar) for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature forat least 30 minutes then roll in powdered sugar and bake as instructed. 
Sugar coating: Rolling the balls in granulated sugar before the powdered sugar is optional. The granulated sugar will help prevent the cookies from absorbing all the powdered sugar as they bake. Be sure to coat the balls completely with powdered sugar before baking. 

Nutrition

Serving: 1cookieCalories: 113kcalCarbohydrates: 19gProtein: 1gFat: 4gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.2gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0.1gCholesterol: 16mgSodium: 44mgPotassium: 13mgFiber: 0.3gSugar: 13gVitamin A: 119IUVitamin C: 0.3mgCalcium: 8mgIron: 0.4mg
Tried this Recipe? Let us know!Let us know how it was!
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Comments

  1. Bonny

    August 31, 2022 at 12:54 pm

    Question: Do you roll the chilled cookie dough balls in the powdered sugar just before baking?

    Reply
    • Natalie

      August 31, 2022 at 1:31 pm

      Hi Bonny, Thank you for your comment. Apologies for leaving out that detail in the instructions. Yes- roll the cookie dough balls in the powdered sugar just before baking. Thanks again. I will be sure to update that step in the instructions. Have a nice day! -Natalie

      Reply
  2. Monica Nedeff

    April 15, 2020 at 7:30 pm

    Hi Natalie! These cookies sound amazing! I love lemon anything, but I’ve never made lemon cookies before. I’ll have to try these! Also love the look of how the powder sugar pops in sections after baking!

    Reply
    • Natalie

      April 15, 2020 at 8:02 pm

      Thanks Monica!! I LOVE lemon too and these are amazing:) So pretty how the powdered sugar looks after they bake! Hope you get to try them!!

      Reply

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I’m Natalie, the baker and photographer here at Parsley and Icing! Here you will find a collection of delicious and decadent dessert recipes made with fresh, from scratch ingredients! More About Natalie and Parsley and Icing

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