These soft lemon crinkle cookies are loaded with lemon juice and lemon zest. They have the most delicious balance of tangy and sweet flavor! This easy, no chill recipe takes than 30 minutes from start to finish!
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Lemon crinkle cookies are soft, tangy lemon cookies coated with powdered sugar. The coating gives them their beautiful crinkled look when baked.
This recipe is inspired by my chocolate crinkle cookies! This lemony version is as melt in your mouth delicious as the chocolate!
If you’re looking for more lemon recipes, try my Lemon Sour Cream Cookies, Lemon Pistachio Shortbread Cookies and these Lemon Rosewater Cookies!
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Why This Recipe Works
- This lemon crinkles cookie recipe is made with lemon juice and the zest of a whole lemon. For another citrusy cookie recipe, try my recipe for key lime cookies.
- The powdered sugar coating tastes so good with the tart lemon flavor! If you’re a big lemon lover, try my lemon and lime bars and lemon blackberry cake.
- They’re made with basic pantry friendly ingredients and without any special equipment.
- Everyone loves how chewy these cookies are. They’re also super soft like my white chocolate lemon cookies!
Below are useful notes about some of the ingredients.
- Unsalted butter: Use room temperature unsalted butter.
- 1 egg and 1 egg yolk: Use 1 large room temperature egg and 1 egg yolk.
- Lemon zest and juice: These cookies get their tangy lemony flavor from 2 fresh lemons. For more yummy lemon cookie recipes, try my recipe for lemon biscotti and blueberry lemon cookies.
- 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 prefer not to use food coloring, you can omit it.
See the recipe below for the full list of ingredients.
Instructions
Step 1: (Picture 1 above) Rub the lemon zest into the sugar.
Step 2: (Picture 2 above) Add the butter to the lemon sugar. Beat with an electric mixer until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. Add the egg and mix til incorporated. Add the egg yolk, lemon juice, food coloring and vanilla.
Step 3: (Picture 3 above) Add the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. Mix until combined.
Step 4: (Picture 4 above) Scoop out a 1 and 1/2 tablespoon of cookie dough. Roll dough balls in granulated sugar then in the powdered sugar.
Step 5: (Picture 5 above) Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake 10-12 minutes.
Step 6: (Picture 6 above) Allow cookies to cool on baking sheets for 10 minutes then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.
Recipe FAQs
Crinkle cookies get their unique appearance from being coated in powdered sugar before they bake.
Store lemon crinkle cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week.
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
- Scrape the sides of the bowl: This ensures that all ingredients are fully incorporated.
- Lemons: Use 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.
- Chill the dough: Chilling the dough helps the flavor develop.
- Powdered sugar: Coat the cookie dough balls with powdered sugar. Don’t shake off powdered sugar before putting them on the cookie sheet.
More Lemon Recipes You Will Love
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Lemon Crinkle Cookies
Ingredients
- ½ cup (113.5 g) unsalted butter room temperature
- 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
- 1 (1) large egg room temperature
- 1 (1) egg yolk
- 2 tablespoon (2 tablespoons) lemon zest from about 2 medium lemons
- 2 teaspoons (2 teaspoons) lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon (1 teaspoon) vanilla extract
- 1¾ cups (218.75 g) all purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon (½ teaspoon) baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon (¼ teaspoon) baking soda
- ½ teaspoon (½ teaspoon) salt
- 4-6 drops (4 drops) yellow food coloring optional
Powdered Sugar Coating
- ⅓ cup (40 g) powdered sugar
- ¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Set aside.
- In a medium sized bowl, whisk to combine the all purpose 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 high speed until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.
- Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl with a spatula then add the egg and mix til incorporated. Add the egg yolk, 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.
- Use a 1½ tablespoon cookie scoop to scoop the cookie dough. Roll each portion into a ball then roll the cookie dough balls in the optional additional granulated sugar to coat. Next, roll each ball in the powdered sugar. Coat them completely with the powdered sugar. Do not shake off any excess powdered sugar. Place cookies 2 inches apart on the baking sheet. Bake about 12 cookies per half baking sheet.
- Bake 10-12 minutes until cookies have crinkled and are puffed up. Let cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes then transfer them to a rack to cool completely.
Notes
Nutrition
Please note that nutritional values are created by an online calculator and should only be used as an estimate.
Ferraro
Definitely will be trying this recipe (or someone doing it for me lol)
Natalie
LOL can’t wait for you to make them Ferraro!
Val
Hi- could I use lemon extract instead of lemons?
Natalie Ward
Hi Val, I haven’t tried making these without fresh lemon. I think you could swap in lemon extract, but the taste would be somewhat different. The lemon (especially the zest) is what gives the cookies the lemon flavor and fresh flavor. Please let me know if you have any other questions! 🙂 -Natalie
Bonny
Question: Do you roll the chilled cookie dough balls in the powdered sugar just before baking?
Natalie
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
Monica Nedeff
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!
Natalie
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!!