Description
Delight in these zesty Lemon Crinkle Cookies, a soft and chewy treat with a fresh lemon flavor and a beautiful powdered sugar coating. Perfectly balanced with tangy lemon juice and zest, these cookies offer a subtle citrus burst in every bite. Their crinkled tops add a charming homemade touch, making them ideal for dessert or a sweet snack.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Wet Ingredients
- 1/2 cup butter, softened
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 large egg
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (double for stronger flavor, or add lemon extract for boldness)
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 5-8 drops yellow food coloring (optional)
For Rolling
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 3/4 cup powdered sugar (icing sugar or confectioners sugar)
Instructions
- Prepare Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
- Cream Butter and Sugar: Using a stand mixer, beat the softened butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
- Add Wet Ingredients: Add the egg, fresh lemon juice, lemon zest, vanilla extract, and food coloring if using. Mix until fully combined.
- Combine Dry and Wet Ingredients: Gradually add the dry ingredient mixture to the wet ingredients in the mixer. Mix until just incorporated.
- Chill Dough: Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 hours to allow the dough to firm up, making it easier to handle.
- Preheat Oven and Prep Baking Sheets: Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Scoop and Roll Dough Balls: Using a small cookie scoop, portion out the dough and roll into balls. If dough is too soft, chill again until manageable.
- Coat Dough Balls: Roll each dough ball first in granulated sugar then generously coat with powdered sugar.
- Arrange on Baking Sheets: Place the coated dough balls on the prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 2 inches apart to prevent spreading.
- Bake: Bake for 10-12 minutes, until the cookies set and slightly cracked on top.
- Cool: Remove from oven and allow cookies to cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
- For a more pronounced lemon flavor, double the lemon juice or add lemon extract.
- Avoid adding too much lemon juice to prevent cookies from spreading excessively.
- If dough feels too soft to scoop, chill in fridge or freezer to firm up.
- Use parchment paper for easy removal and cleanup.
- Cookies should be soft and chewy with a crinkled powdered sugar coating.
- Metric measurements provided are approximate and not tested.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie (approx. 25g)
- Calories: 110
- Sugar: 10g
- Sodium: 85mg
- Fat: 5g
- Saturated Fat: 3g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 15g
- Fiber: 0.3g
- Protein: 1g
- Cholesterol: 15mg
