Why You’ll Love My Lemon Crinkle Cookies Recipe
These cookies have been a long-time favorite in my kitchen, not just for their sunshiny flavor, but because they’re genuinely easy and always impressive. They deliver on the “crinkle” promise with a delicate, powdered sugar-dusted top that naturally crackles as the cookies puff up in the oven. The texture is soft in the center with slightly crisp edges, and the flavor is unmistakably lemon-forward, thanks to a full tablespoon of zest and a splash of lemon juice.
The real turning point in developing this recipe was the double sugar coating: first rolling the dough in granulated sugar helps the powdered sugar stay put through baking, ensuring those iconic white ridges don’t melt away. And unlike some crinkle cookies that go stale fast, these stay chewy for over a week in an airtight container.
If you’re a fan of lemon treats like these bright lemon ricotta soufflés or lemon poppy seed muffins, this cookie recipe will fit right in your rotation.
Ingredients You’ll Need
Here’s what brings these citrusy cookies to life:
- Unbleached granulated sugar or maple sugar – Helps create that crisp edge and chewy middle.
- Lemon zest + lemon juice – The backbone of the cookie’s bright flavor. Zest gives the most powerful citrus punch.
- Unsalted butter or plant-based butter – Make sure it’s room temperature so it creams properly.
- Egg + extra yolk – The yolk adds richness and helps with softness.
- Vanilla + lemon extract – Optional, but boosts that bakery-style lemon aroma.
- All-purpose or gluten-free flour blend – Both work here. Be sure to fluff and level for accurate measurement.
- Baking powder + baking soda – Helps the cookies puff and crinkle.
- Sea salt – Just enough to balance the sweetness.
- Granulated and powdered sugar (for rolling) – The secret to the signature crinkle top.
Ingredient Swaps:
- Use a plant-based butter for a dairy-free version.
- A 1:1 gluten-free flour blend works beautifully in place of AP flour.
How to Make Lemon Crinkle Cookies
Step 1: Preheat your oven to 350°F. Line 2 half-sheet pans or 1 large sheet pan with parchment paper. In your mixing bowl, combine the sugar and lemon zest. Rub them together with your fingers or paddle attachment until fragrant.
Step 2: Add the butter to the lemon sugar mixture and beat until fluffy and pale—about 3–4 minutes.
Step 3: Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the egg, egg yolk, lemon juice, vanilla, and lemon extract (if using). Mix until smooth.
Step 4: In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the wet and mix on low until just combined—don’t overwork it.
Step 5: Prepare two small bowls: one with granulated sugar, the other with powdered sugar. Scoop dough into golf-ball-sized balls (about 1.5″). Roll first in granulated sugar, then generously in powdered sugar. Arrange cookies 2 inches apart on your prepared pans.
Step 6: Bake for 8–10 minutes, until the edges are set and the centers are soft but puffed. Cool completely on a wire rack. Store in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.
Pro Tip: Rolling the cookie dough in both granulated and powdered sugar ensures the crinkle pattern stays visible after baking—no disappearing sugar!
Troubleshooting the Crinkle
If your lemon crinkle cookies didn’t crack, spread too much, or ended up cakey, here’s what to check:
- No cracks? Your dough may have been too cold or too dry. Try baking at a slightly higher temp, or avoid over-mixing.
- Powdered sugar disappeared? That’s where the double rolling helps. Granulated sugar prevents the powdered sugar from dissolving.
- Too cakey? You may have added too much flour. Use the spoon-and-level method.
- Too flat? Dough might have been too warm. A quick chill (15 minutes) before rolling can help if your kitchen is warm.
Recipe FAQs
Fresh lemon juice is best—it has more brightness and less bitterness. But in a pinch, bottled will work.
Check that your baking soda and powder are fresh, and that your dough wasn’t too dry or overmixed.
Yes! Use a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend.
Roll the dough balls first in granulated sugar, then powdered sugar. Bake as directed and don’t skip the layering.
These cookies are a joy to bake and even better to share. Whether you’re making them for Easter, a spring picnic, or a little weekday sunshine, let me know how they turn out! They also make a great addition to a fruit-forward dessert spread or an afternoon treat with a cup of tea.
More Zesty Bakes & Fruity Treats to Love
- Luscious Lemon Bars – tangy, buttery, and great for spring gatherings
- Blueberry-Lemon Olive Oil Quick Bread – moist, fragrant, and topped with corn streusel
- Cherry Bakewell Tart – jammy almond tart perfection
- Lemon Ice Torte – a chilled lemon dessert with vintage charm
If you give this recipe a try, snap a pic and tag @pamelasalzman so I can see your beautiful creations. I also really appreciate readers taking the time to leave a star rating and review! I have started a weekly Monday newsletter with tips, musings, new recipes not published here, fun new finds, and more. Subscribe for free here.
For more delicious recipes and to learn how to be a better cook, check out my monthly online cooking classes. I have been teaching people for 15 years how to cook healthy food that their families love! Join me!
Fresh Lemon Crinkle Cookies (Soft & Chewy!)
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup unbleached granulated, cane sugar or maple sugar
- 1 Tablespoon packed lemon zest from 2-3 lemons
- 1/2 cup 1 stick unsalted butter, or plant butter, at room temperature
- 1 large egg + 1 large egg yolk
- 1 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon lemon extract, optional, but this gives the cookie the perfect lemon flavor
- 2 cups all-purpose flour , or your favorite GF flour blend
- 3/4 teaspoon aluminum-free baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
To Roll the Cookies
- 3 Tablespoons granulated sugar
- 3 Tablespoons powdered sugar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and line 2 half-sheet pans or 1 three-quarter sheet pan with unbleached parchment paper. Set aside.
- In a mixing bowl (I use my stand mixer) add the sugar and lemon zest. Stir with the paddle attachment to release the oils from the lemon zest or massage between your finger tips.
- Add the butter to the lemon zest and sugar and beat on medium speed, gradually increasing speed until the butter becomes light, fluffy, and becomes lighter in color, about 3-4 minutes.
- Scrape down the sides of the bowl and add the egg, egg yolk, lemon juice, vanilla extract, and lemon extract. Beat until the mixture is smooth and thoroughly blended.
- In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add this mixture to the wet ingredients in the mixer.
- Mix on low speed until just combined. Do not over-mix.
- Get out TWO small bowls. Fill one bowl with 3 Tablespoons granulated sugar and one bowl with 3 Tablespoons powdered sugar.
- Shape the dough into balls using a 1.5-inch ice cream scooper or use a spoon and make a golf ball size. Coat each ball first in granulated sugar and then in powdered sugar to generously cover the cookie balls.
- Place the cookies 2 inches apart on your sheet. Bake for 10 minutes (check the cookies at 8 minutes as oven temperatures vary) or until the edges are set and the centers have puffed up but are still soft. Cool on a wire cooling rack and store in an airtight container.
Notes
- No cracks? Your dough may have been too cold or too dry. Try baking at a slightly higher temp, or avoid over-mixing.
- Powdered sugar disappeared? That’s where the double rolling helps. Granulated sugar prevents the powdered sugar from dissolving.
- Too cakey? You may have added too much flour. Use the spoon-and-level method.
- Too flat? Dough might have been too warm. A quick chill (15 minutes) before rolling can help if your kitchen is warm.
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