Sweet and full of bright lemon flavors with lemon extract, fresh lemon juice, and fresh lemon zest, these Lemon Crinkle Cookies are also coated in powdered sugar for that crinkle cookie effect.
These lemon sugar cookies are the perfect dessert or sweet treat for lemon lovers everywhere!
Chewy Lemon Crinkle Cookies are a delightful way to use fresh lemons! And if you don't have a fresh lemon tree, try picking up a bag at Costco.
As we head into springtime, I'm looking forward to bright colors and fresh air leading to warmer weather and summertime.
Sometimes you just need a burst of citrus to taste the freshness, and these lemon cookies are just the thing.
This is the best lemon crinkle cookie recipe I've made, they're packed with lemon flavor, and practically melt in your mouth!
I've found that lemon cookies go perfectly with a cup of coffee in the morning or afternoon, or as a midnight snack - no judgment here!
For more fruity cookie recipes, check out my Fruit Pizza Cookies, these Strawberry Sugar Cookies, and yummy Cranberry Bars.
But I've also got a bunch of favorite lemon cookie recipes to share too. My Lemon Sugar Cookie are a fan favorite along with the Frosted Lemon Sugar Cookie. The lemon cream cheese frosting from Devour Dinner is the BEST.
Shopping List
Made with simple ingredients, the full measurements needed are in the recipe card below.
Wet Ingredients. Butter, Lemon Extract, Egg, Lemon Juice
Dry Ingredients. All Purpose Flour, Granulated White Sugar, Powdered Sugar, Baking Soda, Salt, Lemon Zest
How to Make Lemon Crinkle Cookies
In a large bowl with a hand mixer, or in the bowl of a stand mixer with a paddle attachment on medium speed, cream together softened Butter with Granulated Sugar until light and fluffy. The mixture will turn pale yellow in color. Scrape the sides of the bowl to include all ingredients.
Add the Egg, Lemon Extract, Lemon Juice, and Lemon Zest and cream together.
Gradually add All Purpose Flower and Baking Soda to the butter mixture and mix to combine.
Cover cookie dough with plastic wrap and place in refrigerator for at least 3 hours.
Pro Tip: It's important to chill the dough before making the cookie dough balls so that the surface cracks under the Powdered Sugar giving you the crinkle cookie look.
Preheat oven to 350F Degrees and prepare baking sheets with parchment paper
Using a medium size #50 cookie scoop, scoop the cookie dough into balls.
Roll the cookie dough balls in a heavy layer of Powdered Sugar.
Place the cookie dough balls on a prepared baking sheet 2 inches apart to allow for spreading.
Bake at 350 F for 7-9 minutes or until the edges are set and the center is no longer glossy. Cookies will flatten during baking and make a crinkle look through the Powdered Sugar.
Remove from oven and allow cookies to cool on a hot baking sheet for 5 minutes before moving to a wire rack to cool completely.
Storage & Freezing
Storage: Store cooled cookies in an airtight container for up to 7 days. Cookies are best if enjoyed within 2-3 days.
Freezing: Cookies can be stored in a sealed container and frozen for up to 3 months. Place parchment paper between each cookie to prevent sticking.
Substitutions & Variations
- Vanilla. If you'd prefer a more subtle lemon flavor, you can use Vanilla Extract instead of Lemon Extract.
- Citrus. Use oranges or limes in the same way as lemons here to make Orange Crinkle Cookies, or Lime Crinkle Cookies!
- Chocolate. Add white chocolate chips to the mix to make Lemon Chocolate Chip Cookies.
Pro Tips
What makes the perfect cookie? Does it have a soft center and crispy edges, and is it chewy? Each of these makes a great quality cookie. To make perfect cookies every time here are some pro tips.
To find out more, check out my Pro Tips Guide for making the best cookies every time!
Weighing Ingredients.
Baking is a science and adding too much or too little of any of the ingredients will alter the recipe. Weighing and measuring dry ingredients properly makes a world of difference. Investing in a kitchen scale is ideal. When a kitchen scale is not available, make sure to stir and lift ingredients before scooping them into a measuring cup.
| Volume | Ounces | Grams | |
| All Purpose Flour | 1 Cup | 4½ Ounces | 120 Grams |
| Bread Flour | 1 Cup | 4½ Ounces | 120 Grams |
| Granulated Sugar | 1 Cup | 7 Ounces | 200 Grams |
| Brown Sugar | 1 Cup | 7½ Ounces | 213 Grams |
| Confectionary Sugar | 1 Cup | 4 Ounces | 113 Grams |
Mixing Ingredients.
I like to use a stand mixer to make my cookies, it's the best way to ensure that the ingredients are mixed evenly. Hand mixers will work just as well, but they will require more effort to steady. Always remember to scrape the sides of the mixing bowl, however you mix the ingredients.
Chill Dough.
For best results, chill the cookie dough for 3 hours before making cookie dough balls. Dough that is properly chilled won't absorb the powdered sugar when baking. If cookie dough is too warm or soft, the dough will flatten quickly while baking and the powdered sugar will be absorbed without creating the classic crinkle look.
Cookie Scoop.
Using a cookie scoop keeps each ball of cookie dough the same size, which is essential for baking. I have used a medium cookie scoop in these photos.
Baking Sheets.
You can use an ungreased cookie sheet if you prefer. I like to use Parchment Paper to line baking sheets or a Silicone Mat for easy cleanup.
Baking Time.
Every oven heats a little differently. I recommend doing a test batch of 1-3 cookies to test the baking time for a perfectly baked cookie before baking the remaining dough.
Cookies.
Cookies are perfectly baked when the edges are set and the centers are no longer glossy.
Cooling Rack.
Allow baked cookies to cool on the baking sheet for a minute or two before moving them to a cooling rack to cool completely.
- Kitchen Scale. I use this for accuracy in measuring and it's a lifesaver when it comes to consistent baking
- Wire Rack for cooling cookies. I like to have at least 2 cooling racks
- Mixing Bowls. A Large Mixing Bowl for mixing ingredients and small and medium mixing bowls for other ingredients
- Cookie Sheet. Most recipes will take 2 batches to bake. It's great to have multiple baking sheets available
- Parchment Paper or Silicone Baking Mat. Line the Cookie Sheet with parchment paper for easy cleanup and to prevent sticking.
- Cookie Scoop. A small #60 Cookie Scoop or a Medium Cookie Scoop #50 are great choices for uniform drops of cookie dough.
- Storage Container. An Airtight Container to store cookies or a Ziploc Bag works great too.
- Additional supplies. Measuring Cups and Measuring Spoons along with a silicone spatula are all helpful.
Have you tried this Lemon Crinkle Cookies recipe?
Let me know what you thought of this recipe! Tag @bestcookierecipes on social media so I can see how great your cookies turned out! I would also love to read your comments below. Let me know what you think of these cookies. It really does help!
More Delicious Lemon Recipes
- Lemon Blueberry Cookies
- Strawberry Lemon Bars
- Lemon Cheesecake Bars
- Lemon Curd Cookies
- Betty Crocker Lemon Oatmeal Bars
Lemon Crinkle Cookie
Ingredients
- ½ cup Butter Softened
- 1 cup Granulated Sugar 200g
- 1 Egg Large
- 1 teaspoon Lemon Extract
- 1 tablespoon Lemon Zest
- 1 tablespoon Lemon Juice
- 2 cups All Purpose Flour 240g
- ½ teaspoon Baking Soda
- 1 cup Powdered Sugar
Instructions
- In a large bowl cream together softened Butter with Granulated Sugar until light and fluffy. The mixture will turn pale yellow in color. Scrape the sides of the bowl to include all ingredients.
- Add the Egg, Lemon Extract, Lemon Juice, and Lemon Zest and cream together.
- Gradually add All Purpose Flower and Baking Soda to the butter mixture and mix to combine.
- For a more bold yellow color add a drop or two of Yellow Food Gel (optional)
- Cover cookie dough with plastic wrap and place in refrigerator for at least 3 hours.
- Preheat oven to 350F Degrees and prepare baking sheets with parchment paper
- Using a medium size #50 cookie scoop, scoop cookie dough and roll dough in a heavy layer of powdered sugar.
- Place cookie dough on a baking sheet 2 inches apart.
- Bake at 350 F for 7-9 minutes or until edges are set and the center is no longer glossy. Cookies will flatten during baking and make a crinkle look with powdered sugar.
- Remove from oven and allow cookies to cool on a hot baking sheet for 5 minutes before moving to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
- Store: Store lemon cookies in a single layer in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week. Cookies are best if enjoyed within 2-3 days.
- Freezer: These cookies can be stored in a freezer-safe container and frozen for up to 3 months. Place parchment paper between each cookie or wrap them individually in plastic wrap to prevent them from sticking together when frozen.
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