Bright, soft, and powdered to perfection
Soft, zesty, and finished with a sugar-dusted crackle
These lemon crinkle cookies are like sunshine in cookie form. Lightly crisp on the edges, soft in the center, and bursting with real lemon flavor, they’re the kind of treat that disappears quickly from cookie trays.
The “crinkle” comes from a generous double coating of sugar — first granulated, then powdered — which gives the cookies their signature cracked look as they puff and bake.
They’re easy to prep, just sweet enough, and have the perfect balance of tart and tender.
Recipe Snapshot
- Yields: About 24 cookies
- Texture: Soft and slightly chewy
- Flavor: Bright lemon with a buttery base
- Effort: Low
- Chill Time: 2 hours
- Perfect for: Spring, holidays, tea time, lemon lovers
Ingredients
Dough
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- ¼ tsp salt
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 large egg
- 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1 tsp lemon zest
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- 5–8 drops yellow food coloring (optional)
For Rolling
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- ¾ cup powdered sugar
How to Make Them
1. Mix Dry Ingredients
In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
2. Cream Butter & Sugar
In a stand mixer (or large bowl), beat the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy — about 2–3 minutes.
3. Add Wet Ingredients
Beat in the egg, lemon juice, lemon zest, vanilla, and food coloring (if using). Mix until smooth.
4. Combine
Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet, mixing until just combined. The dough should be soft but thick.
5. Chill
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. Chilling helps prevent excess spreading during baking.
6. Preheat & Prep
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
7. Roll & Coat
Scoop chilled dough into tablespoon-sized balls. Roll each one in granulated sugar, then generously in powdered sugar.
8. Bake
Place cookies 2 inches apart and bake for 10–12 minutes, or until the tops are crackled and set.
Let cool on the pan for 5 minutes before moving to a rack.
Tips for the Best Crinkle Cookies
- Chill thoroughly — warm dough will spread too much.
- Double dip in sugar — the granulated sugar helps the powdered sugar stick, and both are essential for the crinkle effect.
- Don’t overbake — they should look slightly soft in the center when they come out.
- No food coloring? Totally fine. They’ll still taste amazing, just paler.
Storage
- Room temp: Store in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
- Freezer: Freeze baked cookies for up to 2 months.
- Dough: Cookie dough can be scooped into balls and frozen unbaked. Bake straight from frozen, adding 1–2 extra minutes.
FAQ
Why are they called lemon crinkle cookies?
The name comes from the cracked or “crinkled” look that forms on the outside as the cookies bake. The contrast between the white powdered sugar and the yellow dough creates that signature effect.
Can I make lemon crinkle cookies without food coloring?
Yes! The food coloring is purely for appearance. Skipping it won’t change the flavor, but the cookies will be a natural light yellow color instead of bright lemony yellow.
Why did my cookies spread too much?
This usually means the dough was too warm. Make sure to chill it for at least 2 hours. Also, don’t skip the sugar coating — it helps the cookies hold their shape.
How long do lemon crinkle cookies last?
They’ll stay soft for about 4–5 days if stored in an airtight container. For longer storage, freeze them and thaw as needed.
One Last Note
These lemon crinkle cookies bring the kind of joy only a homemade cookie can — a little sweet, a little tart, and just enough fuss to make them feel special without being stressful.
They’re just right for springtime gatherings, bake sales, or when you want to brighten a gray day with something citrusy and soft.
Lemon Crinkle Cookies
Ingredients
Method
- In a large bowl, mix together the flour, salt and baking soda. Set aside.
- In the bowl of your stand mixer, beat the butter and sugar until fluffy (a couple of minutes). Add the egg, lemon juice, lemon zest, vanilla extract and food coloring (if using) and mix to combine.
- Slowly add the dry ingredients to the stand mixer and mix until they are incorporated. Cover bowl with plastic food wrap and place in the fridge to set for 2 hours.
- Preheat oven to 350F and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Scoop out dough (I like to use a small sized cookie scoop- to get a uniform size) and roll the dough into a ball. [Note: the dough should be scoopable but a bit stiff. If the dough feels too soft, pop the dough back into the fridge or in the freezer for a bit. A dough that is too soft will cause the cookies to spread more when baking.]
- Roll the dough balls in regular sugar first and then in the powdered sugar, being sure to coat them generously. Place the dough balls on the baking sheets, 2 inches apart.
- Bake the cookies for 10-12 minutes. Remove them from the oven and allow the cookies to cool on a baking sheet for 5 minutes and then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.
- Note: Metric ingredient measurements are provided as a courtesy using a third-party calculator and are rounded to the nearest unit. The recipes provided on this site have not been tested with metric measurements and their accuracy cannot be verified.
Notes
Calories: 130kcal
Carbohydrates: 22g
Protein: 1g
Fat: 4g
Saturated Fat: 3g
Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.2g
Monounsaturated Fat: 1g
Trans Fat: 0.2g
Cholesterol: 18mg
Sodium: 104mg
Potassium: 17mg
Fiber: 0.3g
Sugar: 14g
Vitamin A: 130IU
Vitamin C: 1mg
Calcium: 4mg
Iron: 1mg
The nutritional information provided is based on third-party calculations and is an estimate only. Accurate nutritional facts will vary based on the particular brands used, portion sizes, measurement accuracy and more.