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Soft and Chewy Lemon Crinkle Cookies

A stack of vibrant yellow lemon crinkle cookies heavily dusted with powdered sugar, sitting on a white plate.
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Make these soft and chewy lemon crinkle cookies bursting with bright, zesty lemon flavor. This simple recipe delivers the perfect crackly powdered sugar exterior and a tender center for an irresistible citrus treat.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup granulated sugar, plus 1/2 cup for rolling
  • 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 large egg
  • 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
  • 1 tablespoon lemon zest
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 cup powdered sugar, for coating

Instructions

  1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set this dry mixture aside.
  2. In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to beat the 1 cup of granulated sugar and softened butter together until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. This step incorporates air for a softer cookie.
  3. Beat in the egg, lemon juice, lemon zest, and vanilla extract until just combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
  4. Gradually add the dry ingredient mixture to the wet ingredients, mixing on low speed until just combined. Do not overmix the dough.
  5. Place the remaining 1/2 cup of granulated sugar in one shallow dish and the 1 cup of powdered sugar in another shallow dish.
  6. Scoop the dough into balls, about 1.5 tablespoons each. Roll each dough ball first in the granulated sugar, coating it completely. Then, roll the sugared ball thoroughly in the powdered sugar until it is heavily coated.
  7. Place the coated dough balls about 2 inches apart on baking sheets lined with parchment paper.
  8. Chill the cookie dough balls in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes. Chilling helps the cookies keep their shape and promotes better crinkling.
  9. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
  10. Bake the chilled cookies for 10 to 12 minutes. The edges should look set, but the centers should still look slightly soft. They will firm up as they cool.
  11. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. The crinkles will set as they cool.

Notes

  • For the best zesty lemon flavor, use fresh lemon juice and zest, not bottled juice.
  • If you want extra crinkles, you can roll the dough balls in granulated sugar, then powdered sugar, and then roll them in powdered sugar a second time before baking.
  • You can make the dough up to 2 days ahead of time. Store it covered in the refrigerator, but allow it to sit at room temperature for about 15 minutes before scooping and rolling.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://tastethisplate.com/lemon-crinkle-cookies-soft-chewy-zesty-recipe/