There’s a certain magic in the kitchen during the holidays, isn’t there? For me, it’s that moment when the scent of bright lemon and butter fills the air, promising something wonderful. That’s exactly the feeling these Lemon Crinkle Cookies bring—they’re like little pockets of sunshine, with a soft, chewy center and a snowy, cracked top that feels like pure joy. This is more than just a cookie; it’s a hug in dessert form, the ultimate comfort food recipe I find myself craving all year long.
When I plan my holiday baking, I always aim for a mix of tradition and a happy surprise. While brainstorming christmas baking ideas or looking for easy christmas treats, these lemony gems are my absolute go-to. They offer such a refreshing, vibrant twist, making them perfect for unique christmas cookies that stand out on any dessert platter. If you’re like me and love compiling christmas cookies recipes or finalizing your christmas dessert ideas, this one is a non-negotiable addition.
Truly, this recipe has become a star of my holiday baking season. It brings a burst of sunny flavor to the festive table and is a joyful answer whenever I’m exploring holiday cookies christmas. Whether you’re a seasoned baker or just starting out, these cookies are a simple, delightful way to spread a little extra cheer.
Nothing beats a great Lemon Crinkle Cookies. Whether you're a fan of Christmas Cookie or want to try something from our Dinner Ideas selection, keep scrolling!
Why You’ll Love This Lemon Crinkle Cookies
- Sensory experience: Vibrant yellow hue and incredible citrus aroma fill your home.
- Perfect texture: Soft and chewy inside with a slight crispness on the edges.
- Bright & zingy: Powerful, authentic lemon flavor from fresh zest and juice.
- Deceptively easy: Straightforward method with impressively professional results.
Ingredients & Tools
- 210 g all-purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 115 g unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 150 g granulated sugar
- 1 large egg, at room temperature
- Zest of 2 medium lemons
- 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 120 g powdered sugar, for rolling
Tools: Mixing bowls, electric hand mixer or stand mixer, whisk, zester or microplane, baking sheets, parchment paper or silicone baking mats, wire cooling rack.
Notes: Use freshly zested and juiced lemons for the best brightness. Room-temperature butter and egg are key for a smooth, emulsified dough.
Nutrition (per serving)
| Calories: | 145 kcal |
| Protein: | 1.5 g |
| Fat: | 6 g |
| Carbs: | 22 g |
| Fiber: | 0.3 g |
Serves: 18 | Prep Time: 20 minutes | Cook Time: 10 minutes | Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes (includes chilling)
Before You Start: Tips & Ingredient Notes
- Don’t skip the chill. This step is non-negotiable. Chilling the dough firms up the butter, which prevents the cookies from spreading too much in the oven. It also allows the flavors to meld and deepens that beautiful lemon taste.
- Zest your lemons before juicing them. It is infinitely easier to zest a whole, firm lemon than a floppy, juiced one. Trust me on this one—it’s a tiny step that saves a lot of frustration.
- Properly measure your flour. The most common mistake in cookie baking is using too much flour. For accuracy, fluff your flour with a spoon, spoon it into your measuring cup, and level it off with a knife. Or, even better, use a kitchen scale.
- Room temperature ingredients are key. If your butter and egg are cold, your batter won’t come together smoothly, and you risk overmixing, which can lead to tough cookies. Plan ahead and take them out about an hour before you start.
How to Make Lemon Crinkle Cookies
Step 1: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. This isn’t just busy work—whisking ensures your leaveners and salt are evenly distributed throughout the flour, which means every cookie will rise and taste the same. Set this dry mixture aside for now.
Step 2: In a larger bowl, use an electric mixer to cream the softened butter and granulated sugar together on medium-high speed. You’ll want to do this for about 2-3 minutes, until the mixture is pale, light, and fluffy. This step incorporates air into the dough, which is part of what gives the cookies their lovely texture.
Step 3: Beat in the room-temperature egg, followed by the fresh lemon zest, lemon juice, and vanilla extract. The mixture might look a little curdled at this point—that’s perfectly normal because of the acidic lemon juice. Don’t worry, it will all come together once you add the dry ingredients.
Step 4: With your mixer on low speed, gradually add the dry flour mixture to the wet ingredients. Mix only until the flour streaks have just disappeared and a soft dough has formed. Be careful not to overmix! Overworking the dough develops gluten and can make your cookies tough instead of tender.
Step 5: Now, cover the bowl with plastic wrap and chill the dough in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour. This is the perfect time to clean up and preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line your baking sheets with parchment paper. The dough needs to be firm enough to handle without being overly sticky.
Step 6: Place the powdered sugar in a small bowl. Once the dough is chilled, scoop out portions—about 1 tablespoon each—and roll them into balls. The trick is to roll them firmly so they’re nice and round. Then, generously roll each ball in the powdered sugar until it’s completely coated. You want a thick, white blanket of sugar.
Step 7: Place the sugar-coated dough balls on your prepared baking sheets, leaving about 2 inches between them to allow for spreading. They don’t spread a huge amount, but they do need their space. You’ll probably need to bake in two batches.
Step 8: Bake for 9-11 minutes. The cookies are done when the edges are just barely starting to turn a light golden brown and the tops have cracked beautifully. They will still look very soft in the centers—that’s what you want! Let them cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. They will firm up as they cool.
Storage & Freshness Guide
- Fridge: Store baked cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days.
- Freezer: Freeze dough balls or baked cookies for up to 3 months; bake frozen dough adding 1-2 minutes.
- Reviving: Refresh cookies in a 300°F oven for 3-5 minutes to restore crispness.
Serving Suggestions
Complementary Dishes
- A simple fruit platter with berries and mint — The fresh, juicy berries provide a lovely contrast to the rich, zesty cookies and make the whole spread feel more complete.
- A scoop of vanilla bean ice cream — Sandwich a slightly warm cookie around a scoop for an incredible ice cream sandwich, or simply serve them side-by-side. The warm and cold contrast is divine.
- A sharp cheeseboard with aged cheddar — The sharp, salty cheese is a surprising and fantastic partner for the sweet and tart lemon, creating a sophisticated flavor combination.
Drinks
- Earl Grey tea — The bergamot in the tea harmonizes beautifully with the citrus notes in the cookie, creating a wonderfully aromatic and cozy pairing.
- A crisp glass of Prosecco or Moscato d’Asti — The bubbles and slight sweetness of these sparkling wines cut through the cookie’s richness and elevate the entire experience.
- Iced herbal tea with lemon verbena — This is a non-alcoholic option that doubles down on the citrus theme, making for a incredibly refreshing and light combination, especially on a warm day.
Something Sweet
- Lemon curd tartlets — For the ultimate lemon lover, serve these cookies alongside mini lemon curd tarts. It’s a celebration of citrus in different textures and forms.
- White chocolate-dipped strawberries — The sweet creaminess of the white chocolate and the berry flavor offer a different kind of fruity sweetness that doesn’t compete with the lemon.
- A dollop of lemon sorbet — If you really want to lean into the refreshing quality, a scoop of tangy sorbet turns a simple cookie into a elegant, restaurant-style dessert.
Top Mistakes to Avoid
- Mistake: Not chilling the dough. I know, I know, it’s tempting to skip. But if you do, your cookies will spread into thin, flat puddles instead of maintaining their lovely, puffed-up, crinkled shape. The chilled dough is what creates that perfect texture.
- Mistake: Overbaking the cookies. They continue to cook on the hot baking sheet after you take them out of the oven. If you wait for them to look “done” in the oven, they’ll be dry and crunchy once cooled. You want them to look a little underdone when you pull them out.
- Mistake: Skimping on the powdered sugar. That thick, snowy coating is essential for the classic crinkle look. If you use a thin layer, it will mostly dissolve into the dough during baking, and you’ll be left with pale, barely-cracked cookies.
- Mistake: Using cold butter. Cold butter won’t cream properly with the sugar, which means less air is incorporated. This results in a denser, flatter cookie. Soft, room-temperature butter is the foundation of a good crinkle cookie.
Expert Tips
- Tip: For an even more intense lemon flavor, rub the lemon zest into the granulated sugar with your fingers before you start creaming it with the butter. This action releases the fragrant citrus oils from the zest directly into the sugar, perfuming the entire cookie dough.
- Tip: Use a cookie scoop for perfectly uniform cookies. Not only does it make the process faster and less messy, but it also ensures all your cookies are the same size and will bake at the same rate.
- Tip: If your dough becomes too firm in the fridge and is difficult to scoop, let it sit on the counter for 5-10 minutes to soften slightly. You want it firm, but not rock-hard.
- Tip: For a super white, dramatic crinkle, roll the dough balls in powdered sugar twice. Do a first coat, let them sit for a minute, and then roll them again right before baking. This creates an extra-thick layer that really stands out against the golden cookie.
FAQs
Can I make these cookies ahead of time?
Absolutely! You have a couple of great options. You can prepare the dough, roll it into balls, and freeze them on a baking sheet before transferring to a freezer bag. Bake directly from frozen, adding 1-2 minutes to the baking time. Alternatively, you can bake the cookies completely and store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days. They also freeze beautifully after baking for up to 3 months.
Why didn’t my cookies crinkle?
The crinkle happens because the outside of the cookie, coated in powdered sugar, sets and cracks as the inside continues to rise and expand. If you didn’t get good crinkles, the most likely culprit is not enough powdered sugar, or the dough wasn’t chilled sufficiently. A thick coat of sugar and a firm, cold dough ball are the two essential factors for that beautiful cracked top.
Can I use bottled lemon juice instead of fresh?
I really don’t recommend it. Fresh lemon juice provides a vibrant, bright acidity that bottled juice, which often has a flat or slightly metallic taste, simply can’t replicate. For the best flavor, fresh is always best. The zest is also non-negotiable, as it holds the most potent lemon oil.
My dough is really sticky, what should I do?
This usually means it needs more chilling time. Pop it back in the fridge for another 30 minutes. If you’re in a rush, you can even put it in the freezer for 15 minutes. A sticky dough is difficult to roll and will absorb the powdered sugar instead of letting it coat the surface. A firm, cold dough is much easier to handle.
Can I add poppy seeds or other mix-ins?
Yes, definitely! A tablespoon or two of poppy seeds would be a classic and delicious addition, creating a lemon-poppy seed cookie variation. You could also fold in some white chocolate chips or even a handful of dried cranberries for a different twist. Just add them in with the dry ingredients so they get evenly distributed.
Lemon Crinkle Cookies: A Soft & Chewy Comfort Food
Lemon Crinkle Cookies are a bright, easy Christmas treat. This simple lemon cookies recipe yields soft, chewy delights with a snowy crinkle top, perfect for holiday baking.
Ingredients
For the Cookies:
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210 g all-purpose flour
-
1/2 tsp baking powder
-
1/4 tsp baking soda
-
1/4 tsp salt
-
115 g unsalted butter (softened to room temperature)
-
150 g granulated sugar
-
1 large egg (at room temperature)
-
Zest of 2 medium lemons
-
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
-
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
-
120 g powdered sugar (for rolling)
Instructions
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In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set this dry mixture aside for now.01
-
In a larger bowl, use an electric mixer to cream the softened butter and granulated sugar together on medium-high speed for about 2-3 minutes, until the mixture is pale, light, and fluffy.02
-
Beat in the room-temperature egg, followed by the fresh lemon zest, lemon juice, and vanilla extract.03
-
With your mixer on low speed, gradually add the dry flour mixture to the wet ingredients. Mix only until the flour streaks have just disappeared and a soft dough has formed.04
-
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and chill the dough in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line your baking sheets with parchment paper.05
-
Place the powdered sugar in a small bowl. Once the dough is chilled, scoop out portions—about 1 tablespoon each—and roll them into balls. Then, generously roll each ball in the powdered sugar until it’s completely coated.06
-
Place the sugar-coated dough balls on your prepared baking sheets, leaving about 2 inches between them to allow for spreading.07
-
Bake for 9-11 minutes. The cookies are done when the edges are just barely starting to turn a light golden brown and the tops have cracked beautifully. Let them cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.08
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