Lemon Crinkle Cookies
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These soft Lemon Crinkle Cookies are bursting with fresh lemon flavour and coated in powdered sugar for a beautiful crinkled finish.
ย If you love bright citrus desserts, these Lemon Crinkle Cookies are about to become a new favourite. Theyโre soft, tender, and packed with fresh lemon flavour, with a beautiful crackled coating of powdered sugar that makes them just as pretty as they are delicious.
These cookies have a light, cake-like texture that practically melts in your mouth. Theyโre easy to make with simple pantry ingredients and are perfect for everything from holiday cookie trays to afternoon coffee breaks, bake sales, or whenever youโre craving something sweet with a little zing.
Recipe Highlights โ Why This Recipe Works
- Bright Lemon Flavour These cookies are packed with fresh lemon juice and lemon extract for a vibrant citrus taste.
- Perfectly Soft Texture They stay wonderfully soft with a tender, almost cake-like crumb.
- Beautiful Crinkle Finish Rolling the dough in granulated sugar before the powdered sugar helps create those classic dramatic cracks.
- Simple Pantry Ingredients Everything you need is easy to find and likely already in your kitchen.
- Perfect for Any Occasion Great for spring gatherings, holiday cookie platters, bake sales, or everyday baking.
Tips for Best Results
- Chill the dough for at least 30 minutes before scooping. This makes it easier to handle and helps prevent excessive spreading.
- Use fresh lemon juice for the brightest flavour.
- Donโt skip the granulated sugar before the powdered sugar. The extra layer helps create more defined crinkles during baking.
- Coat each scoop generously in powdered sugar. A thick coating produces the prettiest finish.
- Avoid overbaking. The cookies should look set around the edges while remaining soft in the centres.
- Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack.
Ingredients and Substitutions
- All-Purpose Flour โ Provides the structure for the cookies.
- Baking Powder โ Helps create the soft, fluffy texture.
- Salt โ Balances the sweetness and enhances the lemon flavour.
- Butter โ Use softened unsalted butter. If using salted butter, reduce the added salt slightly.
- Granulated Sugar โ Sweetens the dough and is also used for the first coating before the powdered sugar.
- Eggs โ Large eggs provide structure and moisture.
- Fresh Lemon Juice โ Fresh juice gives the best flavour, although bottled can be used if necessary.
- Lemon Extract โ Boosts the lemon flavour without adding extra liquid.
- Vanilla Extract โ Rounds out the citrus with a subtle sweetness.
- Yellow Food Colouring (Optional) โ Adds a cheerful lemon-yellow colour but can be omitted.
- Powdered Sugar โ Creates the classic crinkled exterior.
More Lemon Recipes Youโll Love
If you enjoyed these Lemon Crinkle Cookies, you might also like:
This is the best lemon bars recipe youโll ever make! Tart, sweet, and delicious with buttery shortbread crust โ perfect for any occasion.
This is the best, classic recipe for Lemon Cupcakes that are soft, fluffy and full of sweet and tangy lemon flavour.
Lemon curd donut holes are a lemony delight โ soft donut holes are filled with sweet and tart lemon curd, and covered with a sugar glaze.
Frequently Asked Questions
Lemon Crinkle Cookies
Yield: 24 cookies | Prep time: 15 minutes | Chill time: 30 minutes | Cook time: 10 minutes
Ingredients
- 2ยฝ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ยฝ teaspoon salt
- ยฝ cup butter, softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar, plus about ยผ cup for rolling
- 2 large eggs
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon lemon extract
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 5 to 6 drops yellow food colouring (optional)
- ยฝ cup powdered sugar
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 350ยฐF (175ยฐC). Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Mix the dry ingredients. Whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside. (Image 1)
- Cream the butter and sugar. Beat the butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy.
- Add the wet ingredients. Beat in the eggs, lemon juice, lemon extract, vanilla extract, and yellow food colouring until well combined. (Image 2)
- Combine. Gradually add the dry ingredients, mixing just until no streaks of flour remain. (Image 3)
- Chill the dough. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
- Prepare the coatings. Place granulated sugar in one shallow bowl and powdered sugar in another.
- Scoop the dough. Using a medium cookie scoop (about 1ยฝ tablespoons), scoop portions of dough.
- Coat the dough. Roll each scoop first in the granulated sugar, then generously coat it in powdered sugar. (Image 4)
- Bake. Arrange the cookies about 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets. (Image 5) Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the edges are set and the tops have developed deep crinkles. (Image 6)
- Cool. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Lemon Crinkle Cookies
These soft Lemon Crinkle Cookies are bursting with fresh lemon flavour and coated in powdered sugar for a beautiful crinkled finish.
Ingredients
- 2.5 cups All Purpose Flour
- 2 tsp Baking powder
- 1/2 tsp Salt
- 1/2 Cup Butter, softened
- 1 cup Sugar
- 2 Large Eggs
- 2 Tbsp Lemon Juice
- 1 tsp Lemon Extract
- 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
- Yellow Food Colouring
- 1/2 cup Powdered Sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 F degrees.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a medium bowl, sift in flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar then mix in egg, lemon juice, lemon extract, vanilla extract and 5-6 drops of yellow food colouring.
- Slowly add dry ingredients and mix until well combined.
- Pour powdered sugar onto a plate.
- Form 1 inch balls from dough and roll them into the powdered sugar to coat well. Place balls onto baking sheet about 2 inches apart.
- Bake for 10 minutes.
- Allow to cool on the baking sheet slightly before transferring to a cooling rack.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield:
48Serving Size:
1 gramsAmount Per Serving: Calories: 100Total Fat: 2gSaturated Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 13mgSodium: 68mgCarbohydrates: 18gFiber: 0gSugar: 8gProtein: 2g
This information is provided as a courtesy and for entertainment purposes only. This information comes from online calculators. Although frugalmomeh.com attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures are only estimates.
What is the carb count? I can’t find it anywhere.
I’ve updated the recipe card quickly so it will show an approximate nutrition count.
These look so delicious can’t wait to try them!
These were very delicious but did not crinkle and stayed quite puffy. What did I do wrong?
I would make them again though.
I’d rather use fresh lemon juice so how much of the juice to substitute for the extract? And I guess I’d have to add more flour or something too, right?
I have a question. The 1/2 cup of powder sugar is just for rolling or is part of the batter itself?
Just for rolling.
This type of cookie is one of my favorite things to buy When I visit a bakery in Shipshewana Indiana. So I was excited when I seen this recipe. I made them today. And I agree with a lot of the comments that I read. After leaving the dough in the refrigerator for about an hour it was easier to work with. They look fine. My only complaint is they don’t have a lot of flavor. Definitely need to pump up the lemon. Based on a lot of the replies they may taste better tomorrow. We’ll have to see.
I donโt have the lemon extract can I just add more lemon juice or just eliminate the lemon extract ?
How many cookies does this Lemon Crinkle Cookie recipe make? No mention in the recipe. Thanks.
These cookies turned out tasty, but they are definitely NOT “lemony” at all. They taste more like a vanilla sugar cookie. I would highly recommend doubling the lemon juice and extract. Also, 5-6 drops of yellow food coloring does nothing. Next time I’ll try about 8 drops and much more lemon, even adding zest.
I used 2 tablespoons + and the lemon zest from one large lemon. I thought I would get a stronger lemon taste ๐
The trick to making these perfectly delicious beauties is by using 1โ cookie scoop.
Drop scooped cookie dough in bowl of powdered sugar. I used teaspoon to toss in the powdered sugar then used the same spoon to transfer dough ball to cookie sheet.
Made these the past couple days and they are a huge hit (even for my family who doesn’t like lemons). Like others, I found the original listed recipe to be way too sticky/soupy. I found that by adding 1/4 cup more flour (total of 2 1/4 cups) was just right (still sticky but able to form balls). I’m also at high altitude, in case that makes a difference for other folks. They did turn out a little smaller and puffier, but they tasted WONDERFUL. I was making lemon extract (using the rinds of 12 lemons), and couldn’t find a use for the lemons themselves until I found this recipe. It’s now written down and has become a part of my recipe box for future. Thank you so much for posting it!
Thank you for the women who fixed the crinkle roll problem. Now if only I can figure out if I can freeze them?! I need three hundred for an Alexโs lemonade stand next month. Definitely more lemon ๐!
I make these kind of cookies at work every week and I freeze half of them for catering. I have never had a problem but I do put parchment or little wax paper squares between every cookie to insure they do not stick together. cool complete before freezing and remember to lay flat. They are a fragile cookie. I have never had a problem with the powdered sugar when defrosted it looks like I just baked them.
I couldnโt find a solution to the crinkle problem do yโall mind sharing one with me?
Love these lemon cookies, although I made a double batch at once and added an extra cup of flour because the dough seemed too soft. I also refrigerated the dough for a couple of hours before baking. Then I used a one inch cookie scoop and dropped the dough directly into the powdered sugar. Will definitely try these again!
I made these yesterday and they turned out perfectly. They taste even more lemony today than they did yesterday!
I made these yesterday for a party. They were annihilated! As soon as people tried them, they took my container from the kitchen to the sofa where we were all sitting and ate them all. Absolutely nothing left.
I followed the recipe, but mine were all more puffy than in the picture, and there werenโt any crinkles because most of the powdered sugar melted onto the cookies themselves. Still amazing though!
Oh, but I also omitted the food coloring from mine.
I made these yesterday for a party. They were annihilated! As soon as people tried them, they took my container from the kitchen to the sofa where we were all sitting and ate them all. Absolutely nothing left.
I followed the recipe, but mine were all more puffy than in the picture, and there weren’t any crinkles because most of the powdered sugar melted onto the cookies themselves. Still amazing though!
I made these and they have become an immediate Christmas favorite. Like the chocolate crinkle I put the dough in the fridge overnight (or a few hours) to make it less sticky and bake to perfection with a crunchy outer and a soft gooey inside. We all love lemon so next time I will add lemon zest and double the lemon extract but use lemon oil instead. Like I said we love lemon. People liked them better than the chocolate ones and I usually canโt make enough of them! The flavor intensified as they set, better the next day or after freezing.
I found 2 cups of flour was not enough. The dough was more of a cake batter and could not be rolled into balls and the cookies did not crinkle. Even after refridgerating.
I made another batch. I used 2 1/4 cups flour and refrigerate overnight. The dough was easier to roll and the cookies crinkled.
Hi!! Can the the dough or the baked cookies be frozen? I need to bake loads of cookies for Christmas! Help! ๐คฃ๐คฃ๐คฃโฅ๏ธโฅ๏ธโฅ๏ธ
Yes, you can freeze the unformed dough. I haven’t tried freezing the caked cookies, not sure that would work well because of the powdered sugar when they defrost?
Hi, I tried this recipe exactly as per the instructions, however the cookies were too soft even after cooling. How to make them crunchy? Please help. Though it smells heavenly.
How long would these keep? I need to make 300 of these, can I prerolled cookies a wk ahead keep in freezer n bake it later?
I need to know too please!!! ๐๐ปโโ๏ธ๐๐ปโโ๏ธ๐๐
I am making these now. The dough is very sticky even after chilling. I’m wondering if the ingredients are accurate, in particular, the flour?
Yes, it’s meant to be sticky.
Can’t wait to make these for our cookie exchange on Friday! What’s the yield per recipe approximately? Thanks! ๐
Approx. two dozen.
I’m making these today for my cookie exchange. The dough did not form into ball very well?
I coat my hands in powdered sugar. Helps a lot to roll them
These look delicious. I have only tried the chocolate ones.
These would be refreshing and decandent. I love lemon.
I’m going to try to make these. They look delicious and simple to make.
Lemon bars are one of my favorite desserts, so I’m sure that I would like these too!
No joke, I was musing just a few days ago about how much i love lemon, lime, citrus, etc as flavorings. I am definitely making these this week!
I was sure you were the one who posted a lemon loaf recipe but I can’t seem to find it anymore ๐ I’ve made it a couple times but didn’t save the recipe D:
Was it on your blog?
If you check out the reprinted 1960-1970 Five Roses (flour) Cook Book there is a very Frugal, aฤบways
successful Lemon Loaf Cake. It can be made very quickly, and NEVER fails.
I’m not a big fan of anything sweet but if you make it lemon, I will eat it! Lol! I love lemon too.
These are going to taste super delicious I’m positive, thanks for sharing. Great photos btw ๐
I love lemon so these sound really good to me, can’t wait to try making them!
I cant wait to treat myself to these babies on the weekend.
Do these ever look tasty! I love baking with lemon ๐
These sound like my kind of cookies. I love anything with a lemon flavor!
I dont think lemon would be a flavor I would traditionally gravitate towards as far as cookies go – but I do love the sounds of this and think the sour/sweet combo would be a refreshing dessert