Soft Lemon Crinkle Cookies
Tender, moist lemon cookies with a zesty powdered sugar crust, bursting with fresh lemon flavor and a perfect crackled top.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Total Time: 27 minutes
- Yield: 24 cookies 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 cups (240g) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup (170g) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- Zest of 2 medium lemons (about 2 tablespoons)
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup (60g) powdered sugar mixed with 1 teaspoon lemon zest for rolling
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
- Using an electric mixer, beat the softened unsalted butter and granulated sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 to 4 minutes.
- Beat in the large egg, lemon zest, fresh lemon juice, and vanilla extract until combined.
- Gradually add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients, mixing on low speed or folding gently with a spatula until just combined. Do not overmix.
- In a small bowl, mix the powdered sugar with lemon zest for coating.
- Scoop dough using a tablespoon or cookie scoop and roll into balls about 1.5 inches in diameter. Roll each ball generously in the zesty powdered sugar mixture until well coated.
- Place dough balls about 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheet.
- Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until edges are just set but centers still look soft.
- Let cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
If your kitchen is warm, chill the dough for 15 minutes before rolling to make handling easier and improve cookie shape. Watch bake time closely to avoid overbaking. For dairy-free, substitute butter with coconut oil; for gluten-free, use a 1:1 gluten-free baking flour blend with xanthan gum. Fresh lemons are preferred for best flavor. Cookies can be frozen and baked from frozen with extra baking time.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 110
- Sugar: 8
- Fat: 6
- Carbohydrates: 14
- Protein: 1
Keywords: lemon cookies, crinkle cookies, powdered sugar cookies, soft lemon cookies, citrus cookies, easy lemon dessert