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These lemon crinkle cookies are fluffy, cake-y, and come together in no time. They’re perfect for when you need a quick homemade treat that still feels special. The bright lemon flavor is so refreshing, and they look absolutely beautiful with that crackled powdered sugar coating. Pair these with my strawberry lemonade sangria for a citrus-themed treat.
I guess you could say that over the years, I’ve garnered a bit of an affinity for crinkle cookies. I’ve made Berry Crinkle Cookies, Red Velvet Crinkle Cookies, Gingerbread Crinkle Cookies, and now Lemon Crinkle Cookies. They’re truly the best!
I think they’re delicious. It’s a cookie that celebrates the marriage of cake meets cookie.
Ingredients You’ll Need for Lemon Crinkle Cookies
- Lemons – We need this for the lemon zest. We are making an incredibly fragrant lemon zest and sugar combination.
- Oil – Gives these cookies the perfect texture. We want something moist and almost cake-like, but still the thickness of a cookie.
- Powdered Sugar – This gets coated on the outside of the cookies, and as they bake, it will reveal a crinkled look.
For the rest of the ingredients, please refer to the recipe index card below!
How to Make Lemon Crinkle Cookies
- Whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
- In the bowl of a stand-up mixer with the paddle attachment (you could also use use a medium bowl with an electric hand mixer), rub the sugar and lemon zest together. This recipe uses A LOT of lemon zest. So be sure to make a salad to use up the leftover lemons.
- Add the oil and vanilla. Beat until combined, about 1 minute. Add the eggs and food coloring gel (if using). And beat once again.
- Add the dry ingredients and mix until you no longer see speckles of flour.
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a lid and transfer to the fridge to chill for 1 hour. This will help firm up the dough to make it easier to scoop out.
- Prep your bowl of powdered sugar. Line a baking sheet with parchment and pre-heat the oven.
- Scoop out a ball of dough and release it in the bowl with the powdered sugar. Roll it around, making sure a lot of powdered sugar gets on there.
- Transfer it to the baking sheet and then repeat. Bake them up and repeat with the other cookies.
Recipe Tip
- If the dough is too soft, you can always add 1 tablespoon more of flour and stick it in the fridge for an additional 30 minutes.
- Store them in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
- You can definitely use Meyer Lemons in this recipe but since they kind of lack that tang that regular lemons have, I would suggest adding 1/4 teaspoon lemon extract. You can find it at most grocery stores.
- Make them ahead! Store the cookie dough in the fridge for up to 3 days and then bake them off when you’re ready to enjoy them. I do think they taste best when very fresh.
More Lemon Recipes
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Lemon Crinkle Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 3/4 (210g) all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 3/4 cup white sugar
- Zest from three lemons
- 1/3 cup neutral oil
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 2-3 drops yellow food coloring gel
- 3/4 cup powdered sugar, sifted
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda & salt. Set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand-up mixer (or with an electric hand mixer), combine the sugar, lemon zest, oil & vanilla extract. Beat until very smooth, about 1 minute. Add in 2-3 drops of food coloring gel & mix again. Add the eggs and beat once more. Pour in the dry ingredients & combine until no flour flecks are visible. Chill the dough for 30 minutes to firm up.
- Preheat the oven to 350F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Using a medium cookie scoop, scoop out balls of cookie dough & roll them in the sifted powdered sugar. Be sure to really cake it on. Place 6 cookies per baking sheet and bake for 12-13 minutes, until the centers are set. Theyโll puff up a bit but fall as they cool. Repeat with the coating & baking with the remaining batter.
Notes
Tips and Tricks
- If the dough is too soft, you can always add 1 tablespoon more of flour and stick it in the fridge for an additional 30 minutes.
- Store them in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
- You can definitely use Meyer Lemons in this recipe but since they kind of lack that tang that regular lemons have, I would suggest adding 1/4 teaspoon lemon extract. You can find it at most grocery stores.
- Make them ahead! Store the cookie dough in the fridge for up to 3 days and then bake them off when you’re ready to enjoy them. I do think they taste best when very fresh.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
*This blog post was originally published on February 15th, 2021. It has since been updated with new copy.
Hi! Have you thought of including weight measurements in all of the ingredients? It makes baking so much easier and you get consistent results!
Cookies are delicious, light and fluffy, but they did not crinkle very much. Wondering why?
Hi, I notice that in this recipe you are using butter with oil, although you use ALL oil in the other crinkle cookie recipes, due to the fact that the powdered sugar melts with the butter and is sticky when it comes out of the oven. I have not made these yet, but before I do, I wanted to get your thoughts.
these cookies were so lovely as they look just as pictured, and tasted great too! the lemon is so subtle and i would have loved a stronger lemon flavor, but they were a hit either way! simple and delicious recipe– thank you!
The instructions say to add butter, however there is no butter listed in the ingredients
Hi V, thanks for catching that! We updated the recipe to only use oil. It should be corrected now. Happy baking!
Hi! Just found your recipe. I am looking to make a large (maybe 3″ diameter) and kind of thick (around 3/8-1/2″) cookie. In other recipes where I’ve tried to make a large cookie, the dough just baked upwards, so I ended up with lemon hockey pucks. Do you think I could get the cookie I’m seeking with your recipe? If so, how many ounces per dough ball would you suggest? Thanks very much!
This recipe is amazing! The cookies came out soooo fluffy and soft. I plan to use the base recipe again and play with other flavors. I modified it for GF and vegan and it really is a perfect cookie recipe!!!
wow love to hear it!!