If you’re looking for a cookie recipe that perfectly balances tangy citrus flavors with a touch of sweetness, look no further than these Soft and Chewy Lemon Crinkle Cookies. They’re bursting with zesty lemon in every bite. Whether you’re baking for a party, a holiday, or just a regular weekday treat, these cookies are sure to brighten your day.
The need to create this recipe all started with chocolate crinkle cookies, which are certainly a delicious treat themselves. That white powdered sugar coat with jagged dark chocolate fissures peeking through makes for an eye-catching dessert. But sometimes, chocolate desserts can be too rich when I want a sweet treat that is lighter on its feet. This is why lemon desserts were invented, ya’ll!
A Citrus Explosion in Every Bite
Lemon cookies offer a lighter take on the crinkle family to create a bright lemon flavor with a soft, chewy texture. At our house, we LOVE lemon-based desserts like lemon bars, ice cream, and tarts, so lemon cookies are always a yes. This recipe brings the big lemon flavor we long for with a combination of lemon zest, juice, and extract. Adding the orange zest (optional but tasty) softens the lemon slightly with a citrusy sweetness to keep folks guessing about your secret ingredient.
The irresistible sweet-tart flavor and delightful crackle texture make a lovely addition to any holiday cookie tray. May your days be as sunny as these cookies!
Why You’ll Love These Lemon Crinkle Cookies
- Perfectly Tangy: The combination of freshly squeezed lemon juice, lemon zest, and lemon extract delivers an intense citrus flavor.
- Soft and Chewy Texture: Melted butter and a mix of whole egg and egg yolk ensure the cookies stay moist and tender.
- Beautiful Crinkle Effect: Rolling the dough in powdered sugar before baking creates a stunning crinkled surface as the cookies spread.
- Simple Ingredients: Most of these items are pantry staples, with a few fresh ingredients to elevate the flavor.
The Role of Brown Sugar in Cookies
Why is brown sugar a game-changer for cookies? The secret lies in its composition. Brown sugar contains molasses, which adds a subtle caramel-like flavor and has hygroscopic properties. This means it attracts and retains moisture, resulting in softer cookies that stay fresh longer.
Including brown sugar in your dough ensures that your cookies remain irresistibly chewy, even a few days after baking. That’s why we add a little to our lemon cookie recipe, too.
Melting the Butter
Did you know that melting the butter is what gives baked goods more of a dense, fudgy interior texture?
Well, according to King Arthur’s article on the secret to fudgier cookies, “Cookies made with melted butter often deflate and become denser when they cool, resulting in a perfectly cooked fudgy center. If done properly, your cookies should come out slightly fudgier and more compact, with a crisp-on-the-edges, soft-in-the-center texture that bends instead of snaps.”
If you love cookies with set, dense centers rather than fluffy cake-like centers, this melted butter technique is for you! And it’s just one more thing you’ll love about this lemon cookie recipe.
RECIPE STEP-BY-STEP
- Mix melted butter and sugar until well blended. Stir in eggs, lemon juice, zests, and extracts and mix until well incorporated and smooth.
- Mix flour, baking soda, and salt together, then stir the mixed dry ingredients into the mixed wet ingredients until fully incorporated.
- Roll the dough into 1-inch balls and refrigerate for 1-2 hours. (Rolling into balls before refrigeration makes it easier to work with the dough and reduces fridge time.)
- Roll chilled dough balls in powdered sugar. Set the rolled dough balls on a parchment-lined baking sheet 2 inches apart.
- Bake at 350°F for 8-10 minutes or until edges are set but not browned.
TIPS & Variations
- Zest First, Juice Later: Always zest your lemons before juicing them—it’s much easier!
- Don’t Skip the Chill: Chilling the dough is essential for achieving that thick, chewy texture.
- Powdered Sugar Generosity: Roll the dough balls liberally in powdered sugar for a dramatic crinkle effect.
- Make them gluten-free by substituting 1:1 AP flour for King Arthur Gluten Free Flour.
- Storage Tip: These cookies stay fresh in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. For longer storage, freeze them in a single layer before transferring to a freezer-safe container. They’ll keep for up to 3 months—if you can resist them that long!
- Make Ahead & Freeze: If chilling the cookie dough for longer than 1 hour, cover with plastic wrap. The dough can be refrigerated for up to 3 days. Unbaked, uncoated cookie dough balls freeze well for up to 3 months. Thaw frozen cookie dough balls for 30 minutes at room temp. Roll into powdered sugar as instructed and bake.
Key Considerations for Using Lemon Essential Oil:
Using lemon essential oil can elevate your Lemon Crinkle Cookies with a more vibrant, true-to-fruit flavor. Just remember to use food-grade oil and add it carefully to avoid overpowering the delicate balance of the cookie’s sweetness and tartness.
- Use Sparingly: Essential oils are highly concentrated. Where a recipe calls for 2 teaspoons of lemon extract, you’ll only need 5-7 drops of lemon essential oil. Start with fewer drops and adjust based on your taste preference.
- Distribute Evenly: Mix the essential oil thoroughly into your wet ingredients to ensure an even distribution of flavor. Since oil can be more difficult to disperse than extract, this step is crucial to avoid “pockets” of intense flavor.
Lemon Crinkle Cookies
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup butter , melted
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 egg yolk (the egg white can be frozen for other recipes)
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice (freshly squeezed)
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- 2 teaspoons orange zest (optional)
- 2 teaspoons lemon extract (or 5 drops of lemon essential oil)
- 1 vanilla bean (or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract)
- 1 cup powdered sugar (for rolling)
Instructions
- Mix melted butter and sugar until well blended. Stir in eggs, lemon juice, zests, and extracts and mix until well incorporated and smooth.
- Mix flour, baking soda, and salt together, then stir the mixed dry ingredients into the mixed wet ingredients until fully incorporated.
- Roll the dough into 1-inch balls and refrigerate for 1-2 hours. (Rolling into balls before refrigeration makes it easier to work with the dough and reduces fridge time.)
- Remove from fridge and roll dough balls in powdered sugar. Set the rolled dough balls on a parchment-lined baking sheet 2 inches apart.
- Bake at 350°F for 10 minutes or until edges are set but not browned.
Notes
-
- Zest First, Juice Later: Always zest your lemons before juicing them—it’s much easier!
-
- Don’t Skip the Chill: Chilling the dough is essential for achieving that thick, chewy texture.
-
- Powdered Sugar Generosity: Roll the dough balls liberally in powdered sugar for a dramatic crinkle effect.
-
- Make them gluten-free by substituting 1:1 AP flour for King Arthur Gluten Free Flour.
-
- Storage Tip: These cookies stay fresh in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. For longer storage, freeze them in a single layer before transferring to a freezer-safe container. They’ll keep for up to 3 months—if you can resist them that long!
-
- Make Ahead & Freeze: If chilling the cookie dough for longer than 1 hour, cover with plastic wrap. The dough can be refrigerated for up to 3 days. Unbaked, uncoated cookie dough balls freeze well for up to 3 months. Thaw frozen cookie dough balls for 30 minutes at room temp. Roll into powdered sugar as instructed and bake.
Karen (Back Road Journal) says
I’m a big fan of citrus desserts and your lemon crinkle cookies sound terrific.