Description
Delight in these tangy and soft Lemon Crinkle Cookies, featuring a perfect balance of bright lemon flavor and a delightfully tender texture. Rolled in confectioners’ sugar for a beautiful crinkled finish, these cookies are a refreshing treat that stay fresh for a week and freeze well for future enjoyment.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 2 and 1/2 cups (313g) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled)
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Wet Ingredients
- 3/4 cup (12 Tbsp; 170g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 1 cup + 2 Tablespoons (225g) granulated sugar
- 1 large egg, at room temperature
- 1/4 cup (60ml) fresh or bottled lemon juice, at room temperature
- 1 Tablespoon lemon zest (packed tablespoon)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For Rolling
- 3 Tablespoons (35g) granulated sugar (optional)
- 1 cup (120g) confectioners’ sugar
Instructions
- Prepare Dry Ingredients: Whisk the flour, cornstarch, baking soda, and salt together in a medium bowl and set aside.
- Cream Butter and Sugar: Using a hand mixer or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the softened butter and granulated sugar on medium-high speed for about 3 minutes until light and fluffy.
- Add Wet Ingredients: Add the egg, lemon juice, lemon zest, and vanilla extract to the butter mixture, then beat on high speed until fully combined, about 1 minute. The mixture may look curdled, which is normal. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed.
- Combine with Dry Ingredients: Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and beat on low speed until just combined, forming a thick, creamy, and sticky dough.
- Chill the Dough: Cover the dough tightly and refrigerate for at least 3 hours and up to 3 days to firm it up, which is essential for handling the sticky dough.
- Prep for Baking: Remove the dough from the refrigerator. If chilled longer than 3 hours, let it sit at room temperature for about 10 minutes to soften slightly for easier rolling. Preheat your oven to 350°F (177°C) and line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
- Shape the Cookies: Scoop roughly 1 tablespoon (about 20g) of dough for each cookie and roll into balls. To prevent the confectioners’ sugar from melting into the dough, optionally roll each ball first in granulated sugar, then generously in confectioners’ sugar 2 to 3 times for a bright crackled appearance. Place cookies 3 inches apart on baking sheets.
- Bake: Bake for 12 to 13 minutes, or until the edges appear set and the centers look soft. If cookies aren’t spreading by 9 minutes, gently tap the baking sheet on the counter 2 to 3 times to encourage spreading, then return to oven.
- Cool: Let cookies cool for 5 minutes on the baking sheet, then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely. Cookies will slightly deflate as they cool.
- Storage: Store cookies covered at room temperature for up to 1 week or freeze baked cookies and unbaked dough balls (unrolled) for up to 3 months.
Notes
- Dough must chill at least 3 hours for best rolling and texture; can chill up to 3 days.
- Baked cookies and unbaked dough balls freeze well for up to 3 months; thaw dough balls on counter 30 minutes before rolling and baking.
- If you don’t have cornstarch, it can be omitted, although it helps keep cookies softer.
- Use fresh lemons for the best flavor, but bottled lemon juice works fine; Meyer lemons offer a sweeter variation.
- Rolling twice or thrice in confectioners’ sugar ensures a bright crinkle finish; optionally roll in granulated sugar first to prevent sugar melting.
- Use parchment paper or silicone mats to prevent sticking and promote even baking.
- Allow dough to rest at room temperature briefly if very firm after chilling, to facilitate rolling.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 120 kcal
- Sugar: 8 g
- Sodium: 80 mg
- Fat: 6 g
- Saturated Fat: 3.5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 16 g
- Fiber: 0.5 g
- Protein: 1 g
- Cholesterol: 20 mg
