These lemon crinkle cookies from scratch are perfect for beautiful sunny days.

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The full recipe with ingredients/instructions is available on the recipe card at the bottom of the post. Important tips/tricks are also included in the blog post.

I have a love-love relationship with lemon-flavored everything. I love lemonade, lemon meringue pie, and lemon cookies. So I decided that I had to make lemon crinkle cookies from scratch for the Spring.

My initial search for a lemon crinkle cookie recipe led to many recipes that used cake mix as a main ingredient. I have no problem with using cake mix in baking but that's not something I usually have on hand. On the other hand, I always have butter, flour, sugar, and lemons. Food coloring usually isn't a common ingredient found in my kitchen but lately that has changed. My macaron baking addiction has led me to buy lots of food coloring. Also, Easter is near and eggs must be dyed.

I think crinkle cookies are so darn cute. I had to do a lot of testing and research to understand how to get these cookies just the way I wanted, soft, crinkly, and lemony. This recipe does just that.

So what's the secret to getting that crinkle powders sugar look on top? A few things. Make sure your dough is a room temperature when it is rolled. Most cookie dough is refrigerated for a bit before baking which causes the cookies not to spread. Crinkle cookies should spread; hence a room temperature dough works best.

Roll your cookies in granulated sugar first before you roll them into powdered sugar. The granulated sugar will get absorbed into the cookie while baking, allowing your powdered sugar to remain and not disappear in the baking process. A good crinkle cookie has plenty of nice baked powdered sugar on top.

What are lemon crinkle cookies?

Lemon crinkle cookies are a type of soft and chewy cookie that is flavored with fresh lemon zest and juice. They have a sweet and tangy taste balanced with a light and fluffy texture.

Can you make lemon crinkle cookies in advance?

Yes, you can make lemon crinkle cookies in advance. The dough can be prepared ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator for up to 2 days, or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Baked cookies can also be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week, or in the freezer for up to 3 months.

How do you store leftover lemon crinkle cookies?

Store leftover lemon crinkle cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week. To keep them fresh for longer, you can also freeze the cookies in a freezer-safe container or resealable plastic bag.

I hope you enjoy this lemon crinkle cookie recipe as much as we do.

Looking for more Cookie Recipes? Try these Out:

Tanya

Lemon Crinkle Cookies From Scratch

4.55 from 31 votes

These lemon crinkle cookies from scratch are perfect for beautiful sunny days.

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Prep Time 10

Cook Time 15

Total Time 25

Servings: 24 cookies

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Calories: 111.8

Ingredients

1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
¼ teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
⅛ teaspoon baking soda
½ cup butter 8 tablespoons, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
1 large egg
1.5 teaspoon freshly grated lemon zest
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 dashes yellow food coloring optional
¼ cup granulated sugar
¼ cup powdered sugar

Equipment

Instructions

Preheat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit.
Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in bowl. Set aside.
Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add egg, vanilla extract, lemon zest, lemon juice, and yellow food coloring and mix well.
Add flour mixture into butter mixture and mix until dough is just combined.
Pick ½ tablespoons of the the dough and roll into ball. Place granulated sugar and powdered sugar in separate shallow plate. Roll cookie dough in granulated sugar, then in powdered sugar. Then place balls on baking sheets.
Bake in preheated oven for for 14-16 minutes. Remove from oven. Finish cooling on cooling rack.