Try This Easy Chewy Lemon Crinkle Cookies Recipe

This chewy lemon crinkle cookies recipe is my go-to when I need something lemony, sweet, and quick. The only thing that takes a little time is letting the dough get cold for an hour before baking.

What makes a crinkle cookie crinkle?

Two things make crinkle cookies crinkle – the combination of baking powder and baking soda. There’s some science there but I’ll leave that to the scientists to explain. The other thing that makes cookies crinkle is rolling them in the confectioner’s sugar. As the cookies bake, the dough begins to crack and pull apart a bit and the confectioner’s sugar highlights those cracks.

What makes cookies chewy rather than crispy?

Two factors determine whether cookies are chewy or crispy. They are the ratio of fats to flour (which is why there is 1/2 cup of butter in this recipe) and the temperature at which you bake the cookies and the time you bake them. 

How long should you chill the cookie dough before baking?

Chilling the dough is not a step in the process you can skip. If the dough isn’t chilled, your cookies will not crack and crinkle. So if you want great looking and tasting crinkle cookies, you need to chill the dough for at least one hour. Two hours is even better. The dough can be chilled overnight. However, you’ll need to let the dough sit on your counter for about 10 minutes before forming the cookie dough balls.

Can you use bottled lemon juice rather than fresh lemons?

Since lemons are the star ingredient of a lemon cookie, fresh lemon juice is the way to go here. And, you need the lemon zest anyway to get that extra lemon flavor.

The equipment you’ll need for making this lemon cookie recipe

• Stand mixer with paddle attachment (electric hand mixer works too)
• Medium bowl
• Rubber spatula
• Parchment paper
• Cookie sheet
• Cooling rack/wire rack

Simple ingredients for the best chewy lemon crinkle cookies:

You probably have everything you need to make lemon crinkle cookies. It’s basic pantry items, plus butter and lemon. And while they bake, they smell so delicious! 

• All purpose flour
• Baking powder
• Baking soda
• Salt
• Granulated sugar (some for the cookie dough and some for rolling the cookie dough balls in)
• Butter
• Vanilla extract
• Egg
• Lemon
• Lemon zest for that fresh lemon flavor
• Confectioner’s sugar
• Yellow food coloring (Food coloring is optional for this recipe. However, using food coloring will make your lemon cookies a much brighter yellow color. I only add 3 to 6 drops and use only plant-based food coloring.)

Instructions for easy lemon crinkle cookies

1. Preheat oven temperature to 350 degrees.
2. In a large bowl, combine all the dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt) and set aside.
3. In the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment (you can also use an electric hand mixer), cream butter and sugar on medium speed. Using a rubber spatula, scrape down the sides of the bowl.
4. Add egg, lemon juice, lemon zest, vanilla, food coloring if using, and mix until combined. Scrape down the sides to make sure everything is mixed well.
5. Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and mix well.
6. Place the dough in a small bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least one hour but preferably two hours.
7. Using a medium cookie scoop, form cookie dough balls (dough texture will be sticky), Roll each ball of dough first in granulated sugar to coat and then in powdered sugar until the outside of the cookie is completely coated. Bake them on a prepared baking sheet lined with parchment paper for 12-15 minutes in a preheated oven at 350º. Let the baked cookies cool for a minute or two before transferring to a cooling rack.
8. Store cookies at room temperature in an airtight container for up to one week.

This chewy lemon crinkle cookies recipe is for all you lemon lovers out there, including me!

If you enjoyed making these cookies you might also enjoy these other lemon recipes:

• Our 7 Best Lemon Desserts

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