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The Ultimate Soft and Chewy Lemon Crinkle Cookies

Three freshly baked lemon crinkle cookies heavily dusted with powdered sugar resting on a white plate.
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Make these soft and chewy lemon crinkle cookies bursting with bright, zesty citrus flavor. This recipe gives you that perfect crackly powdered sugar top every time you bake.

Ingredients

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  • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 cup granulated sugar, plus extra for rolling
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
  • 1 tablespoon lemon zest
  • 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar, for coating

Instructions

  1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set this dry mixture aside.
  2. In a large bowl, beat the softened butter and 1 cup of granulated sugar with an electric mixer until the mixture is light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
  3. Beat in the egg, vanilla extract, fresh lemon juice, and lemon zest until just combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
  4. Gradually add the dry ingredient mixture to the wet ingredients, mixing on low speed until a soft dough forms. Do not overmix.
  5. Place the extra granulated sugar and the powdered sugar into two separate shallow dishes.
  6. Roll the dough into small balls, about 1 inch in diameter. First, roll each ball lightly in the granulated sugar, then completely coat it in the powdered sugar. You want a thick coating of powdered sugar.
  7. Place the coated dough balls onto baking sheets lined with parchment paper, leaving about 2 inches between each cookie.
  8. Chill the dough balls in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes. This step helps prevent spreading and promotes the crinkle effect.
  9. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
  10. Bake the chilled cookies for 10 to 12 minutes. The edges should look set, but the centers will still look slightly soft. The powdered sugar will crackle as they bake.
  11. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. Enjoy your melt in your mouth cookies!

Notes

  • For the best, brightest lemon flavor, use fresh lemon zest and fresh lemon juice, not bottled.
  • If the powdered sugar coating starts to look thin after rolling, you can roll the dough balls a second time in the powdered sugar just before baking.
  • You can make the dough up to two days ahead of time. Store it tightly covered in the refrigerator, and roll and bake when ready.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://flavorzine.com/lemon-crinkle-cookies-recipe-soft-chewy/