Description
These Lemon Crinkle Cookies are soft, flavorful treats featuring a perfect balance of tangy lemon zest and juice with a sweet, crackled powdered sugar coating. Ideal for brightening up your cookie platter, these cookies boast a soft interior and crisp edges, baked to perfection in just over 10 minutes.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Wet Ingredients
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- Zest of 2 lemons
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For Coating
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar (for coating)
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats to prevent sticking and ensure even baking.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and salt. Set this mixture aside for later use.
- Cream Butter and Sugar: In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to cream the softened unsalted butter and granulated sugar together for 2 to 3 minutes until the mixture is light and fluffy, which adds to the cookies’ tenderness.
- Add Eggs and Flavors: Beat in the eggs one at a time to ensure even incorporation. Then add the fresh lemon juice, lemon zest, and vanilla extract, mixing well to infuse the dough with bright citrus flavors.
- Combine Ingredients: Gradually add the dry ingredient mixture to the wet ingredients, mixing just until combined. Do not overmix; the dough should be thick and slightly sticky.
- Form Dough Balls: Using a tablespoon, scoop out portions of dough and roll each into a ball. Then generously coat each dough ball in powdered sugar, ensuring a nice, crackly exterior after baking.
- Arrange on Baking Sheets: Place the sugar-coated dough balls about 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets to allow room for spreading without sticking together.
- Bake: Bake the cookies for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden and the tops have developed characteristic cracks.
- Cool: Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes to firm up before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
- For best flavor, use freshly squeezed lemon juice and zest from unwaxed lemons.
- Be careful not to overbake to keep the cookies soft inside with crisp edges.
- Rolling the dough balls in powdered sugar twice can create an even more striking crackle effect.
- Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
- These cookies freeze well; freeze dough balls before baking or baked cookies for up to 3 months.
