Description
These 30 Minute Lemon Crinkle Cookies are bright, zesty, and soft with a delightful crinkled sugar coating. Infused with fresh lemon zest and juice, these easy-to-make cookies combine the richness of butter and a hint of vanilla for a refreshing citrus treat perfect for any occasion.
Ingredients
Cookie Dough
- 150g granulated sugar
- 10g fresh lemon zest
- 40g melted unsalted butter, cooled slightly
- 35g neutral oil (such as vegetable or canola oil)
- 30g fresh lemon juice
- 1 large egg (50g without shell), at room temperature
- 1 tsp vanilla bean paste
- 210g all-purpose flour
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- ¼ tsp baking powder
For Rolling
- Powdered sugar, for rolling
- Granulated sugar, for rolling
Instructions
- Preheat the oven: Preheat your oven to 325°F (165°C) and place a rack in the middle position. Line one or two baking sheets with parchment paper for easy removal and cleanup.
- Prepare lemon sugar base: In a medium bowl, combine the granulated sugar with fresh lemon zest. Rub the zest into the sugar with your fingers until fully fragrant and incorporated.
- Mix wet ingredients: To the lemon sugar, add the melted butter, neutral oil, and fresh lemon juice. Stir to blend, then add the egg and vanilla bean paste. Whisk or use an electric hand mixer to beat the mixture until it becomes slightly thickened and well combined, about 1-2 minutes.
- Add dry ingredients: Gently fold in the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and kosher salt using a spatula until just combined, being careful not to overmix.
- Prepare sugars for rolling: Pour some granulated sugar and powdered sugar into separate shallow bowls for rolling the cookie dough balls.
- Scoop and coat dough balls: Using a #40 cookie scoop (about 40g per scoop), portion the dough. First, roll each dough ball in granulated sugar to coat, then shape into a smooth ball and roll it in powdered sugar, shaking the bowl and gently squeezing the dough ball so the coating sticks well. Place each coated dough ball on the prepared baking sheet, spacing them out to allow spreading.
- Arrange dough on baking sheet: Repeat the rolling and coating process with remaining dough balls. The dough balls may flatten slightly when placed on the sheet—do not press them further.
- Bake cookies: Bake for 15 to 16 minutes, checking at 14 minutes. The cookies should be set around the edges and no longer look soft in the center. Avoid underbaking to prevent a gluggy texture.
- Cool the cookies: Remove the baking sheets from the oven and allow the cookies to cool on the sheet for 10-15 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Store properly: Once fully cooled, store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
Notes
- Do not overbake the cookies; they should be firm at the edges but still soft in the center to avoid a gummy texture.
- Make sure melted butter is cooled before mixing to prevent cooking the egg.
- Using fresh lemon zest and juice is key to achieving a vibrant lemon flavor.
- If you don’t have vanilla bean paste, pure vanilla extract can be substituted.
- The sugar rolling process creates the signature crinkle effect and adds texture to the cookies.
- Cookies keep well in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
