Lemon Crinkle Cookies
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These one bowl Lemon Crinkle Cookies use fresh lemon juice and zest for an extra lemon-y cookie that melts in your mouth. Bonus? They are naturally dairy-free with no chilling required!
Our Lemon Thumbprint Cookies are definitely a reader favorite, but believe it or not, these cookies were the original recipe that inspired us!
When we were first developing these cookies, we started with classic ingredients, but the results weren’t quite right (think burnt bottoms and greasy texture). So, we took a different approach! We swapped the fats like we did for our Iced Lemon Loaf. The result? Soft, chewy cookies with a burst of lemon flavor!
But why are they called “crinkles”? Well, the secret lies in one simple step! Similar to ginger molasses cookies but unlike danish wedding cookies which are rolled in powdered sugar after baking. These cookies get rolled in both granulated and powdered sugars before baking, creating that signature crinkled texture all over the surface!
5 Reasons You’ll Love These Lemon Crinkle Cookies
- You don’t need an electric mixer for this recipe.
- There’s NO refrigeration time!
- Naturally dairy-free.
- There are no artificial colors (or flavors!).
- Ready in about 35 minutes!
One reader, Angela, commented: “Turned out excellent! My husband raved about how good they are and lemony! I added double the lemon juice and double the lemon zest. They look like they came from a bakery! ★★★★★”
Another reader, Liz, commented: “Great delicious, simple and easy cookie recipe. I didn’t even have to use my mixer, just a spatula. My family loved these. They look just like your photo. Thanks for sharing! It is now one of my favorite cookie recipes. ★★★★★”
Bake Along With Me! ↓
4 Tips For The Best-Ever Lemon Crinkle Cookies
While these cookies are super easy to make, there are still a few things you can do to make the best-ever cookies.
- Fresh juice is always better: Using store-bought juice may be convenient but the flavor of fresh squeezed lemons is unmatched in this recipe!
- Don’t chill the dough: While many recipes out there say that chilling dough is essential to cookie success, this recipe is the exact opposite! Instead, we want these cookies to spread. That’s what creates the “crinkle” effect on the surface of the cookies.
- Roll in granulated AND powdered sugar: Not only does the granulated sugar promote spread in the cookie, but it also acts as a moisture barrier, allowing the powdered sugar to stay on the surface of the cookie and not dissolve into it.
- Line your pan: Not only does lining your pan make for easier cleanup, it also promotes even browning on the bottom of your cookies AND helps control the spread of the cookies.
- Don’t overbake: This one is SO important! A cookie will continue to bake even after it leaves the oven. We found that 12 minutes in the oven creates a cookie that’s perfectly baked, oh-so moist, and incredibly tender.
When you make these Lemon Crinkle Cookies, leave a comment down below! We love hearing from you and answering any questions you might have! Also, be sure to tag us on social media and hashtag it #BakersTable.
Happy Baking!
x, Caylie
Lemon Crinkle Cookies
Ingredients
Cookies
- 3 cups all purpose flour
- 1¼ cups granulated sugar
- 1½ teaspoons baking powder
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
- 1½ teaspoons lemon zest
- 3 large eggs, room temperature (about 70℉ or 21℃)
- ⅜ cup vegetable oil
- 5 Tablespoons lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Coating
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup powdered sugar, sifted
Instructions
- Heat oven to 350℉ (175℃).
- Line 3 sheet pans with parchment paper. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and lemon zest. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs, oil, lemon juice, and vanilla.
- Pour over dry ingredients.
- Mix together just until all ingredients are incorporated. Do not over mix!
- Use a 1 Tablespoon cookie scoop to portion dough.
- Roll into balls.
- Roll each ball in granulated sugar to coat.
- Then roll each ball in powdered sugar to coat.
- Place cookies 2 inches apart on prepared cookie sheets.
- Bake for 12 minutes, or until done.
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I made a double batch of these cookies! I needed a lot for an event. Right before I started I read the reviews and was a little hesitant. But no worries these cookies are DELICIOUS!!! The dough is wet, but they turn out great! I do not bake with vegetable oil, I substituted a vanilla maple olive oil instead! What a lovely lemon cookie
Great flavour, however the dough was way too wet and sticky. The cookies ended up rather flat because of it. I think cooling the dough in the fridge for a few hours before rolling could have helped.