Description
Zesty lemon crinkle cookies bring sunshine to your kitchen with their crackly exterior and tangy center. Powdered sugar-dusted delights promise a refreshing twist on classic cookie favorites that you’ll savor down to the last delectable crumb.
Ingredients
Scale
Primary Ingredients:
- 2 cups (250g) all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons (175g) granulated sugar
- 7 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled
- 1 large egg plus 1 egg yolk, room temperature
Flavor Enhancers:
- 1 heaping tablespoon lemon zest (about 2 lemons)
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon lemon extract
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Dry Ingredients and Coatings:
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup (50g) granulated sugar (for rolling)
- 3/4 cup (90g) powdered sugar, sifted (for rolling)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and prepare two baking sheets with parchment paper for even baking.
- Create aromatic lemon sugar by vigorously rubbing lemon zest into granulated sugar for maximum flavor extraction.
- Incorporate melted butter and flavor extracts into the lemon-infused sugar, then gently whisk in eggs individually, followed by fresh lemon juice to build a smooth, fragrant base.
- Sift dry ingredients together, ensuring an even distribution of baking powder, cornstarch, and salt, then delicately fold into the wet mixture in two stages to maintain a light, tender texture.
- Craft uniform cookie dough balls, first rolling them in granulated sugar for initial coating, then generously dusting with powdered sugar to create the signature crinkled appearance.
- Arrange cookies with ample spacing on prepared baking sheets, allowing room for gentle spreading during baking.
- Bake for 9-11 minutes until cookies become puffy and set, maintaining a soft center while developing a delicate, crackled exterior.
- Allow cookies to rest on the baking sheet for 10 minutes to stabilize their structure before transferring to a cooling rack for complete cooling and texture setting.
Notes
- Zest Technique Massaging lemon zest into sugar releases intense citrus oils, enhancing the cookie’s bright flavor profile.
- Texture Tip Roll cookies in two sugar types for a beautiful crackled exterior and delightful sweet crunch.
- Freshness Hack Store cookies in airtight container with small piece of bread to maintain softness and prevent drying out.
- Dietary Swap Replace wheat flour with gluten-free blend for celiac-friendly version without compromising cookie’s delicate texture.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 11 minutes
- Category: Desserts, Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 12
- Calories: 160
- Sugar: 15g
- Sodium: 70mg
- Fat: 6g
- Saturated Fat: 4g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 24g
- Fiber: 0g
- Protein: 2g
- Cholesterol: 25mg