These lemon cookies get their bright citrus flavor from fresh lemon juice and the zest of two lemons. A generous powdered sugar coating opens into crinkles as they bake, revealing the pale yellow cookie underneath. They’re a lovely little treat for a tea break, a spring gathering, or a homemade cookie box.

Yield: about 30 cookies
Prep: about 25 minutes
Chill: 1 hour 15 minutes–2 hours, in two stages
Bake: about 15 minutes per batch
Cooling: allow additional time

Ingredients

For the cookie dough

• 7 tablespoons unsalted butter (100 g), softened
• ½ cup granulated sugar (100 g)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (see note)
• Finely grated zest of 2 lemons
• 1 large egg
• Juice of 1 medium lemon (approximately 2–3 tablespoons / 30–45 ml)
• 2⅓ cups all-purpose flour (280 g), plus a little extra only if needed
• 1 teaspoon baking powder

For coating

• 3–4 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1¼ cups powdered sugar (150 g), divided between the first and second coatings

Instructions

1. Cream the butter. Beat the softened butter, ½ cup granulated sugar, vanilla, and lemon zest until light and fluffy.
2. Add the egg. Beat in the egg for about 1 minute.
3. Add the lemon juice. Pour in the lemon juice and beat until combined. The mixture may look separated at first; continue beating briefly. A little curdling at this stage is normal and will come together when the flour is added.
4. Mix the dough. Whisk the flour and baking powder together, then fold them into the butter mixture with a silicone spatula to make a soft dough. If needed, finish bringing it together quickly by hand on a lightly floured surface. Add no more than about 1–2 tablespoons extra flour (10–15 g) if the dough is too sticky to handle.
5. Chill the dough. Wrap tightly and freeze for 15–20 minutes, or refrigerate for 1 hour, until firm enough to shape.
6. Shape and coat. Line baking sheets with parchment paper. Divide the dough into about 30 small, walnut-sized portions and roll into balls. Roll each ball first in granulated sugar, then generously in powdered sugar. Reserve the remaining powdered sugar for the second coating.
7. Chill the shaped cookies. Arrange the coated balls on the prepared sheets about 2 inches (5 cm) apart. Refrigerate for 1 hour.
8. Coat again. Near the end of the chilling time, preheat the oven to 355°F (180°C). Roll the chilled balls in powdered sugar once more, since some of the first layer will have absorbed into the dough. Return them to the baking sheets without flattening.
9. Bake. Bake for 5 minutes at 355°F (180°C), then reduce the oven temperature to 340°F (170°C) and bake for about 10 minutes more, until the cookies are puffed, cracked, and set. If baking in separate batches, return the oven to the starting temperature before the next batch.
10. Cool. Let the cookies firm up briefly on the baking sheet, then carefully move them to a wire rack. Cool completely before serving.

Tips for Lemon Crinkle Cookies

• Use both zest and juice. Zest only the yellow peel, avoiding the bitter white pith. Lemon size varies; the juice measurement is an approximate guide.
• Keep both chilling stages. The first makes the soft dough easier to shape, and the second firms up the coated cookies before baking. Keep any waiting batches refrigerated.
• Be generous with powdered sugar. A thick second coating helps create the distinct white patches and yellow cracks.
• Measure flour gently. Spoon it into your measuring cup and level it, or use the gram weight for greater consistency. Too much flour can make the cookies dry.

Storage

Once completely cool, keep the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for 3–4 days. Separate stacked layers with parchment paper to protect the powdered sugar coating.