These lemon crinkle cookies are an easy no-chill recipe bursting with bright lemon flavor. White chocolate chips add creamy sweetness and a coating of powdered sugar creates the classic crinkled appearance.
Ideal for lemon lovers, this recipe uses fresh lemon zest and lemon juice for a bright, genuine citrus flavor. White chocolate chips bring a touch of rich sweetness, while the powdered sugar shell balances acidity and helps form the signature crinkles. These cookies bake up chewy with tender centers.
Below you’ll find tips, step photos, and clear instructions to make the process simple. If you enjoy lemon cookies, you might also like other lemon recipes from the same author.
Tips for making the cookies
Follow these practical tips to ensure your cookies turn out tender, flavorful, and perfectly crinkled.
- Measure flour correctly: Spoon flour into the measuring cup and level it off. Scooping directly from the bag compacts the flour and can make the dough too dry, preventing proper spread.
- Prevent excess spreading: Use ungreased cookie sheets lined with parchment paper. If cookies spread too much, the butter may have been too warm — chill the dough balls 10–15 minutes before baking.
- High altitude: If you bake at high altitude, add 2 extra tablespoons of flour to reduce spread.
- Don’t overbake: Pull the cookies from the oven when the edges are set but centers still look slightly underdone; they’ll finish setting on the hot pan and stay soft inside.
If you want more lemon recipes, try variations like lemon blueberry cookies or lemon poppy seed cookies for different textures and flavor pairings.
If you try this recipe, consider leaving a star review and share your results on social media with the appropriate account tags or boards.
Recipe Video
Lemon Crinkle Cookies
Ingredients
- 2 cups All-purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp Baking soda
- 1 tsp Cornstarch
- 1/2 tsp Salt
- 1/2 cup Unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 cup White granulated sugar
- 1 Large egg, room temperature
- 1 Large lemon zested, or 3 small lemons
- 2 TBSP Lemon juice
- 1/2 cup White chocolate chips
- Yellow food dye , optional
- 3 TBSP White granulated sugar
- 1/3 cup Powdered sugar
Instructions
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Sift together the flour, baking soda, cornstarch, and salt into a medium bowl. Zest the lemon and set the dry mixture aside.
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In a mixer, beat the room-temperature butter and granulated sugar on high for about 2 minutes until the mixture is pale and fluffy. Scrape the bowl as needed.
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Mix in the lemon zest, lemon juice, and egg on medium speed until combined. Scrape the bowl to ensure even mixing. If desired, add 1–2 drops of yellow gel food dye for a brighter color.
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Add the dry ingredients and mix on low until just combined. Fold in the white chocolate chips on low speed or by hand.
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Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Let the dough rest for 10 minutes to reduce spreading.
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Place granulated sugar in one bowl and powdered sugar in another. Using a small cookie scoop (about 1 oz or 1 tablespoon), portion the dough and place the balls on the prepared sheets, about 12 per sheet.
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Roll each dough ball first in granulated sugar, then roll heavily in powdered sugar so the coating is thick and even.
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Bake for 8–10 minutes, or until the edges are set and the centers still look slightly soft. Avoid overbaking to keep the cookies tender and to preserve the powdered sugar coating.
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Allow cookies to cool on the hot pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack to finish cooling.
Notes
High altitude: Add an extra 2 tablespoons of flour to help control spread.
Dairy: Bring butter and other dairy to room temperature about 2 hours before baking for best texture.