Lemon Crinkle Cookies

These vegan lemon crinkle cookies bake up soft and chewy, with a sunny citrus flavour and a classic powdered sugar crackle on top. Lovely!

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 10

Chilling Time 30

Total Time 55

Servings cookies

Calories 113

Author Jessica Hylton

Ingredients

3/4 cup granulated sugar 150g
2 teaspoons lemon zest finely grated (from 1 large lemon) – 4g
1/3 cup melted vegan butter slightly cooled – 75g
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice 45mL
1 teaspoon vanilla extract 5mL
1 2/3 cup all-purpose flour spooned and leveled – 200g
1 teaspoon cornstarch 3g
1 teaspoon baking powder 4g
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt 1.5g
1/8 teaspoon ground turmeric optional, for color – 0.2g
1/3 cup powdered sugar for rolling – 40g

Instructions

In a large mixing bowl, combine the granulated sugar and lemon zest. Rub them together with your fingers for about 30 seconds until the sugar becomes fragrant and slightly moist. This releases the lemon oils and intensifies the flavor.
Add the melted vegan butter to the lemon sugar and whisk until smooth and glossy, about 3 minutes.
Whisk in the fresh lemon juice and vanilla extract for about 30 seconds to 1 minute until fully combined.
In a separate bowl, add your dry ingredients: the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, salt, and turmeric.
Sift your dry ingredients through a fine mesh strainer, sieve or sifter and gently fold in with a spatula just until no dry flour remains. It may look like you need extra flour but just continue to gently combine until it comes together. The dough will be soft and slightly sticky. Do not overmix (don't do this process for more than about 3 minutes, it should come together by then).
Cover the bowl and refrigerate for 60 minutes. Chilling helps the cookies hold their shape and develop a proper crinkle texture.
Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Place the powdered sugar in a small bowl.
Scoop about 1 tablespoon of dough per cookie, roll into balls, and generously coat each ball in powdered sugar. Truly coat the cookies in the powdered sugar so you only see a white exterior for the best contrast once baked.
Place the cookies on the prepared baking sheet, spacing them about 2 inches apart.
Bake for 10–12 minutes, until the edges are set and the tops are cracked and crinkled. The centers should still look slightly soft.
Let the cookies rest on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. They will firm up as they cool.

Video

Notes

Room temperature: Store lemon crinkle cookies in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
Freezer: Freeze baked cookies in a sealed container for up to 2 months. Let frozen cookies thaw at room temperature before enjoying.