Description
Delightful Lemon Crinkle Cookies with a soft, chewy texture and vibrant lemon flavor, perfect for a refreshing treat. These vegan cookies feature a zesty lemon glaze and a crackled powdered sugar coating that makes them visually appealing and deliciously tangy.
Ingredients
Scale
Cookie Dough
- 1/2 cup vegan butter, softened to room temperature
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon lemon extract
- 3 teaspoons fresh grated lemon zest
- 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 2 drops yellow food coloring (optional)
- 1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Coating
- 1 cup powdered sugar, for rolling
Instructions
- Preheat the oven: Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) and line two cookie sheets with silicone mats or parchment paper for easy cleanup.
- Mix the base: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or with a handheld mixer, beat the softened vegan butter and granulated sugar together until creamy and fluffy to create a smooth base.
- Add flavorings: Mix in vanilla extract, lemon extract, fresh lemon zest, fresh lemon juice, and if using, yellow food coloring. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl to ensure everything is incorporated evenly.
- Combine dry ingredients: Stop the mixer and add all-purpose flour, cornstarch, baking soda, and salt. Turn mixer on low speed and mix just until the dough comes together; avoid overmixing to keep cookies tender.
- Shape and coat cookies: Roll the dough into tablespoon-sized balls, then roll each ball generously in powdered sugar until completely coated to achieve the signature crinkle effect.
- Bake the cookies: Place the coated dough balls on the prepared cookie sheets and bake for 12 minutes until the edges are just set. Avoid overbaking, as cookies will be soft in the center but firm up upon cooling.
- Cool and serve: Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. Serve best the same day as the powdered sugar coating will begin to melt over time.
Notes
- If you do not have lemon extract, it can be omitted but adds a boost of lemon flavor.
- Yellow food coloring is optional and is used to give a bright yellow hue to the cookies instead of pale color.
- To make this recipe gluten free, substitute all purpose flour with a gluten free all purpose blend.
- These cookies are best enjoyed the same day for optimal appearance; they remain tasty for 3-4 days but the powdered sugar coating may melt.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 120 kcal
- Sugar: 17 g
- Sodium: 70 mg
- Fat: 4 g
- Saturated Fat: 0.5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 20 g
- Fiber: 0.5 g
- Protein: 1 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
