The crackle isn't decoration, it is physics. A wet dough rolled thickly in icing sugar puffs in the oven and splits the dry white coating into a proper crinkle. Use real lemon zest, not extract; the oil in the zest is where all the flavour lives.
Everything you need
- ½ cup (113 g) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 2 tbsp lemon zest, from 2 lemons
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 2½ cups (313 g) all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp fine salt
- ¾ cup (90 g) powdered sugar, for rolling
Weigh, don't scoop. Measuring flour by cups can overpack it and dry out your bake. Tap any ingredient to open its converter.
Method
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Rub the lemon zest into the granulated sugar with your fingertips for 30 seconds, until the sugar is damp and smells strongly of lemon. This step doubles the flavour and costs nothing.
For this step
- 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
- 2 tbsp lemon zest
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- ¾ cup (90 g) powdered sugar
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Beat the softened butter with the lemony sugar until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, then the lemon juice. The mixture may look split; it comes back together with the flour.
For this step
- ½ cup (113 g) unsalted butter
- 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 2 tbsp lemon zest
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 2½ cups (313 g) all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup (90 g) powdered sugar
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Fold in the flour, baking powder and salt until just combined. The dough will be soft and sticky, which is correct.
For this step
- 2½ cups (313 g) all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp fine salt
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Cover and chill for at least 1 hour. Cold dough is essential here, since a warm dough spreads and loses the crinkle.
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Heat the oven to 175°C / 350°F. Roll tablespoon-sized balls, then roll each one very generously in powdered sugar. A thin dusting will vanish, so coat them thickly.
For this step
- 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
- 2 tsp baking powder
- ¾ cup (90 g) powdered sugar
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Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until the tops have cracked and the edges look set but the centres are still pale. Cool on the tray for 5 minutes before moving them.
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Worth knowing
- For the whitest cracks, roll each ball in granulated sugar first, then in powdered sugar. The first layer stops the second from dissolving.
- Don't bake until golden. These should stay pale, or the lemon flavour turns dull and the texture goes dry.
Make it your own
- Swap the lemon for the zest and juice of two limes, or one large orange.
- Add ½ cup (85 g) white chocolate chips for a sweeter, softer cookie.
Storing & freezing
Airtight at room temperature for 4 days. The powdered sugar softens after a day, so re-dust before serving. The rolled dough balls freeze for 2 months.
Frequently asked
Why did my crinkle cookies not crack?
Almost always warm dough or too little powdered sugar. Chill for at least an hour and coat each ball thickly, so the dry white layer has something to split.
How much is 2 tablespoons of lemon zest?
Roughly the zest of two medium lemons. Take only the yellow layer; the white pith underneath is bitter.
Cooking in a different unit? Use the cups ↔ grams converter or the recipe scaler to halve or double this recipe.
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A note on cooking safely. Recipes are provided for informational purposes only and are not medical or nutritional advice. Cooking times, temperatures and quantities are suggestions: use your own judgement, and check that meat, poultry, fish and eggs are properly cooked before serving.
Consult a qualified healthcare professional before making dietary changes, particularly if you have allergies, a medical condition or specific nutritional requirements.