Lemon Crinkle Cookies
Bright, zesty, and irresistibly soft! These Lemon Crinkle Cookies feature a tangy homemade curd nestled in a tender, sugar-dusted cookie. Bake until golden, and enjoy the perfect balance of sweet and tart in every bite!
Tasty Team
85% would make again
Total Time
5 hr
5 hr
Prep Time
20 minutes
20 min
Cook Time
30 minutes
30 min
Total Time
5 hr
5 hr
Prep Time
20 minutes
20 min
Cook Time
30 minutes
30 min
Ingredients
for 18 cookies
Lemon Curd
- 4 large egg yolks, room temperature
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup fresh lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- ¼ cup unsalted butter, room temperature
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
Lemon Cookies
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1.5 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- Zest of 2 lemons
- 1 cup granulated sugar, divided
- ¼ cup unsalted butter, softened
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- yellow food coloring, optional
- 1 cup confectioners' sugar
Nutrition Info
- Calories 205
- Fat 6g
- Carbs 32g
- Fiber 0g
- Sugar 19g
- Protein 3g
Estimated values based on one serving size.
Preparation
- Make the lemon curd: In a medium heatproof bowl, combine the yolks, sugar, lemon juice, and lemon zest. Whisk until smooth.
- Place the bowl over a pot of simmering water. Cook, stirring continuously with a whisk, until the mixture thickens, about 10 minutes.
- Remove from heat, and strain the curd through a fine mesh strainer into a bowl. Add the butter and salt, and whisk until melted and fully incorporated.
- Cover the curd with plastic wrap, pressing it directly onto the surface to prevent a skin from forming. Let it cool to room temperature for about an hour, then refrigerate until ready to use.
- Make the lemon cookies: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
- In a separate medium bowl, rub together the lemon zest and ¾ cup of the sugar using your fingertips until the mixture is fragrant and well combined.
- Add the softened butter to the sugar mixture. Using a hand mixer, beat on medium speed until combined, 5–7 minutes. Add the eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in the lemon juice and vanilla until smooth.
- Add 2–3 drops of yellow food coloring if using, and beat until everything is incorporated.
- Using a rubber spatula, fold the flour mixture into the egg-butter mixture gently until just combined. The dough will be soft and sticky — this is normal.
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 3 hours or up to 24 hours to firm up the dough.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Scoop about 1 tablespoon dough (approximately 20 grams), and roll into a ball. (You’ll have about 18 balls total.) Roll each ball first in the remaining ¼ cup granulated sugar, then generously in confectioners’ sugar.
- Place the coated dough balls on the prepared baking sheets, leaving about 2 inches of space between each.
- Use the back of a 1-teaspoon measuring spoon to make an indent in the center of each cookie dough ball. Fill each cookie with about 1 teaspoon lemon curd.
- Bake for 10–12 minutes, until the cookies have spread and cracked around the edges and the lemon curd center is slightly set.
- Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Enjoy!
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