Lemon Crinkle Cookies
A tender, cakey cookie with a delicious burst of tangy lemon, that is so moreish, it is hard to resist.
Ingredients
( makes 16 – 24 depending on size)
150g caster sugar
Zest of 2 lemons
70g melted unsalted butter
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
2 eggs( room temperature)
30g lemon juice
270g plain flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon of salt
Decoration.
100g granulated sugar
90g icing sugar
Method
1. Put the zest of the 2 lemons in a bowl with the caster sugar and using your fingertips, rub the zest into the sugar to release the oils
2. Add the melted butter, vanilla, eggs and lemon juice into the sugar and whisk until well combined.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder and salt together.
4. Sift the dry ingredients into the wet mixture and using a spatula or wooden spoon, mix until you create a smooth, soft and sticky dough. The dough is runnier than a standard cookie dough and quite sticky at this stage. Don’t be tempted to add more flour.
5. Chill the dough in the fridge for at least 2 hours but I prefer to chill the dough overnight.
6. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius and line 2 baking trays with parchment paper.
7. Scoop the dough into generous 1 tablespoon sized balls.
8. Roll them in the granulated sugar until evenly coated and then roll in icing sugar.
9. Place on the baking trays, allowing space for them to spread slightly during baking.
10. Bake the crinkle cookies for 10- 12 minutes until they have risen into little mounds and the cracks have formed. The cookies will be pale in colour, with just the edges starting to colour slightly.
11. Allow the cookies to cool for at least 10 minutes on the baking trays, as they are very soft whilst warm. Then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.
Notes
It is really important to rub the zest into the sugar and it makes a real difference to the finished flavour.
I prefer to chill my dough overnight in the fridge. I put it in a glass bowl and cover with clingfilm.
If you are baking in batches, leave the dough in the fridge while one batch bakes. This way you maintain the height because the dough isn’t sat at room temperature.
For a variation…
Try adding 8 tablespoons of freeze dried raspberry pieces to the dough for a LEMON AND RASPBERRY CRINKLE COOKIE.
Add the dried raspberry pieces at stage 4, with the dry ingredients, before chilling. They must be small, dried pieces not fresh raspberries.