This recipe is the answer if you're looking for the perfect lemon cookie! Meyer Lemon Cookies are melt-in-your-mouth crinkle cookies. Rolled in powdered sugar, with the delicate flavor of lemon, the texture is light and soft with a scrumptious crispy bottom. You definitely don’t want to miss these!
I love Meyer lemons and use them as much as possible in the winter when they're at the peak of their season.
There’s a touch of olive oil in the cookie dough, which is what sets these lemon crinkle cookies apart from others. And it's the oil that helps to create an unforgettable texture that you’ll want to experience again and again.
I almost always go for special chocolate cookies before anything else, but these lemon cookies are truly hard to beat, and if given a choice between the two, it would be a toss up for sure.
Important Ingredient Information
- Meyer lemon zest and Meyer lemon juice - Try to choose lemons with a very smooth skin and no green. Meyer lemons are ideal, but any lemon variety can be a substitute.
- olive oil - Regular or extra virgin.
- all-purpose flour - This recipe has also been tested with Cup4Cup Gluten-Free All Purpose Flour and it works very well. Use 2 additional tablespoons of it.
How to Make Them
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
Lemon Tips: Don’t forget to wash and dry the lemons before zesting, always zest before you juice, and don't use more than the instructed amount of lemon juice as it will change the texture of the cookies.
- Measure the lemon zest in a ¼ cup measure. It should be lightly packed, meaning full, but not pressed down so that it's compressed.
- Add the lemon zest to the sugar in a small bowl, and use you fingers to rub the two together.
Recipe Tip: If you’re pressed for time, you can skip step 1 of rubbing the lemon zest into the sugar (see below recipe instructions), and use 1 teaspoon of lemon extract instead.
- Combine the flour, baking soda and baking powder in a large bowl. Whisk to blend and set aside.
- In another bowl, combine the melted butter, olive oil, vanilla, lemon-sugar and salt. Mix just until until it’s smooth. Add the eggs and whisk again just until smooth. Then whisk in the lemon juice.
- Use a large spoon or spatula to fold the wet ingredients into the bowl with the dry ingredients. Only mix until you no longer see dry spots.
- Use a 1¼-inch cookie scoop to shape the batter into small mounds, dropping them onto the parchment-lined baking sheet as you so. They can be close together at this point. Cover the baking sheet with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 6 hours (and up to 2 days).
Recipe Tip: This is a somewhat sticky dough, so it must be refrigerated before it can rolled into balls and then in powdered sugar. As you can see, I scoop the dough, refrigerate and then roll it. Alternately, you can refrigerate the dough, then scoop and roll. I don’t think either one is easier or less time consuming than the other, it’s just a matter of preference.
- After the 6 hours, or when you’re ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350°F, add the sifted powdered sugar to a shallow bowl, and line another baking sheet with parchment paper.
- One by one, roll the shaped dough between your palms to form smooth balls. If they are sticking to the parchment, use a small flat-bottomed spatula to help release them.
- After each one is shaped, drop it into the powdered sugar and roll it until it’s completely and generously coated with it. Place them about 3 inches apart on the newly lined baking sheet as you go.
Recipe Tip: Don’t shake off excess powdered sugar after rolling the dough in it. Too much is okay, while too little will result in a cookie with mostly bare areas. The powdered sugar is the key to the appearance of lemon crinkle cookies.
- Bake in the preheated oven just until the edges look slightly golden, about 13 minutes.
- Let them sit for at least five minutes on the baking sheet, and then transfer them to a baking rack to cool to room temperature.
Serving Suggestions
- Though citrus season is winter, and that’s when Meyer lemon trees are usually full, these lemon crinkle cookies are fantastic all year long. (This is why the substitution of regular lemons, which can be found all year, is suggested.)
- These cookies are excellent with tea in the afternoon, or for dessert any time. (Like all day long!)
Meyer Lemons vs. Regular Lemons
- The flavor of a fresh Meyer lemon is a touch less tart and a touch more sweet than regular lemons.
- Meyer lemons have a much thinner and smoother skin and often fewer seeds, which ultimately results in a much juicer lemon.
- Meyers are typically a deeper yellow color (like an egg yolk), often almost orange — especially the skin, though typically inside and out.
More Lemon Dessert Recipes
- Frozen Lemon Custard with Lavender
- Gluten-Free Meyer Lemon Olive Oil Cake
- Lemon Bars with Coconut Crust
- Lemon Cookies with Fresh Blueberries
- Vanilla-Meyer Lemon Hot Milk Cake
- Meyer Lemon Flan
Making Them Ahead and Storing Them
- The dough can be made a few days in advance and refrigerated, wrapped tightly in plastic, or in an airtight container.
- Room temperature. In a tightly sealed container, the cookies can be kept at room temperature for 3 days.
- Freezer. Sealed tightly, you can store the cookies for about a month in the freezer. (Of course they’ll last longer than that frozen, but will taste the best for up to a month.)
I hope you think these Meyer Lemon Crinkle Cookies are as fabulous as my family and I do!
Meyer Lemon Crinkle Cookies Recipe
Ingredients
- ¼ cup Meyer lemon zest (lightly packed -- full, but not pressed down so that it's compressed) - from about 2 large lemons
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt (use half the amount if using table salt)
- ½ cup unsalted butter, melted
- 2½ tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs
- ¼ cup Meyer lemon juice -from about 2 large lemons*
- ⅔ cup powdered sugar, sifted
Instructions
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
- Make lemon sugar. Add the lemon zest to the sugar in a small bowl, and use your fingers to rub them together. Do this until the sugar seems almost wet. (The oils from the zest will release into the sugar, which adds more of the lemon flavor to the cookies.1 cup granulated sugar, ¼ cup Meyer lemon zest
- Mix dry ingredients. Combine the flour, baking soda and baking powder in a large bowl. Whisk to blend and set aside.2 cups all-purpose flour, ½ teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon baking powder, ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- Mix wet ingredients. In another bowl, combine the melted butter, olive oil, vanilla, lemon-sugar and salt. Mix just until until it’s smooth. Add the eggs and whisk again just until smooth. Then whisk in the lemon juice.½ cup unsalted butter, melted, 2½ tablespoons olive oil, 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract, 2 large eggs, ¼ cup Meyer lemon juice
- Mix wet with dry. Use a large spoon or spatula to fold the wet ingredients into the bowl with the dry ingredients. Only mix until you no longer see dry spots.
- Shape and refrigerate. Use a 1¼ inch cookie scoop to shape the batter into small mounds, onto the parchment-lined baking sheet as you so. They can be close together at this point. Cover the baking sheet with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 6 hours (and up to 2 days).
- Prep powdered sugar and set oven. After the refrigeration time, or when you’re ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350°F, add the sifted powdered sugar to a shallow bowl, and line another baking sheet with parchment paper.⅔ cup powdered sugar, sifted
- Roll the dough into balls. One by one, roll the shaped dough between your palms to form smooth balls. If they are sticking to the parchment, use a small flat-bottomed spatula to help release them.
- Coat with powdered sugar. After each one is shaped, drop it into the powdered sugar and roll it until it’s completely and generously coated with it. Place them about 3 inches apart on the newly lined baking sheet as you go. (You will likely only fit about 12 per sheet — between batches, return the shaped dough to the refrigerator.)
- Bake and cool. Bake in the preheated 350°F oven use until the edges look the slightest bit golden, about 13 minutes. Let them sit for at least five minutes on the baking sheet, and then transfer them to a baking rack to cool to room temperature.
angiesrecipes
wow Those freshly picked lemons are amazing! I bet these cookies taste particularly fresh and delicious.
angiesrecipes
valentina
Hi Angie. Thank you so much and enjoy! 🙂 ~Valentina
Crane Sylvia
I am right this minute preparing the lemon cookies and. Te a shurprise: nowhere in the recipe except when you mix lemon zest and sugar , these two are. Mentioned...! What I do with Them? Add to dry ingredients. HELP like right now!
Valentina
Good morning. It's listed in step no. 4. Hopefully you saw it or I'm getting back to you in time! 🙂
David Scott Allen
I just came to your site to look for Meyer lemon dessert recipes and look what I found, am making these Monday for dessert! Thanks for always being there!
valentina
This makes me so happy. Yay! Hope you love them. 😀 Valentina
David Scott Allen
I loved these and so have all my friends! I know there was "user error" for me - the batter was too thin, but it worked fine after chilling (thanks for suggesting that the batter could be chilled before shaping!). They didn't crinkle as beautifully as yours, but there were zero complaints! 🙂
Valentina
Oh yay! So happy you liked them. I find the more powdered sugar, the better the crinkle. And I'm sure yours looked great. Thanks so much, David. 🙂 ~Valentina
Jeff the Chef @ Make It Like a Man!
I just saw a bunch of Meyer lemons in the market! I'm going to have to go back and grab some!
Valentina
Yes! Do it. 😀 Thanks, Jeff. ~Valentina
Raymund | angsarap.net
Those crinkles looks nice! melt in your mouth you say, I am in
Valentina
Thanks, Raymund! Hope you love them. 🙂 ~Valentina
Marissa
I love Meyer lemons! My parents live in No. California and their tree produces hundreds of them every year - what a treat! And these cookies look absolutely irresistible. The lemon zest in the lemon sugar is such a great detail.
Valentina
Thank you, Marissa. So great your parents have a tree. It's the only fruit tree we have and I absolutely love it. 🙂 ~Valentina
Dawn
I absolutely adore lemon desserts so these are going on my baking list for sure. I bet they make the house smell so so good too. Plus, not to mention, they look so bright and cherry, perfect for a cold winter day with a nice cup of tea or coffee. 🙂 P.S. Beautiful new layout!
Valentina
I hope you love them, Dawn. Love that you think they're bright and cheery. Makes me smile. And thanks for the kind words about the site. 🙂 ~Valentina
2pots2cook
So into the season after physalis............. Brava!
Valentina
Yes! Thank you, Davorka. Enjoy! 🙂 ~Valentina
Colette
Happy 2023, Valentina bella!
These cookies are delightful!
My li'l Meyer lemon tree has 3 fruits finally ripened.
Now I have the perfect plan for them! xo
Valentina
Hi Colette, Thank you, and a very happy new year to you, too! So exciting when our trees begin producing delicious fruit. 🙂 ~Valentina
Liz
YUM! I've made orange crinkles but never lemon! That has got to be remedied as these look terrific!! I'll have to keep my eyes peeled for Meyer lemons.
Valentina
Hope you love them, Liz. Thanks! 🙂 ~Valentina
Annette C Hendrix
Can I use lemons from my tree in this recipe?They are not Meyer lemons?
Valentina
Hi Annette. Yes, absolutely! Hope you love them. 🙂 ~Valentina
Perri
Can I substitute vegetable oil for olive oil?
Valentina
Hi! Yes, this switch should work. Enjoy! 🙂 ~Valentina