Food and Recipes Desserts Cookies Lemon Crinkle Cookies 4.9 (7) 6 Reviews A batch of lemon crinkle cookies is pure, sweet sunshine. By Molly Bolton Molly Bolton Molly Bolton is a self-taught home baker, recipe developer, and food photographer located in Birmingham, Alabama. She has 3+ years of experience creating and capturing original, trustworthy recipes designed for the home baker. Southern Living's editorial guidelines Updated on May 5, 2024 Rate PRINT Share Close Photo: Molly Bolton Active Time: 10 mins Chill Time: 1 hr 30 mins Total Time: 1 hr 48 mins Yield: 2 dozen Lemon crinkle cookies start with a box of lemon cake mix, and quickly turn into a batch of soft, citrusy cookies. A perfect balance of sweet and tart, these easy-peasy-lemon-squeezy crinkle cookies will become a go-to recipe in your kitchen. Their snowy, crackly tops give way to a pleasantly yellow-tinted center, making them look just as bright and sunny as they taste. Many crinkle cookie recipes that use cake mix only call for oil. We use melted butter and oil, which makes these a little lighter, softer, and still very moist. While these cookies couldn't be quicker to throw together at the last minute when you've got a dessert emergency, the dough can also be made ahead and frozen so you're ready to bake a batch at any moment. Learn how to make lemon crinkle cookies, and these will be a family favorite after one bite. Ingredients for Lemon Crinkle Cookies To make lemon crinkle cookies, you'll need: Unsalted butter: Gives the cookies a tender, buttery crumb.Vegetable oil: Adds moisture to the cookies and helps create a chewy texture. You can use canola oil instead.Large egg and egg yolk: Binds the cookie dough. The extra yolk adds color and additional fat for cookies with soft and chewy centers.Vanilla extract: Adds depth of flavor.Lemon zest and juice: For a pop of citrusy brightness.Lemon cake mix: The base of the cookie dough, bringing flour, leavening, sugar, salt, and coloring to the mix.Granulated sugar: For rolling the cookie dough balls to create a crisp outer layer on the cookies beneath the powdered sugar coating.Powdered sugar: For rolling the dough balls to create a snowy, crinkly exterior. Molly Bolton How To Make Lemon Crinkle Cookies With cake mix in the equation, just 10 minutes is all it takes to whip up these cookies. A short chill time and bake time, and they'll be ready to serve. Full instructions are below, but here's a brief recap before you get started: Step 1. Combine wet ingredients: Whisk to combine butter, oil, egg, egg yolk, vanilla extract, zest, and juice in a large bowl.Step 2. Add cake mix: Add the cake mix and stir to combine.Step 3. Chill dough: Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and chill until firm. Place granulated sugar and powdered sugar in separate bowls.Step 4. Scoop and roll in sugar: Scoop heaping tablespoons of dough and roll to create smooth balls. Toss each ball into the sugar, and roll to coat, then repeat with powdered sugar. Finish with one more toss into powdered sugar to coat. The extra steps for the coating are necessary for the perfect finish.Step 5. Bake: Arrange balls on parchment paper-lined baking sheets. Bake until edges are set. Cool on baking sheets, then transfer to a rack to cool completely. Lemon Crinkle Cookies Variations Cake mix cookies just couldn't be easier to throw together, but if you're in the mood to shake things up, consider these variation ideas: Cake mix: If these lemon cookies are a hit, create batches with other cake mix varieties for a colorful variety to gift or serve at your next gathering. Switch up the citrus: Vary the citrusy flavor by swapping the lemon zest and juice with lime, orange, or grapefruit zest and juice. Extracts: Substitute the vanilla extract with almond, coconut, or orange extract for a unique touch. Spices: Add a hint of cinnamon, ginger, dried lavender, or cardamom for for an elevated flavor profile. White chocolate chips: Stir in white chocolate chips for a creamy touch to balance the lemon flavor. Freeze-dried fruits: Fold crumbled freeze-dried strawberries or raspberries into the cookie dough before baking for a fruity twist. Nuts: Add chopped pecans, almonds, or walnuts for a nutty addition. Mix-ins: Add poppy seeds, or finely chopped herbs including basil, thyme, or mint, to the dough for a sophisticated twist. Extra lemon: If you love lemon, add additional zest to the dough, or create a well in the center of each ball and fill with lemon curd before baking for an extra-lemony addition. Our Tips for the Best Crinkle Cookies For that perfectly crinkled exterior, it's important you roll the cookie dough in three layers of sugar: First roll in granulated sugar to create a barrier and prevent moisture from reaching the outer layer of powdered sugar, which could cause it to dissolve into the cookie. Then, coat the dough balls in powdered sugar, and roll between your palms so that the powdered sugar adheres to the surface of the dough. Finally, coat again in a generous layer of powdered sugar to create that snowy exterior. While it may seem like a lot, the results are more than worth it. How To Store Lemon Crinkle Cookies Store lemon crinkle cookies in an airtight container or zip-top plastic bag at room temperature for up to five days or frozen for up to three months. You can also freeze the cookie dough to bake later: Place the balls of dough onto a parchment-lined baking sheet, and freeze until solid. Transfer to a freezer-safe zip-top bag or airtight container and freeze for up to one month. When ready to bake, let the dough thaw slightly at room temperature for 10 to 15 minutes. Coat with sugar coatings as directed and bake, adding a few extra minutes to the baking time if needed. More Cake Mix Dessert Recipes You'll Love Grab that box of cake mix and get baking. There's no end to the possibilities when it comes to baking with cake mix: Red Velvet Cake Mix Cookies Million Dollar Cake Red Velvet Cake Balls Snickers Cake Pumpkin Dump Cake Cheerwine Cherry Cupcakes with Cherry-Swirl Frosting Reese's Cake Red, White, and Blue Cake Mix Cookies Texas Sheet Cake Cookies Editorial contributions by Katie Rosenhouse. Ingredients 3 Tbsp. unsalted butter, melted 3 Tbsp. vegetable oil 1 large egg, plus 1 large egg yolk 1 tsp. vanilla extract 1 Tbsp. lemon zest plus 2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice (from 1 large lemon) 1 (15.25-oz.) lemon cake mix, such as Duncan Hines Signature Perfectly Moist Lemon Supreme cake mix 1/3 cup granulated sugar, for rolling 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar, for rolling Directions Combine wet ingredients: Add the melted butter, oil, egg, egg yolk, vanilla extract, lemon zest and lemon juice to a large bowl and whisk until smooth. Molly Bolton Add cake mix: Add the cake mix to the bowl and stir until evenly combined. Molly Bolton Chill dough: Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and place in the fridge to chill for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, until firm. Towards the end of your chill time, preheat the oven to 375°F and line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper. Place granulated sugar and powdered sugar in separate bowls. Molly Bolton Scoop and roll in sugar: Scoop the dough in heaping tablespoons and roll between your palms to form a smooth ball. Roll each dough ball in the granulated sugar and roll between your palms so that the sugar adheres. Molly Bolton Next, roll each dough ball in the powdered sugar, again rolling between your palms so that the powdered sugar adheres. Finally, roll the dough balls once more in the powdered sugar so that they're coated with a generous amount of powdered sugar. Molly Bolton How To Get the Perfect Crinkle It's important you roll in three layers of sugar: first in granulated sugar to create a barrier and prevent moisture from reaching the outer layer of powdered sugar dissolving into the cookie. Then, roll the dough balls in powdered sugar twice. Coat the dough balls in powdered sugar, and roll between your palms so that the powdered sugar adheres to the surface of the dough. Roll it again, this time coating it in a generous layer of powdered sugar. Bake: Arrange the dough balls on the prepared baking sheets, spacing 2 to 3 inches apart. Bake for 7 to 9 minutes, until the edges are set and the tops are soft and appear slightly under-baked. These will continue to set as they cool. Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes before removing to a cooling rack to cool completely. Molly Bolton Frequently Asked Questions How do I prevent the cookies from spreading too much while baking? With proper measurements and the right oven temperature, you shouldn't have any issue with the cookies spreading too much while baking. Make sure to take time to chill the dough as directed—dough that isn't chilled will have increased spread. Can I make smaller or larger crinkle cookies? Feel free to make smaller or larger crinkle cookies; just adjust the baking time as needed. Can I adjust the sweetness of lemon crinkle cookies? If you're looking to decrease the sweetness of the cookies, eliminate the sugar coating or amp up the quantity of zest in the batter for acidity to balance the sweet exterior. Rate It Print Additional reporting by Katie Rosenhouse Katie Rosenhouse Follow us Katie Rosenhouse is a pastry chef and food writer with over 15 years of experience in the culinary arts. She's worked as a pastry chef in some of the finest restaurants in New York City, as a culinary instructor, and as a recipe developer. learn more