Lemon Crinkle Cookies

One of my (many) weaknesses are sugar cookies.  I can't seem to perfect them.  Sometimes I get the dough right, but then have a hard time rolling them out into an even thickness.  Or I mess up the cookie cutters... Or the cutting part works out well, but the cookie itself is dry.  ::sigh::  While I continue to work on a butter cookie recipe that will work for me time and time again, I will continue to ROCK cookies that DO NOT have to be cut with cookie cutters!

Lemon Crinkle Cookies

These lemon crinkle cookies can be eaten immediately or kept in an airtight container up to a week; although you'll see them disappear long before that!  These are fantastic for cookie sharing parties or for holiday presents. Their flavor flexibility also extends beyond any single season... they're perfect anytime!

Combine wet ingredients in a stand mixer, or with a hand held mixer

Combine dry ingredients in a bowl and mix to incorporate.

Stir in dried ingredients, just long enough to combine.
Use a spatula to scrape down the sides of the bowl

Roll dough in powdered sugar

Place cookie balls on parchment paper lined baking sheet

Baked cookies

mmmmm.... Lemon Crinkle Cookies

Cooling the cookies before they're devoured!

Lemon Crinkle Cookies

Makes about 7 dozen teaspoon cookies or about 2.5 dozen Tablespoon cookies

Ingredients

1 cup butter, room temperature
2 cup granulated sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 whole eggs
1 Tablespoon lemon zest
2 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

½ cups powdered sugar in a shallow bowl (for rolling)

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 

1. Cream butter and sugar in a stand mixer until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. 

2. Whip in vanilla, egg, lemon zest, and juice. 

3. Sift together all dry ingredients (except for the powdered sugar).

4. Add dry ingredients to stand mixer and mix to combine.

5. Using a teaspoon measuring spoon or ice cream scoop, measure out dough. Roll them into a ball in your hands and then cover in powdered sugar.

6. Repeat ball making, placing each ball at least 2 inches apart on baking sheet.

7. Bake for 10 minutes, or until bottoms are barely brown  and the top has softly crinkled.

8. Remove from oven and let cool on baking sheet for 2-3 minutes before transferring to cooling racks.