This easy lemon crinkle cookie recipe is made from scratch with a gluten free flour. They are chewy, dense and pillowy and are the perfect dessert to bring to a spring or summer party!
After developing a recipe for gluten free chocolate crinkle cookies last year, I was hooked!
And because I love lemon flavored baked goods so much, I decided to make a spring and summer version of my new favorite cookie.
What Is A Crinkle Cookie?
A crinkle cookie is a cookie where the dough is rolled into a ball and then rolled in confectioners sugar. Once it starts baking, the white sugar on the cookie will “crack” exposing the cookie inside and a crinkly white outside.
Main Ingredients You’ll Need:
- Gluten Free Flour Blend - I use a gluten free flour blend that already contains xanthan gum. This gives baked goods a chewy texture that gluten would. I enjoy using King Arthur Gluten Free Flour which has a 1:1 ratio with wheat flour.
- Fresh Lemon - the juice and zest of one entire lemon is needed for this recipe along with additional lemon flavor. Don’t have a zester? Try this one.
- Lemon Extract - while you’ll already be adding fresh lemon zest and juice in this recipe, a more concentrated lemon flavor is also needed. Try this lemon extract.
- Lemon Essential Oil - if you would like to use lemon essential oil instead of extract, you could do that too! Please make sure that it is a food grade essential oil like the one in the white bottle from Young Living.
- Yellow Food Coloring - this is OPTIONAL but I believe it makes a much better presentation. I used this natural food coloring powder that is made from fruits and vegetables.
How To Make Lemon Crinkle Cookies:
- Using a hand mixer or stand mixer, cream together room temperature butter and sugar. Add in vanilla, egg, lemon juice, lemon zest and lemon extract or oil and mix until fully combined. If you’re using food coloring liquid or powder, add it in this step.
- In a large bowl, whisk together gluten free flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
- Add in 3 batches to wet ingredients while mixing on medium low until the dough is formed.
- Place dough in the fridge for 2 hours to firm up.
- Once you’re ready to bake, preheat your oven to 325.
- Add powdered sugar to a small bowl.
- Roll dough into 1 inch balls and roll in powdered sugar to coat.
- Place on a parchment lined baking sheet 2 inches apart.
- Bake for 18-20 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool completely before serving.
Can I Roll Them In Regular Sugar?
These can be rolled in regular sugar, but they will not have that “cracked” white sugar look.
Can I Make These Using Boxed Cake Mix?
I have not done so before, but there are plenty of recipes out there that use boxed cake mix to make cookies. Make sure you’re finding a gluten free baking mix if you’re worried about gluten.
Can I Make These With Regular All Purpose Flour?
If you’re not concerned about baked goods that are gluten free, you can use regular all purpose flour in a 1:1 ratio with the recipe as written.
Can I Freeze Cookie Dough?
Absolutely! In fact, whenever I personally make a batch I only cook half of it or else they would all be gone too quickly! I shape the rest of the dough into a log and wrap it in plastic wrap and place it in the freezer for up to 3 months. When I am ready to bake, I remove it the night before and let it thaw in the fridge.
Other Popular Gluten Free Desserts
- Gluten Free Strawberry Lemon Bars
- Gluten Free Red Velvet Crinkle Cookies
- Gluten Free Peanut Butter Pie
- 3 Ingredient Nutella Brownies
- Gluten Free Texas Sheet Cake Cookies
Gluten Free Lemon Crinkle Cookies
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients
- 1.5 cups Gluten Free Flour Blend
- 1 cup Sugar
- ¼ tsp Baking Powder
- ¼ tsp Baking Soda
- ¼ tsp Salt
- ¾ cup Powdered Sugar
Wet Ingredients
- Juice and Zest from 1 lemon
- ½ cup Unsalted Butter room temperature
- 1 Egg
- 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
- ¼ tsp Lemon Extract OR 5 drops food grade Lemon Essential Oil
Instructions
- Using a hand mixer or stand mixer, cream together room temperature butter and sugar. Add in vanilla, egg, lemon juice, lemon zest and lemon extract or oil and mix until fully combined. If you’re using food coloring liquid or powder, add it in this step.
- In a large bowl, whisk together gluten free flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
- Add in 3 batches to wet ingredients while mixing on medium low until the dough is formed.
- Place dough in the fridge for 2 hours to firm up.
- Once you’re ready to bake, preheat your oven to 325.
- Add powdered sugar to a small bowl.
- Roll dough into 1 inch balls and roll in powdered sugar to coat.
- Place on a parchment lined baking sheet 2 inches apart.
- Bake for 18-20 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool completely before serving.
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