Springtime Crinkle Cookies (Printable)

Soft pastel cookies with lemon zest and signature crinkle tops, ready in 30 minutes.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Dry Ingredients

01 - 2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1 tsp baking powder
03 - 1/2 tsp baking soda
04 - 1/4 tsp salt

→ Wet Ingredients

05 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
06 - 1 cup granulated sugar
07 - 2 large eggs, room temperature
08 - 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
09 - 1/4 cup whole milk
10 - Zest of 1 lemon

→ For Rolling

11 - 1/2 cup powdered sugar
12 - 1/2 cup granulated sugar
13 - Gel food coloring in pastel shades (pink, yellow, green, blue)

# How-To Steps:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
02 - Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. Set aside.
03 - Beat butter and sugar with electric mixer until light and fluffy, approximately 2 minutes.
04 - Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each. Mix in vanilla, milk, and lemon zest until smooth.
05 - Gradually add dry ingredients to wet mixture, mixing just until combined.
06 - Divide dough evenly into 3-4 bowls. Tint each portion with pastel food coloring until desired shade is reached.
07 - Refrigerate colored doughs for 20 minutes for easier handling.
08 - Roll tablespoon portions into balls. Coat each ball first in granulated sugar, then generously in powdered sugar.
09 - Place coated dough balls 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheets.
10 - Bake for 10-12 minutes until tops are cracked and edges are set.
11 - Let cookies rest on baking sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer to wire rack to cool completely.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • These cookies bake into the most satisfying crinkled tops, looking like little edible jewels
  • The lemon zest keeps them from being too sweet, making everyone reach for seconds
02 -
  • The powdered sugar coating is what creates the crinkle effect as it melts into the cracks during baking
  • Do not skip the chilling step because room temperature dough spreads too much and loses its shape
03 -
  • Use a cookie scoop to get uniform sizes so they all bake at the same rate
  • The dough firms up quickly in the fridge, so work with one color at a time if needed

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