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lemon vanilla crinkle cookies on a square blue plate

Lemon Vanilla Crinkle Cookie Recipe

My Lemon Vanilla Crinkle Cookies Recipe is nut-free, egg-free, made from scratch with plenty of lemon zest and vanilla from vanilla beans. These Lemon Vanilla Crinkle Cookies taste delicious and are a special made-with-love treat for someone who is allergic to eggs.

Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Keyword cookie, cookies, Lemon Crinkle Cookies
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 12 minutes
Chill the dough 15 minutes
Total Time 57 minutes
Servings 24
Calories 130 kcal
Author Sharon Wong @NutFreeWok

Ingredients

  • 2 cups and 3 tablespoons all purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 3 Meyer lemons 4 if the lemons are small
  • 1 vanilla bean
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter 1 stick, 8 tablespoons, softened
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 3 tablespoons oil
  • 3 tablespoons water
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon lemon extract
  • 1/3 cup powered sugar more if needed

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 °F (check that you have an oven rack in the middle position) and line two cookie sheets with non-stick parchment paper or silicon baking sheets.
  2. Combine flour, 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder, and salt in a medium sized bowl.
  3. Wash your lemons well and dry them with a paper towel, then zest them directly over the bowl of flour (reserve the lemons for other uses).
  4. Use a sharp pointy knife to split your vanilla bean lengthwise and scrape the seeds and add to the flour mixture (reserve the pod shell for other uses).
  5. Whisk the flour mixture well and set aside.
  6. Beat the butter and sugar together until they are combined and look fluffy (2-3 minutes using a stand mixer, 5 minute with a hand mixer), scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
  7. Combine the oil, water, and 2 teaspoons of baking powder in a small bowl and add to the butter and sugar mixture, add the lemon extract, and mix on low speed until combined.*
  8. Add flour mixture and mix on low speed until combined, scrape down sides of the bowl as needed, stop when the flour is mixed it but do not overmix.
  9. Gather the dough into a ball and cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate the dough for 15-30 minutes.
  10. Place powdered sugar in a bowl (I used the flour mixture bowl).
  11. Use a tablespoon sized measuring spoon to measure the dough and a regular teaspoon to scrape the dough out into the bowl of powdered sugar.
  12. Use your fingers to roll the dough in the powdered sugar and shape it into a ball.
  13. Place the powdered sugar covered dough on your prepared cookie sheet about 2 inches apart from each other, repeat measuring and rolling the dough
  14. Bake for 12-13 minutes until the cookies are puffy, slightly cracked, and golden brown at the bottom.
  15. Allow the cookies to cool on the tray for a few minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Recipe Notes

It is important to check that your baking powder is fresh. Add a pinch to a small amount of water, you want to see the baking powder fizz. *IF USING EGGS: omit the oil, water, and baking powder in step 7 and use two slightly beatened eggs instead.

Nutrition Facts
Lemon Vanilla Crinkle Cookie Recipe
Amount Per Serving
Calories 130
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.