Lavender Lemon Crinkle Cookies
Soft and chewy lavender lemon crinkle cookies with bright citrus flavor and a delicate floral finish. Rolled in powdered sugar for a beautiful crackled top, these bakery-style cookies are perfectly balanced, not too sweet, and incredibly fragrant.
Servings 18 cookies
Calories 140kcal
Cost $8 for entire recipe
Equipment
- Mixing bowls
- Hand mixer or stand mixer
- Measuring cups and spoons (or kitchen scale)
- Zester or microplane
- Rubber spatula
- Cookie scoop (medium, ~1.5 tbsp)
- Baking sheet
- Parchment paper
- wire cooling rack
Ingredients
- 2¼ cups 270g all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp fine salt
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup unsalted butter softened
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 2 tbsp lemon zest
- 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ¾ tsp culinary lavender finely ground
- ¾ cup powdered sugar for rolling
Instructions
Step 1: Mix dry ingredients
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
Step 2: Infuse sugar with lavender
- In a large bowl, combine the granulated sugar and finely ground lavender. Rub together with your fingers until fragrant.
Step 3: Cream butter and sugar
- Add the softened butter to the lavender sugar and beat for 2–3 minutes until light and slightly fluffy.
Step 4: Add wet ingredients
- Mix in the eggs one at a time, then add the lemon zest, lemon juice, and vanilla extract. Mix until smooth.
Step 5: Combine
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing just until a soft dough forms.
Step 6: Chill
- Cover and refrigerate the dough for at least 1 hour, or until firm enough to roll.
Step 7: Roll and coat
- Scoop the dough into balls and roll each one generously in powdered sugar, coating thickly.
Step 8: Bake
- Place cookies on a parchment-lined baking sheet, spacing 2–3 inches apart. Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 10–12 minutes, until edges are set and tops are crackled.
Step 9: Cool
- Let cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
- Use fresh lemon zest for maximum flavor: The zest carries most of the lemon’s natural oils, giving these lavender lemon crinkle cookies a bright, vibrant citrus taste. Bottled juice won’t deliver the same intensity.
- Grind culinary lavender finely: For the best flavor and texture, grind dried culinary lavender into the sugar until it’s fine and sandy. This prevents harsh, perfumey bites and ensures even distribution.
- Chill the dough until firm: Proper chilling is key for thick, bakery-style crinkle cookies. The dough should feel firm and scoopable—this helps control spreading and creates well-defined crackled tops.
- Coat generously in powdered sugar: Roll each dough ball heavily in powdered sugar so the cookies bake up with bold, white crinkles. A light coating won’t give that signature look.
- Don’t overbake: Remove cookies when the edges are set but the centers still look soft and slightly underdone. They will continue to set as they cool, giving you soft and chewy centers.
- Measure flour accurately: Too much flour can make cookies dense and dry. For best results, use a kitchen scale (270g) or spoon and level your flour.
- Room temperature ingredients matter: Eggs and butter at room temperature mix more evenly, creating a smoother dough and better cookie texture.
- Adjust lavender to taste: If you’re new to baking with lavender, start with slightly less (½ tsp) for a milder floral note and increase next time if desired.
- Use parchment paper for even baking: This prevents over-browning on the bottoms and helps cookies bake evenly.
- Perfect for make-ahead baking: The dough can be refrigerated overnight, which actually enhances the lemon and lavender flavors for even better cookies the next day.