These Soft Batch Vegan Lemon Crinkle Cookies are meltingly soft and full of fresh citrus flavor! They're ready in under 30 minutes as a bright & customizable dessert option that's also freezer-friendly.
Why are they called crinkle cookies?
The name "crinkle cookie" comes from the semi-cracked appearance of sugar on top of the cookies once baked. These sweet treats are rolled in powdered sugar prior to baking. While they bake and set, small "crinkles" appear on their surface (resembling a crumbled sheet of paper).
To make these cookies extra soft and chewy, we their base is primarily made of creamed vegan butter, all purpose flour, and organic white sugar. A nice jolt of lemon juice helps bring zesty flavor, making these a perfect citrus treat any time of year.
Ingredients Needed
- 1 TBS ground flaxseed (flax meal) + 3 TBS water (to make a flax egg, see Step 1)
- 1 ½ cups all purpose flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ cup (1 stick) vegan butter like Miyokos, or butter of choice, softened but not melted*
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- Zest of one lemon
- 3 TBS lemon juice
- ½ cup additional granulated sugar (for coating)
- ½ cup powdered sugar (for coating)
How to Make Vegan Lemon Crinkle Cookies
1. First, make a "flax egg" with ground flax seed and water.
2. Then combine flour, baking powder, and salt in one bowl. In another bowl, add softened butter, sugar, vanilla, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Cream the ingredients and mix dry with wet.
3. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Form the cookies with a TBS and coat in more granulated sugar and then in powdered sugar. Press cookies down onto two prepared baking sheets.
4. Bake cookies for 8-10 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool on the tray.
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How do I make powdered sugar stick to crinkle cookies?
The trick for the best crinkle cookies is to roll them first in granulated sugar and then in powdered sugar before baking. This additional layer helps the powdered sugar really stick and not melt right into the cookie. If you notice that the sugar has melted significantly while the cookies have cooled, feel free to sprinkle a bit more on prior to serving.
The Secret to the Best Soft Batch Cookies
The trick for making perfect "soft batch" cookies is simple - under bake them. These lemon crinkle cookies are baked for just about 8 minutes in a 350 degree oven. They will look underdone when removed from the oven, but will firm up while cooling. Let them cool on the cookie sheet for 10 minutes after taking out of the oven. This ensures they will stay chewy and not at all crunchy.
You will also notice that the cookie dough in this recipe is very soft (almost difficult to roll). This contributes to a very chewy and pillowy texture overall. If you are having too much trouble forming cookie balls, feel free to chill this dough for a few minutes to allow it to firm up a bit.
Can I freeze crinkle cookies?
Yes! Before baking, prepared cookie dough balls (without sugar rolled on the outside) can be frozen in a single layer on a cookie sheet and then stored in a freezer-safe container for a few months. Before baking, roll the cookies in the granulated and powdered sugars. You will likely need to add a few minutes to the baking time if they are very cold going into the oven.
More Vegan Cookie Recipes to Try
Looking for other simple dessert recipes? Test one of these next:
- Soft Batch Rainbow Sprinkle Cookies
- Thin and Crispy Chocolate Cookies (Tate's-Style)
- Vegan Thumbprint Cookies
- The Best Healthy Thin Mints
- Flower Shortbread
Vegan Lemon Crinkle Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 TBS ground flaxseed flax meal + 3 TBS water (flax egg, see Step 1)
- 1 ½ cups all purpose flour
- 2 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup 1 stick vegan butter like Miyokos, or butter of choice, softened but not melted*
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- Zest of one lemon
- 3 TBS lemon juice
- ½ cup additional granulated sugar for coating
- ½ cup powdered sugar for coating
Instructions
- Mix your ground flax seed and water in a small bowl. Let sit in the fridge while you prepare the dry mixture. It will firm up while cooling, about 5 minutes. This will act as your egg substitute.
- In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, add flax egg, softened butter, sugar, vanilla, lemon zest, and lemon juice. If you have a stand mixer or hand mixer, I recommend creaming these ingredients together. This will incorporate some air into the mixture that provides lift to the cookies. If you do not have a mixer this is OK, just whip the ingredients swiftly with a fork until a soft mass is formed. Remember, you want you butter to be soft but not melted.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Add dry mixture to wet, gently combining with a wooden spoon until no dry spots remain. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or a nonstick mat. Add granulated sugar and powdered sugar to two separate bowls.
- Using a TBS measure or spoon, form balls of dough. Roll each ball in granulated sugar and then powdered sugar. Place cookies on prepared sheet, pressing down slightly. Pressing the balls down also helps them bake more evenly and prevents awkward spreading.
- Bake for 8-10 minutes. They will look underdone when you remove them from the oven, which is good. Let them continue baking on the sheets once outside the oven; they'll firm up as they cook and stay softer. Store in a covered contained for 5 days.
Jenna says
LOVED these cookies! They're so soft and perfectly sweet! I just added the flax egg after I had creamed the wet ingredients, but is there a specific spot in the recipe that is best to add it in? It seems to be missing in the instructions. Thanks for this recipe!!
Emily says
Hi Jenna, thanks so much for commenting and making the recipe, I am really happy you liked them 🙂 And great catch, that was a typo! You were totally correct, I went in and updated the recipe card. Thank you again!!