You will LOVE these vegan lemon crinkle cookies, made from scratch in 1 bowl. They are bursting with lemon flavor and irresistibly soft and chewy!
If you love these, you will also love my Chocolate Crinkle Cookies and Red Velvet Crinkle Cookies!
Crinkle cookies are one of my favorite, and when you pair them with lemon I’m in heaven!
While chocolate is everyone’s go-to, and not without good reason, I think lemon sweets are the real dessert hero. Just have a taste of this fluffy Lemon Cake or these decadent Lemon Bars!
Lemon crinkle cookies are so soft and pillowy with perfect cracks. They’re bursting with sunshine lemon flavor and easy to make in 1 bowl. No dough chilling required!
How to make lemon crinkle cookies
Find the complete printable recipe with measurements below in the recipe card.
- First, preheat the oven and prepare your dough. Beat the softened vegan butter and sugar, then add the vanilla, lemon extract, zest and juice and optional yellow food dye. Add the flour, cornstarch, baking soda and salt and mix until just combined.
- Roll the dough into tablespoon sized balls and roll generously in powdered sugar.
- Place on silicone or parchment lined baking pans and bake for 10-12 minutes.
- Remove from oven and let them cool for 5 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.
Tips and Variations
- Pretty yellow cookies! For the prettiest cookies, add a few drops of quality yellow food coloring (I like gel) and roll very generously in powdered sugar before baking.
- Lime instead – For lime crinkle cookies, substitute fresh lime juice and zest, and add a few drops of green food coloring!
- Same day – Serve these cookies to company the same day you make them. They will stay yummy for 3-4 days, but the powdered sugar will begin to melt into the cookie, making them less pretty.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Can I make them gluten free? Yes, simply substitute a quality gluten free flour mix.
- Does the cookie dough need to be chilled? I don’t like waiting around for cookies if I don’t have to, and I found that there is no need to chill this cookie dough before baking!
- How long will the cookies last? They last 3-4 days at room temperature, or a few extra days in the refrigerator. Though they won’t be as pretty as the first day. Store in an airtight container.
More citrusy desserts to love
Lemon Crinkle Cookies
You will LOVE these vegan lemon crinkle cookies, made from scratch in 1 bowl. They are bursting with lemon flavor and irresistibly soft and chewy!
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup vegan butter, softened to room temperature
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon lemon extract
- 3 teaspoons fresh grated lemon zest
- 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 2 drops yellow food coloring optional
- 1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup powdered sugar, for rolling
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and line two cookie sheets with silicone mats or parchment paper. Place the powdered sugar in a bowl for rolling the dough in.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, or using a handheld mixer, beat the softened vegan butter and sugar until creamy.
- Add the vanilla, lemon extract, lemon zest, juice and optional yellow food coloring. Mix until combined, scraping the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed.
- Stop the mixer and add the flour, followed by the cornstarch, baking soda and salt. Turn the mixer on low speed and mix until just combined.
- Roll the dough into tablespoon sized balls, then roll generously in the powdered sugar to coat completely.
- Place on the prepared pans and bake for 10-12 minutes, until the edges are just set. Do not over bake, they will be very soft but firm up as they cool.
- Let them cool on the cookie sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack. Enjoy! These cookies are best served the same day as the powdered sugar will start to melt into the cookies. They still taste good for 3-4 days, but they won't be as pretty!
Video
Notes
- If you don’t have lemon extract, you may leave it out but it adds extra lemon flavor.
- The food coloring is optional, it just makes them yellow instead of pale.
- For gluten free, substitute an all purpose gluten free flour.
Nutrition
Serving: 1of 18 cookies | Calories: 152kcal | Carbohydrates: 28g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.03g | Sodium: 104mg | Potassium: 18mg | Fiber: 0.3g | Sugar: 18g | Vitamin A: 240IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 2mg | Iron: 1mg
Did you make this recipe?Mention @nora_cooks_vegan_ or tag #noracooks!
These were easy to make (I’m 13) and soooo delicious. Even my chocolate obsessed family loved them! PS I love your name lol
Hi Nora! What a delight to read your comments! I’m thrilled that the cookies were easy and delicious for you! Thank you for sharing your fabulous feedback and review! I love your name too! Wishing you lots of happy cooking!
Just made the cookies and i couldn’t stop eating them. thank you for the recipe. highy appreciated
You are welcome, Eden! Thanks for your wonderful feedback and review!
Make these at your own risk, I can’t stop eating them! I made them without the lemon extract just because I didn’t have any on hand. They’re still really good without the extract, but more like a sugar cookie with a refreshing lemon undertone.
I hear you, Hannah! I’m glad you enjoyed the cookies! Thanks for your fantastic feedback and review!
So delicious! These will be my new favorite cookie.
If you or your readers have experimented with monk fruit or coconut sugar as a substitute, what amount would work? Does it change the texture or otherwise comprise the cookie?
I haven’t tried either in this recipe, but I think coconut sugar would be the better substitute. It’s similar to brown sugar, which means it will likely give the cookies a darker color and make them richer in flavor, but otherwise, the recipe/results should stay the same. Hope this helps!
I bake with monkfruit sugar all the time, and you should definitely use the same amount as with normal sugar, it tastes amazing!
Thanks for your feedback!
These turned out beautifully! I subbed regular butter for vegan butter and used an extra tsp of lemon juice instead of lemon extract because I didn’t have any on hand. Perfect!
Thanks for your fabulous feedback and review! I’m thrilled the cookies turned out wonderful!
Oh my goodness, these are delicious! After the holidays I always crave lighter and brighter flavors, and these fit the bill perfectly!
So delicious! I will be adding these into the cookie rotation for sure!
That is awesome! I’m so glad you loved the cookies! Thanks for your terrific feedback!
These turned out brilliantly! The flavour is amazing!
Thanks for sharing your fabulous feedback! I’m glad the cookies turned out wonderful for you!
I froze the dough. Should I wait half an hour after taking them out to bake?
If you rolled the cookie dough into balls first, then you can bake them right from frozen.
I made this exactly as the recipe specified, but they did not puff up like cookies. They were deflated. I made the chocolate ones and they turned out great. I notice this recipe calls for baking soda not baking powder like the chocolate ones. I wonder if that was the problem?
Hi there! With any cookie recipe, they will come out flat for a few different reasons. One, you didn’t measure everything accurately. Just scooping flour can lead to using too much or too little. I suggest spooning it into the measuring cup and leveling off with a knife. The other thing is that maybe your vegan butter was too soft and more melted than just softened. Did you make any substitutions at all, like using less sugar?
So delicious and refreshing!!!
However, my powdered sugar melt while in the oven, is it normal? I had to sprinkle more afterwards.
Thanks for your review, Aga! A generous amount of powdered sugar on the cookies shouldn’t melt (some will, but not all). Just try rolling the cookie dough balls in even more next time!
Made these earlier this year…. a yummy refreshing cookie! Friends greatly enjoyed them!
I’m so happy you loved the cookies, Emily! Thank you for the wonderful review!
I made these and they were delicious, however, I had to use sunflower oil instead of vegan butter (same ratio) and they turned out very oily and rather flat. Can you please recommend the best substitute and ratio for the vegan butter? thank you
Unfortunately, using oil will result in oily cookies and I would not recommend it. It’s just not the same as using vegan butter. If you absolutely cannot find vegan butter (or make your own: Vegan Butter) then try softened coconut oil instead.
Just finally made these today – absolutely delicious! Bake about half without any powdered sugar for those times when you want to keep the front of your clothes clean and they are just as good plain!
LOL! I love it! Thank you for your wonderful feedback! It’s fabulous that you love the cookies!
Addictive!! These were so quick and easy to make. It took a lot of restraint for my husband and I to not eat the entire batch in one day lol!! I shared some with our friends and they loved them. Will definitely make these again!
Hi Brandi. I’m so glad that you guys loved the cookies! They are such a wonderful summertime cookie! Thank you for sharing your review and feedback!
These cookies are absolutely scrumptious! My daughter made them for the family and I just totally adore them! For hard core lemon lovers, I recommend adding an extra tsp of lemon zest and an extra half tbsp of lemon juice. If you do not have lemon extract, an extra tbsp of lemon juice worked just fine for us!
Hi Stephanie. I’m thrilled that you loved the cookies! They are so perfect for summer! Thank you for taking time to share your fabulous feedback and ideas!
These taste AMAZING! I would definitely not leave out the lemon extract, it gives them a really strong and tasty lemon flavor
Thanks for sharing your great feedback! I’m so happy you love the lemon cookies!
These were delicious. Made them for my sister’s wedding shower this weekend and they were a hit. I took a taste when they were slightly warm and it was just like eating a fresh lemon bar but simpler to make. Will add this to the regular rotation!
Hi Kellie. I love your comment about the warm cookie tasting like a lemon bar but simpler to make! Thanks for taking time to share your wonderful feedback! I’m thrilled you loved the cookies and that they have become part of your cookie faves! Wishing you happy cooking!
I have been craving lemon everything and as soon as I saw you share these I knew I had to try them. They did not disappoint! I love the lemon and powdered sugar combo, which is reminiscent of a lemon shortbread, but with the soft, chewy texture of a crinkle cookie! These are absolutely fantastic and will be a recipe I make often!
I’m so happy these cured your lemon craving, Kristina! Thank you for your amazing feedback and review!
Incredible recipe! So easy to make and it makes the best cookies ever!! YUMMM
Made these tonight and they’re amazing!
But can you make the dough ahead of time?
Yes, you can freeze the cookie dough balls and the baked cookies for up to 3 months. Happy baking!
Wow my family all loved these! I used the metric measurements and my dough was definitely not firm enough for rolling so I did add more flour and popped it in the freezer for a few. But they turned out amazing. Everyone devoured them including my very picky 10 year old son. My only regret is not making more! Thanks for always having consistently delicious recipes!
Thanks you for your feedback, and for using my recipes! I love creating them! I so glad your family loved the cookies!
Hi Nora,
Could I use almond flour for this recipe?
Regards,
Guy
Sorry, almond flour will not work here or as a substitution in any of my cookie recipes. It doesn’t work the same way as regular flour.
I made these this afternoon and they are absolutely delicious. I think I made them slightly too big as they spread quite a bit and the icing sugar mainly disappeared. But I will sift some icing sugar over them when I serve them tomorrow as dessert after lunch with some strawberries. I will definitely be making them again and thank you as always for your wonderful recipes.
You are welcome! I’m so happy to hear that you loved the cookies! Serving them with strawberries sounds so delicious and beautiful! Thank you for your fantastic feedback and review! Happy cooking!
Can you freeze the dough or freeze baked cookies? I can’t wait to make these!!!
Yes, you can freeze the cookie dough balls and the baked cookies for up to 3 months. Happy baking!
What a treat! I am SO over chocolate chip cookies XD However, I don’t have access to lemons here (weird I know). Would this recipe work with limes too you think?
Yes, lime juice and zest would definitely work here! You can also add a few drops of green food coloring. 🙂