Lemon Clementine Crinkle Cookies

posted on February 18, 2015 by Rachel Gurk

These lemon clementine crinkle cookies are bright, citrusy and the perfect chewy cookie for snacking on alongside a hot cup of tea.

Last week it was double cinnamon crinkle cookies – this week, lemon clementine cookies. Same idea, but totally different taste.

If I had to choose which I liked better, I’m not sure I could make a decision. I loved the fresh and bright taste of these. The sweetness of the cookie was perfectly balanced with the tanginess and citrus flavor of the lemon and clementines. The cinnamon cookies were amazing too — perfect with a hot cup of coffee. I’ll just have to eat both. Both had the perfect balance of chewy centers and slightly crispy edges. Cookie perfection, if you ask me.

If you don’t have clementines on hand, feel free to substitute oranges. They would be great in these cookies. We just allllllways have a bag or a crate of clementines on hand so it was an obvious choice for me. If you’re not an orange/clementine fan, try these with lime! Or even grapefruit. Oh man — I think I need to head back to the kitchen, I’m starting to get hungry for more cookies.

Again, like the cinnamon crinkle cookies, these are a simple cookie recipe that are easy to make and fun to get the kids involved with. If you’re making a huge mess with powdered sugar, might as well let the kids have some fun too, right?

Lemon Clementine Crinkle Cookies

Name: Lemon Clementine Crinkle Cookies
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 25 min
Yield: 2-3 dozen cookies
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened; 1 cup granulated sugar; 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract; 1 large egg; 1 and 1/2 cups all-purpose flour; 1 teaspoon clementine zest; 1 teaspoon lemon zest; ¼ teaspoon salt; ¼ teaspoon baking powder; ⅛ teaspoon baking soda; ½ cup powdered sugar

Yield: 2-3 dozen cookies

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 25 minutes

These lemon clementine crinkle cookies are bright, citrusy and the perfect chewy cookie for snacking on alongside a hot cup of tea.

Ingredients

½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 large egg
1 and 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon clementine zest
1 teaspoon lemon zest
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon baking powder
⅛ teaspoon baking soda
½ cup powdered sugar

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350°F.
In a stand mixer, combine butter and sugar and mix on medium speed until combined and light in color. Add vanilla and egg and beat again until combined.
In a medium bowl, mix together flour, clementine zest, lemon zest, salt, baking powder and baking soda.
Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and mix until just combined.
Roll into small balls (1-2 tablespoons) and then roll in powdered sugar until coated. Place on a parchment paper lined baking sheet and bake for 9-11 minutes or until no longer shiny. Pleeeease don’t overbake these — they need to be chewy!

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Nutrition Information:

Yield: 30 Serving Size: 1 cookie
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 79 Total Fat: 3g Saturated Fat: 2g Trans Fat: 0g Cholesterol: 14mg Sodium: 28mg Carbohydrates: 12g Fiber: 0g Sugar: 9g Protein: 1g

Verdict: Obsessed.

Husband’s take: Oh boy – I’m so sorry Ben! I think I shipped these all off to my neighbor’s house before he even had a chance to try them. I’ll make them again though so he’ll get to enjoy.

Changes I would make: None are necessary but now I can’t stop thinking about grapefruit.

Difficulty: Easy.

Craving more citrusy cookies like these lemon clementine crinkle cookies? I don’t blame you, I am too. Try these: Lemonade Cookies, Biscotti with Ginger, Orange, and Cranberries, Meyer Lemon Poppy Seed Cookie Bars, Honey Lemon Shortbread Cookies, Clementine Butter Cookies from Mountain Mama Cooks, or Lime-Coconut White Chip Macadamia Nut Cookies from Our Best Bites.

posted in Cookies & Bars

21 comments »

21 comments

Marta Ruffino — December 20, 2017 @ 11:25 am Reply

Just made these and they turned out chewy and citrusy. I used the zest of 3 clementines and 1 lemon. Great.
I would make a couple changes: I would pass on rolling the cookies in icing sugar. I know this would mess up the crinkle part, but I just found the extra sugar to be more sweetness than I like. Personal preference.
I’d also bump up the citrus by changing the extracts to 1/2 tsp orange extract and 1/2 tsp vanilla.
Thanks for the recipe.
- Rachel Gurk — December 20, 2017 @ 2:59 pm Reply
  
  So glad you enjoyed these! Love the idea of adding orange extract! :)
Nutmeg Nanny — February 20, 2015 @ 7:58 am Reply

I have been OBSESSED with clementines this winter. Some years they are just not that great but this year they are spot on. Love the look of these cookies and they have the perfect crinkly top.
denise — February 19, 2015 @ 1:59 pm Reply

perfect way to brighten a chilly winter day
Charlotte @ Drop Dead Bread — February 19, 2015 @ 12:55 pm Reply

Ooh fantastic! Chewy, crisps, citrusy…fantastic little spring-fling!
amanda @ fake ginger — February 18, 2015 @ 11:48 pm Reply

I love crinkle cookies! These are so fun!
Kristen — February 18, 2015 @ 9:03 pm Reply

Crinkle cookies are my favorite – I love these flavors!
Medha @ Whisk & Shout — February 18, 2015 @ 7:30 pm Reply

I’ve never baked with clementines, but I love the idea of the sweeter citrus with the tart lemon :)
Mom — February 18, 2015 @ 7:23 pm Reply

I tried these two ways:one with grapefruit zest and one with lime zest. I also subbed a little lime juice for the vanilla in the lime ones. Both were very tasty. I don’t think I could choose a favorite. Being more of a crispy cookie fan, I rolled them in white sugar and baked them a couple extra minutes. Thanks for a winning recipe! I love the bright citrus flavor on a cold cold winter day. Really, a high of nine degrees? I’m moving to Florida…
Inês Oliveira — February 18, 2015 @ 7:10 pm Reply

these are just perfect! the perfect crinkles :) i wish i had a tray of them to eat right now!
mira — February 18, 2015 @ 5:20 pm Reply

Great crinkle cookies ! Can’t wait to try them! Pinned!
sarah k @ the pajama chef — February 18, 2015 @ 2:13 pm Reply

i love these cookies! i’ve always made them with lemon, but i love the clementine or grapefruit idea :)
heather @french press — February 18, 2015 @ 10:35 am Reply

I was planning on making lemon squares today, but not I think I need to make crinkles instead! they sound perfect for afternoon snacking
Erin@Well Plated — February 18, 2015 @ 9:07 am Reply

Oh there is no way I’m choosing crinkle cookie favorites. I’ll eat both thank you very much!
Miranda @ Cookie Dough & Oven Mitt — February 18, 2015 @ 9:06 am Reply

I adore crinkle cookies and yours are so pretty! I love a nice pop of citrus flavor in my cookies!
Mischa @ Accidental Farm Wife — February 18, 2015 @ 8:55 am Reply

Rachel, I’m thinking these would be perfect cookies for a picnic!! And now I can’t stop thinking about trying them with grapefruit either!
Mary | Cookingreporter — February 18, 2015 @ 8:52 am Reply

This looks so fresh and delicious! Definitely going to give it a try :)
Marye — February 18, 2015 @ 8:48 am Reply

Wow – I love the bright flavor in clementines and they are not used nearly enough — these look fantastic! Pinning.
Faith (An Edible Mosaic) — February 18, 2015 @ 8:10 am Reply

I love all the bright citrus flavor going on in these pretty cookies! Crinkle cookies are so much fun!
Meg @ The Housewife in Training Files — February 18, 2015 @ 7:33 am Reply

Oh man its only 630am and I hungry for cookies! Love those crinkles!
Kate @ Veggie Desserts — February 18, 2015 @ 7:30 am Reply

Ooooh, crispy outside, chewy inside – you’ve won me over with crinkle cookies!