Some people call them Lemon Whippersnappers, Lemon Crackle Cookies, or Lemon Crinkle Cookies, but the powdered sugar is the star of the show. My Powdered Sugar Lemon Crackle Cookies Recipe uses a boxed lemon cake mix, Cool Whip, eggs, fresh lemons and lemon zest, all perfectly proportioned to make a dozen chewy cookies, perfect for two! Lemon desserts are perfect for Easter, Mother's Day, or a summer picnic.
In the world of small batch baking, a small batch of cookies is eight to twelve. I went with twelve, so that I could split the cake mix in half. Truth be told, I can eat six cookies and this is one of my favorite cookie recipes.
Ingredients
- Lemon Cake Mix, just regular cake mix, not the pudding version. These cookies are very cakey and they don't need the pudding.
- Cool-Whip, the original version, not extra creamy.
- Egg Yolk, no white unless you are doubling the recipe then just use the whole egg. You don't need two yolks. It was just the easiest way to cut the egg in half, plus the yolk adds to the yellow color!
- Lemon Zest, optional if you don't have it, but it does give the cookie a little tartness to offset the sweetness of the cake mix and whipped topping.
- Powdered Sugar, sifted, of course.
For the full recipe with quantities, see the recipe card at the end of the post.
Variations and Substitutions
- For the cake mix:
- In a pinch you could substitute a yellow cake mix. Add extra lemon zest or lemon extract. You can get even more lemon flavor by substituting half the water in the cake batter with fresh lemon juice from regular lemons or fresh Meyer lemons.
- For fun, use another flavored cake mix like strawberry or pineapple, or chocolate for chocolate crinkle cookies. I am dreaming of red velvet crinkle cookies with cream cheese frosting sandwiched between two cookies. Yum.
- For a bridal shower, try making a white cake. You will have a lovely monotone white look when the white powdered sugar cracks on top.
- The boxed cake mix makes this an easy cookie recipe but if you don't have one, you could make a standard cake batter with all purpose flour, granulated sugar, etc. Substitute lemon extract for the vanilla extract.
- For the Cool-Whip:
- Any brand of whipped topping will do.
Instructions for Powdered Sugar Lemon Cookies
Add the cake mix, whipped topping, lemon zest and egg yolk to a medium bowl. (You could also mix the batter in the bowl of a stand mixer with paddle attachment on low speed or medium speed.
Stir to combine into a firm cookie dough.
If the dough is too dry, add a splash of water or, better yet, a little lemon juice. Start with just a teaspoon and increase as needed.
Roll the dough into twelve balls.
Place the balls on parchment paper lined baking sheet and place in the freezer for a few minutes.
Meanwhile, sift the powdered sugar by using a sifter or putting it through a mesh strainer and tapping the side.
Roll the balls in powdered sugar and place on clean parchment paper on prepared baking sheets.
Bake at 375 degrees for 14 minutes. As the dough bakes and the batter expands the powdered sugar will begin to crack on the top of your delicious cookies.
Cool to room temperature on a wire rack.
Video for my lemon crinkle cookie recipe:
My Powdered Sugar Lemon Crackle Cookies Recipe produces cookies that are cakey textured the first day and overnight they become more of a chewy lemon cookie. Perfect cookie on a Mother's Day on a cookie platter.
Top Tip
Use a little butter or neutral oil to coat your hands. This dough is sticky and the butter keeps it from sticking to your hands and easier to form into little cookie dough balls.
Equipment
- Medium mixing bowl
- Cookie sheet
- Airtight container for storing cookies in single layers.
Ingredients
- ½ box yellow cake mix (1 ¾ cups) of a boxed cake mix
- 1 cup Cool-Whip
- 1 egg yolk
- zest of ½ lemon
- ½ cup powdered sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
- Add the cake mix, egg yolk, Cool-Whip, and lemon zest to a medium mixing bowl.
- Stir until it becomes a cookie dough. If dough is too stiff add a teaspoon of water or lemon juice. Add more a little bit at a time until the dough feels right.
- Lightly grease hands with butter or neutral oil. Form dough into twelve balls.
- Place balls on parchment paper lined sheet pan. Freeze ten minutes.
- While dough is in the freezer, sift the powdered sugar through a mesh sieve or sifter into a small bowl.
- Remove ball of dough from the freezer and coat each one immediately with powdered sugar. Don't scrimp! You won't get a dramatic crinkle on the tops if you scrimp.
- Place the cookie balls back on the baking sheet on a fresh piece of parchment paper. Bake at 375 degrees for 14-15 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and allow the cookies to cool for 5 minutes before removing them to a wire rack to cool completely. Enjoy!
Sean says
Aloha Mary,
The recipe calls for yellow cake mix, but where you describe the ingredients, it says lemon cake mix. Which is it, or doesn’t it matter. Mahalo!
Mary says
It can be either. In the variations it states what to do to bump up the lemon flavor if you use a yellow cake mix.I will make a couple of changes to clear it up. I have done both and they both work! Mahalo to you too!