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Mini Crinkle Citrus Cookies with Vibrant Colored Coatings Recipe

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3.9 from 7 reviews

Delightfully colorful and zesty, these Mini Crinkle Cookies are soft, chewy, and bursting with bright citrus flavor. Perfectly coated in a sweet powdered sugar and granulated sugar mixture, they offer a fun twist on classic crinkle cookies with vibrant pastel colors and a refreshing lemon or orange zest infusion.

  • Author: Lilya
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 10 minutes per batch
  • Total Time: 20 minutes active (plus additional time for baking multiple sheets and cooling)
  • Yield: 40 mini crinkle cookies
  • Category: Dessert
  • Method: Baking
  • Cuisine: American

Ingredients

Dry Ingredients

  • 2 cups + 3 Tbsp all-purpose flour (275g)
  • 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp fine salt

Sugar and Zest Mixture

  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar (100g)
  • 1 Tbsp lemon or orange zest (zest of 1 large lemon/orange) (6g)

Wet Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature (113g)
  • 2/3 cup packed light brown sugar (133g)
  • 2 large eggs, room temperature (112g)
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste (10g)
  • 1 tsp lemon or orange extract (optional)

Coloring and Coating

  • 1/2 tsp yellow, pink, purple, and green gel food coloring (divided)
  • 2/3 cup powdered sugar (80g)
  • 2/3 cup granulated sugar (133g)

Instructions

  1. Preheat and Prepare: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line three large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats. This preparation ensures your cookies bake evenly and don't stick.
  2. Mix Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt until well combined. Set this dry mixture aside for later use.
  3. Prepare Citrus Sugar: In a small bowl, combine granulated sugar with the lemon or orange zest. Use your fingertips to rub the zest into the sugar, releasing the oils and enhancing the citrus aroma and flavor throughout the sugar.
  4. Cream Butter and Sugars: Using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream together the unsalted butter, light brown sugar, and half of the citrus sugar on medium-high speed until the mixture lightens in color and becomes fluffy.
  5. Add Eggs and Extracts: Mix in the eggs, vanilla extract, and optional lemon or orange extract on medium speed. Be sure to scrape down the bowl sides and bottom with a spatula to ensure all ingredients are incorporated evenly.
  6. Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients: Gradually add the dry flour mixture to the wet ingredients and mix on low speed just until combined. The dough should be thick and slightly sticky, indicating perfect consistency.
  7. Divide and Color the Dough: Divide the dough into four equal parts (about 180g each if making 4 colors). Add gel food coloring to each portion to create yellow, pink, purple, and green dough colors. Mix well to achieve even coloring.
  8. Prepare Coating Sugar: In a small bowl, combine the powdered sugar and remaining granulated sugar. This mixture will give the cookies their signature crinkled, crackled look and sweet crust.
  9. Scoop and Coat: Use a 1 tablespoon cookie scoop to form dough balls. Roll each ball generously in the powdered and granulated sugar mixture to thoroughly coat them. This step ensures a thick sugar crust on each cookie.
  10. Shape and Bake: Place the coated dough balls on prepared baking sheets about 2 inches apart. Lightly flatten each ball to resemble a hockey puck. Bake one sheet at a time for 9-10 minutes, until the edges are set but the centers appear soft. Allow cookies to cool on the baking tray for 15 minutes before transferring to a wire rack.
  11. Store: Store leftover cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days to maintain freshness and texture.

Notes

  • Use light-colored baking sheets such as aluminum for even baking and better cookie color.
  • Ensure ingredients like butter and eggs are at room temperature for proper creaming and mixing.
  • Gel food coloring is preferred to avoid thinning the dough consistency.
  • Do not overbake; cookies should remain soft with a slightly chewy center.
  • Adding extra lemon or orange zest on top of baked cookies enhances their citrus flavor.
  • Dough can be refrigerated for a few hours before baking to intensify flavors and make shaping easier.

Find it online: https://familyhomemeals.com/mini-crinkle-citrus-cookies-with-vibrant-colored-coatings-recipe/