Delicately soft lemon crackle cookies are easy to make using a cake mix and fresh lemon juice and zest. These tart Lemon Cake Mix cookies are rolled in powdered sugar before baking to add sweetness.
If you want to make the easiest lemon cookies, start with a lemon cake mix.
To really ramp up the lemon flavor, add a splash of fresh lemon juice and the fragrant yellow zest from a lemon.
With just a few ingredients, you can make a batch of these lemon cake mix cookies in under 20 minutes.
These cookies are soft with slightly crispy edges. They are packed with fresh lemon flavor.
They also have a wonderful balance of tartness and sweetness. The powdered sugar sprinkled over top adds a nice contrast in color and flavor.
Let's make Lemon Cake Mix Cookies!
You'll need:
supplies
- a Microplane grater (or small-hole cheese grater)
- a large mixing bowl
- a silicone spatula or wooden spoon
- small cookie scoop (about 1 tablespoon)
- 3 baking sheets lined with parchment paper or silicone baking mats
cake mix
- You’ll need one 15.25 ounce box of lemon cake mix. I used Duncan Hines but any brand will work fine.
vegetable or canola oil
- You may use either vegetable or canola oil. Although they taste slightly different, both have neutral flavors which is what you want when making lemon-flavored cookies.
eggs
- Make sure to use large eggs. Egg size does matter in baking because you’re adding a liquid.
lemon juice and zest
- Wash and dry one large lemon. Grate off the yellow zest. Do not grate the white pith as it is bitter.
- Then, squeeze the lemon and pour the juice through a fine-mesh sieve to remove any pulp and seeds.
- You'll need 1 tablespoon of fresh lemon juice to make your cookies. Save the rest to flavor tea or to use in another recipe.
Lemon Cake Mix Cookies
Tart and sweet lemon cookies are easy to make using a cake mix. Add freshly squeezed lemon juice and lemon zest to really enhance the flavor.
Ingredients
- 1 (15.25 ounce) lemon cake mix
- ⅓ cup vegetable oil
- 2 eggs (room temperature and lightly beaten)
- zest from 1 lemon
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- ⅓ cup powdered sugar, sifted
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.
- Line two baking trays with parchment paper and set aside.
- Pour the cake mix, oil, eggs, lemon zest, and lemon zest into a mixing bowl.
- Stir all the ingredients until well blended.
- Cover and chill the dough for at least 1 hour to firm up the dough.
- Scoop out about a tablespoonful of cookie dough.
- Roll it into a ball then roll the ball into powdered sugar.
- Set the cookie dough ball on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet.
- Repeat, scooping, and rolling cookie dough balls into powdered sugar.
- Place the cookies about 2 inches apart on your parchment paper-lined baking sheets.
- Bake one tray of cookies at a time for 10-12 minutes until the cookies set around the edges.
- Allow the cookies to cool completely before serving.
Notes
Be sure to chill this dough or it will be too sticky to scoop and roll.
Store your lemon cake mix cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. Freeze the cookies if you'd like to keep them longer.
These cookies will crackle on the top as they bake.
If you prefer crunchier cookies, you can flatten the cookie dough balls and bake them for a minute or two longer.
More Cake Mix Cookies
- chocolate chip cake mix cookies
- pineapple cake mix cookies (recipe coming soon)
- strawberry cake mix cookies
- chocolate chip cake mix cookie bars
- brownie mix cookies - June 9, 2023
- Sugar Cookie Cups - May 17, 2023
- Peanut Butter Cookie Cups - May 9, 2023
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