Boasting a double dose of Meyer lemon zest and juice, these chewy crinkle sandwich cookies are the ultimate citrusy indulgence. A touch of cardamom and ginger rounds out this crinkle sandwich cookies with sweet heat, and a tangy Cream Cheese Frosting plays up the Meyer lemon’s sweetness.
For more epic ways to bake with Meyer lemons, pick up a copy of our January/February 2020 issue!
Spiced Meyer Lemon Crinkle Sandwich Cookies
Makes about 16 sandwich cookies
Ingredients
- 1⅓ cups (267 grams) granulated sugar, divided
- ½ cup (113 grams) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
- ½ teaspoon (2 grams) vanilla extract
- 1 large egg (50 grams), room temperature
- 1 large egg yolk (19 grams), room temperature
- 2 tablespoons (9 grams) packed Meyer lemon zest
- 2 tablespoons (30 grams) fresh Meyer lemon juice
- 2 cups (250 grams) all-purpose flour
- ¾ teaspoon (2.25 grams) kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon (2.5 grams) baking soda
- ½ teaspoon (1 gram) ground cardamom
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- ½ cup (60 grams) confectioners’ sugar, sifted
- Cream Cheese Frosting (recipe follows)
Instructions
- In a large bowl, whisk together 1 cup (200 grams) granulated sugar, melted butter, and vanilla until well combined. Add egg and egg yolk, whisking until well combined. Whisk in lemon zest and juice.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, salt, baking soda, cardamom, and ginger. Add flour mixture to sugar mixture in two additions, folding until well combined after each addition. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
- Preheat oven to 325°F (170°C). Line 2 rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper.
- In a small bowl, place confectioners’ sugar. In another small bowl, place remaining ⅓ cup (67 grams) granulated sugar.
- Working in batches and using a 1-tablesoon spring-loaded scoop, scoop dough, and shape into balls. Roll in granulated sugar; roll in confectioners’ sugar. Place 1½ to 2 inches apart on prepared pans.
- Bake until edges are set and cracks have formed, 8 to 10 minutes. Let cool completely on pans.
- Using a medium open star tip (Wilton 1M), pipe Cream Cheese Frosting onto flat sides of half of cookies. Place remaining cookies, flat side down, on top of frosting. Serve immediately.
Notes
Note: If dough begins to get too soft, refrigerate until firm, 10 to 15 minutes.
Cream Cheese Frosting
Makes about 1½ cups
Ingredients
- 4 ounces (113 grams) cream cheese, softened
- ¼ cup (57 grams) unsalted butter, softened
- ½ teaspoon (1.5 grams) kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon (2 grams) vanilla extract
- 2½ cups (300 grams) confectioners’ sugar, sifted
Instructions
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat cream cheese and butter at medium speed until smooth and well combined, 1 to 2 minutes, stopping to scrape sides of bowl. Beat in salt and vanilla. With mixer on low speed, gradually add confectioners’ sugar, beating just until combined. Increase mixer speed to medium; beat until fluffy, 1 to 2 minutes, stopping to scrape sides of bowl. Use immediately.
Can these be made with regular lemons rather than Meyer?
Hey Stacey,
Yes, you can make these with regular lemons, the flavor just won’t be as intense. Happy baking!
Could I do a Gluten Free flour swap and be successful with these cookies?
Hey Paula,
While we didn’t test this specific recipe with gluten free flour, using a cup-for-cup gluten-free blend should work overall. We hope this helps!
How do you think they would hold up if I used “almond flour?” 🙂
Lorelei
Hey Lorelei,
We did not test with almond flour but we would not recommend using all almond flour for this recipe. It’ll affect the texture, bake time, and appearance of the dough. If you’re trying to substitute this flour for dietary restrictions, start with a gluten-free cup for cup flour first. While we haven’t tested with that and it will change the recipe slightly, it should still work. Hope this helps!
Would this recipe work as an unfilled regular sized cookie? I don’t have the size cookie scope or a medium open star tip. LOL!
Hey Deborah,
This would be a delicious cookie all on it’s own, no icing required!
Did anyone else have trouble with the baking time? They weren’t too large; actually made 20, not 16. Tested oven temp to be 325. However, baking 10 minutes left them almost raw inside. Good taste though.
How well would these freeze after baking. And then just added the frosting the day you serve
Hi Shelley,
Thanks for reaching out! We believe that this method would work, but there may be some risk associated with losing the confectioners’ sugar crinkle to moisture as the cookies thaw. This may be environmentally dependent and only happen in humid areas though. Otherwise the cookies would taste great!
Can you freeze the dough to be baked later?
Hi Renee,
Thanks for reaching out! Absolutely. We recommend freezing the dough balls separately on a parchment lined surface, then placing them in an air-tight bag for later. Before baking, remove from freezer and place on a parchment lined baking sheet. Allow the dough to come to room temperature (approximately 30 minutes) before coating in sugars. Hope this helps and happy baking!
Do these keep for a few days? Do they need to be refrigerated?
Hi Lisa,
Thanks for reaching out! Because of the cream cheese icing, we recommend refrigerating these after making. You can store them easily for a few days refrigerated, and they last for up to three months frozen if they are wrapped properly. They are best served at room temperature, so let them rest around 15 minutes after bringing them out from the freezer, and 5 to 10 minutes from the refrigerator. Exclude air when storing for maximum freshness!
I’ve made this recipe many times in the last two years and it’s always been a hit! My best friend actually requested these for her birthday this year. I usually leave out the cardamom though as it’s impossible to find for some reason, but they still taste delicious! Definitely a recipe that’ll stay in my recipe book!