Description
Delight in the warm, spicy sweetness of Cinnamon Crinkle Cookies, a classic treat featuring a soft, crinkly texture and vibrant citrus zest. These cookies blend cinnamon, orange, and lemon flavors with a perfect balance of sugars and fats, creating an irresistible cookie that’s perfect for any occasion. Creamed butter and shortening provide a tender crumb, while rolling in sugar before baking adds a delightful sparkle and crunch on top.
Ingredients
Wet Ingredients
- 1/2 cup butter, softened
- 1/2 cup shortening
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla paste
- 1/2 teaspoon almond flavoring
Dry Ingredients
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
- 2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 2 teaspoons cream of tartar
- 2 teaspoons grated orange zest
- 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Additional
- Additional granulated sugar for rolling
Instructions
- Cream the fats and sugar: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). In a large mixing bowl, cream together the softened butter, shortening, white sugar, and brown sugar using a hand or stand mixer. Continue mixing for five to seven minutes until the mixture is light and fluffy. Then, beat in the egg, vanilla paste, and almond flavoring until fully incorporated.
- Combine the dry ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, ground cinnamon, baking soda, cream of tartar, grated orange zest, grated lemon zest, and salt. Gradually add this dry mixture to the creamed fats and sugars, beating until just combined. If the dough is sticky, chill it in the mixing bowl for about one hour to make handling easier.
- Scoop and coat the dough: Once the dough is ready, scoop and roll it into 1-inch balls. Place some extra granulated sugar in a small bowl and roll each dough ball in the sugar to evenly coat. This adds a sparkling texture and a slight crunch.
- Arrange and bake the cookies: Place the sugar-coated dough balls 2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheets to allow room for spreading. Bake in the preheated oven for 10 to 15 minutes, or until the edges are lightly browned and the tops show characteristic crinkling. After baking, let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for two minutes before transferring them to wire racks to cool completely.
- Batch baking tip: Since this recipe yields about seven dozen cookies, bake in batches to avoid overcrowding the oven and ensure even cooking and beautiful crinkles on each cookie.
Notes
- Chilling the dough for an hour helps manage stickiness and improves shaping.
- Using coarse sanding sugar instead of regular granulated sugar for rolling adds extra sparkle and crunch.
- Use a stand or hand mixer for proper creaming to ensure light, fluffy cookies.
- Space cookies adequately on the baking sheet to avoid them merging during baking.
- Cooling cookies briefly on the baking sheet sets the shape before transferring to racks.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 10-15 minutes per batch
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
