If there's one flavour we never get tired of at Somebody Feed Seb, it's lemon. These Sourdough Lemon Crinkle Cookies are bright, bold and unapologetically citrusy, with a soft, moist centre and crisp, powdered sugar edges. If you've ever been disappointed by dry lemon cookies, these sourdough lemon cookies are here to change your mind. They're rich without being heavy, tangy without being sharp, and they stay beautifully soft for days - which, let's be honest, is dangerous in the best possible way.
Jump to:
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases, at no extra cost for you! Thank you!
Lemony and Fudgy, Not Cakey
A lot of crinkle cookie recipes promise softness but deliver something closer to sponge cake. I tested many versions of these cookies before landing on this one, and there were plenty of failures along the way.
Zest-only versions weren't lemony enough. Egg yolk-only made the dough spread into pancakes. Butter-based batches tasted fine but lacked that rich, moist texture I wanted. And yes, a few trays were simply overbaked and crunchy - tragic, but educational.
The breakthrough came when I switched to oil instead of butter and leaned into what sourdough discard naturally does well.
Oil keeps cookies moist and fudgy, even after baking and cooling, while butter tends to firm up as it sets. Using a single small egg adds richness without too much extra water, which is key when you're already adding moisture from sourdough discard and fresh lemon juice.
Using Sourdough Discard in Cookies
Traditional crinkle cookies don't contain any liquid ingredients like milk or water, so adding sourdough discard - which is 50% water - needs careful balancing. In this recipe, the discard is used sparingly.
What sourdough discard adds here isn't just moisture. It brings a subtle tang that complements the bright lemon flavour beautifully, and its acidity helps the cookies stay soft for longer. These cookies genuinely keep well, which means you can confidently make a double batch and enjoy them over several days - or add them to holiday cookie trays without worrying they'll dry out.
Ingredient Notes
- All-purpose flour (plain flour). Provides enough structure without making the cookies cakey.
- Baking powder. The right leavening agent for lift without excessive spread.
- Salt. Essential for balancing sweetness and sharpening the lemon flavour. Table salt or fine sea salt both work.
- Granulated sugar. White sugar helps create crisp edges and visible cracks.
- Fresh lemon zest. This is where most of the lemon aroma comes from. Always use fresh lemon zest for best results.
- Fresh lemon juice. Provides bold lemon flavour and acidity. Bottled lemon juice just won't give the same brightness. You may also add a few drops of lemon extract.
- Sourdough discard (100% hydration). Adds moisture, tang, and helps the cookies stay soft. Avoid older discard with hooch, as it can be too acidic and thin. Active starter may also be used, but make sure to use a kitchen scale as the volume will be very different from discard.
- Neutral oil. Keeps the cookies rich and fudgy. Sunflower or vegetable oil both work well.
- Egg.
- Powdered sugar (confectioners' sugar). For rolling. This creates the signature crinkle effect.
- Optional yellow food colouring. Purely visual, but a couple of drops of yellow food colouring can enhance that sunny lemon look. Gel food colouring works best.
Step-By-Step Method
1. In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
2. In a large mixing bowl, combine the granulated sugar and lemon zest. Rub together with your fingertips until fragrant and slightly damp.
3. Add the egg, sourdough discard, oil, lemon juice and food colouring if using. Whisk until smooth, glossy and the sugar begins to dissolve.
4. Add the dry ingredients (flour mixture) to the wet ingredients and mix just until combined. The dough will be soft and shiny, closer to brownie batter than traditional cookie dough.
5. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and chill for 4 hours, or freeze for 40-45 minutes, until scoopable but not solid. This chill time will prevent the cookies from spreading too much.
6. Preheat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan). Line a cookie sheet or half sheet pan with parchment paper.
7. Place powdered sugar into a small bowl. Scoop heaped tablespoons of dough, briefly roll into cookie dough balls, then roll generously in powdered sugar.
8. Arrange on a prepared baking sheet, leaving plenty of space between each cookie.
9. Bake for 10-12 minutes, until cracked on top, set at the edges, and soft in the centre.
10. Leave the cookies on the tray for 10-15 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Recipe Tips
Use room temperature ingredients. They combine more smoothly, meaning less mixing and a better texture.
Don't Use an Electric Hand Mixer. It will whip too much air into the mixture.
Chill the dough properly. This controls spread and improves flavour. If your kitchen is warm, chill the shaped cookies again before baking.
Roll in sugar just before baking. If rolled too early, the dough absorbs the powdered sugar and you lose the crinkle effect.
Avoid overly old discard. Discard with hooch has a stronger acidic flavour and is thinner, which can make cookies spread too much.
Don't overbake. The sourdough lemon crinkle cookies should look slightly underdone in the centre when they come out. They firm up as they cool. Note that each oven is different and you may need to adjust the baking time.
Sourdough Lemon Desserts
Lemon lover? Try our Sourdough Lemon Bars, super easy Sourdough Thumbprint Cookies With Lemon Curd and Lemon Sourdough Cake With Poppy Seeds next!
Storage
Store sourdough crinkle cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. They stay soft and chewy thanks to the oil and sourdough discard.
You can also freeze the baked cookies for up to 2 months; thaw at room temperature before serving.
More Sourdough Discard Cookies
If you love these sourdough discard lemon cookies, you'll enjoy exploring more of my sourdough cookie recipes - from sourdough chocolate crinkle cookies to red velvet sourdough thumbprint cookies, and other bakes that make the most of sourdough discard.
Sourdough Lemon Crinkle Cookies
Equipment
- Balloon Whisk
Ingredients
- 270 g all-purpose flour a.k.a. plain flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 120 g granulated sugar or caster sugar
- zest of 2 lemons
- 50 g sourdough discard 100% hydration
- 40 g neutral oil sunflower or vegetable
- 1 egg large
- 3 tablespoon lemon juice freshly squeezed
- 1-2 drops yellow food colouring optional
For rolling
- 50 g powdered sugar a.k.a. icing sugar
Instructions
- In a bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, combine the granulated sugar and lemon zest.
- Rub together with your fingertips until fragrant and slightly damp.
- Add the egg, sourdough discard, oil, lemon juice, and food colouring (if using).
- Whisk until smooth and glossy and the sugar has begun to dissolve.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture and mix just until combined.
- The dough will be soft, shiny, and thick.
- Cover and refrigerate for 4 hours, or freeze for 40-45 minutes, until scoopable but not solid.
- Preheat oven to 180°C ( 350°F). Line baking sheets with parchment.
- Place powdered sugar in a bowl.
- Scoop heaped tablespoons of dough, roll briefly into balls, then roll generously in icing sugar.
- Space well apart on the tray.
- Bake for 10-12 minutes, until cracked on top, set at the edges, soft and slightly underbaked in the centre.
- Leave on the tray for 10-15 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Nutrition
Lisa Reid says
I tried these today. I refrigerated as stated before making the balls but mine did not fall at all. I have little cakes like things rather than cookies. I followed the recipe completely with no substitutions. I can't recommend this recipe. The flavor is not bad but not great either.
Ieva Greber says
Thank you for your feedback, Lisa! I am a little stumped as to why they didn't spread at all into flatter cookies. I will re-test the recipe to ensure it works as I intend it to 🙂