Description
These Springtime Crinkle Cookies are colorful, soft, and delightfully crackled, perfect for celebrating the vibrant spirit of spring. Soft on the inside with a sugary crust, these cookies are easy to make and can be customized with your favorite gel food coloring for a festive touch.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Wet Ingredients
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon almond extract (optional)
For Coating
- ½ cup powdered sugar (for rolling)
- Gel food coloring (pink, yellow, green, purple, or any colors of choice)
Instructions
- Preheat the Oven: Set your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper to prevent the cookies from sticking during baking.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt until evenly combined; set this mixture aside.
- Cream Butter and Sugar: In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened butter and granulated sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy. This creaming step ensures a soft cookie texture. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Then, stir in the vanilla extract and almond extract if using.
- Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients: Gradually incorporate the dry ingredients into the wet mixture, stirring until just combined. The dough will be thick and slightly sticky.
- Add Color: Divide the dough evenly into separate bowls depending on how many colors you’d like. Add a few drops of gel food coloring into each bowl and mix thoroughly until the color is uniform.
- Chill the Dough: Cover the dough and refrigerate it for at least 30 minutes. Chilling firms up the dough, making it easier to work with and helps create the signature crinkle effect when baked.
- Roll in Powdered Sugar: Scoop tablespoon-sized portions and roll each into a ball. Then roll the balls generously in powdered sugar, ensuring they’re fully coated.
- Bake: Place the sugar-coated balls on the prepared baking sheet, spacing them about 2 inches apart to allow for spreading. Bake for 10-12 minutes until the cookies puff up and develop crackled tops, with centers remaining slightly soft.
- Cool: Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes to set before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
- Using gel food coloring is recommended for vivid colors without altering the dough’s consistency.
- Ensure butter is softened but not melted for proper creaming.
- Don’t overmix the dough once flour is added to keep cookies tender.
- Chilling the dough is essential for easier handling and to achieve the crinkle effect.
- Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one week.
- You can experiment with extracts like lemon or orange for different flavor twists.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 110 kcal
- Sugar: 12 g
- Sodium: 60 mg
- Fat: 4.5 g
- Saturated Fat: 2.8 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 1.5 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 16 g
- Fiber: 0.5 g
- Protein: 1.2 g
- Cholesterol: 30 mg
Keywords: spring crinkle cookies, colorful cookies, crinkle cookie recipe, soft cookies, festive cookies
