Pastel Crinkle Cookies (Print)

Soft chewy cookies with crackled powdered sugar coating and delicate pastel colors—ideal for spring celebrations.

# What You Need:

→ Cookie Dough

01 - 2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1½ teaspoons baking powder
03 - ¼ teaspoon salt
04 - ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
05 - 1 cup granulated sugar
06 - 2 large eggs
07 - 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
08 - ¼ cup whole milk

→ For Coloring

09 - Pink, yellow, green, and blue gel food coloring

→ For Rolling

10 - ¾ cup powdered sugar

# How To Make It:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
02 - In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
03 - In a large bowl, cream butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy.
04 - Beat in eggs one at a time, then add vanilla extract. Mix well.
05 - Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients in two parts, alternating with milk, mixing until just combined.
06 - Divide the dough evenly into 3 or 4 bowls. Tint each portion with gel food coloring, mixing gently to achieve pastel shades.
07 - Chill dough for 20 minutes if it feels too soft to handle.
08 - Scoop tablespoon-sized balls of dough, roll in powdered sugar until well coated, and place 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheets.
09 - Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until edges are set and tops are crackled but still soft in the center.
10 - Let cookies cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • These cookies look like you spent hours on them but come together in under 30 minutes
  • The crackled exterior gives way to the softest, most tender cookie youll ever taste
  • You can customize the colors for any occasion or holiday
02 -
  • Dont skip the powdered sugar coating because it creates those signature cracks as the cookies spread
  • Overmixing the dough can make these tough, so stop as soon as the flour is incorporated
  • Room temperature ingredients make a huge difference in achieving the right texture
03 -
  • If your cracks aren't appearing, try rolling the dough balls in powdered sugar twice for a thicker coating
  • Lemon or almond extract instead of vanilla creates a completely different and equally delicious cookie
  • For uniform size, use a cookie scoop so all the cookies bake at the same rate

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