Easy 4-Ingredient Lemon Snowflake Cookies: The Perfect Soft & Chewy Holiday Treat

Prep Time: 10 minutes | Chill Time: 1 hour | Cook Time: 12 minutes | Total Time: 1 hour 22 minutes
Servings: 24 cookies

Our recipe for 4-Ingredient Lemon Snowflake Cookies recipe is something truly magical. These cookies are soft and chewy and perfect for holiday cookie exchanges, last-minute treats, or anytime you’re craving that bright lemon flavor. The best part? They only take about 10 minutes of actual work time to make from start to finish!

Also known as Lemon Crinkle Cookies because of their beautiful cracked tops, these melt-in-your-mouth treats look like delicate snowflakes dusted with powdered sugar. Even my husband John, who had never tried them before, was amazed at how something so simple could taste so incredible.

Why I Love This Lemon Cookie Recipe

I first discovered these Lemon Snowflake Cookies when I was digging through an old recipe box that my mother-in-law gave me, wondering why I’d never heard of such a simple yet delicious cookie. My family immediately fell in love with them because they’re incredibly soft, bursting with fresh lemon flavor, and require no fancy ingredients or techniques. Now they’ve become our go-to cookies for busy weeknights, holiday baking, and impressing guests with minimal effort.

What makes this recipe so special is that it uses Cool Whip instead of butter, which creates the most amazingly tender texture that literally melts in your mouth like a real snowflake. The combination of the tangy lemon cake mix and the light, airy Cool Whip creates a cookie that’s both rich in flavor and incredibly soft.

Key Ingredient Notes

While you’ll find the full ingredient list in the recipe card below, I wanted to highlight these four simple ingredients:

• Lemon Cake Mix: Don’t make the actual cake – we’re using the dry mix as our cookie base! Any brand works great, but I love Duncan Hines or Betty Crocker for the best lemon flavor.
• Cool Whip: Make sure to thaw it completely in the fridge first, but don’t let it get warm. The “Free” or “Lite” versions work perfectly and I don’t recommend making your own whipped cream because it won’t have the stabilizers needed for the right texture.
• Large Egg: Fresh Grade A eggs work best and help bind everything together while adding moisture to keep these cookies super soft.
• Powdered Sugar: Also called confectioner’s sugar – this is what creates that beautiful snowflake appearance! I recommend sifting it after measuring for the smoothest coating.

Pro Tips for Making Perfect Lemon Snowflake Cookies

Before you head to the recipe card, here are some helpful tips I’ve learned from making these cookies many times:

• Chill the dough: Don’t skip the 1-hour chill time! This helps the cookies hold their shape better and prevents them from spreading too much while baking.
• Use cool baking sheets: Always start with completely cool baking sheets for each batch. Warm sheets will make the cookies start melting before they even hit the oven.
• Don’t overbake: These cookies should still look slightly underdone when you take them out – they’ll continue cooking on the hot pan and will be perfectly soft and chewy.
• Let them cool completely: The cookies will be very soft and fragile right out of the oven, so let them cool completely on the baking sheet before moving them.
• Roll gently in powdered sugar: This creates those gorgeous crinkled tops that look like snowflakes, so don’t skip this step!

Serving Suggestions

These Lemon Snowflake Cookies are perfect on their own, but they pair wonderfully with a hot cup of coffee or tea. For a special treat, serve them with fresh berries and a dollop of whipped cream. If you’re making these for a holiday party, try arranging them on a pretty platter with some lemon wedges for decoration.

To serve, simply arrange them on your favorite plate or cookie tray. They look especially beautiful on white or clear glass plates where their sunny yellow color really pops!

Storage and Leftovers

These cookies will keep well in an airtight container at room temperature for 3-5 days (though I’m surprised if they last that long!). The key is making sure they’re completely cool before storing them so they don’t get soggy.

If you want to prep ahead, you can make the dough and refrigerate it for up to 2 days before baking. This recipe also freezes beautifully! You can freeze the baked cookies in a freezer-safe container or bag for up to 6 months. Just thaw them at room temperature when you’re ready to enjoy them.

Delicious Variations to Try

• Chocolate Snowflakes: Replace the lemon cake mix with chocolate cake mix and add mini chocolate chips for an extra treat!
• Orange Twist: Use orange cake mix instead of lemon for a different citrus flavor.
• Festive Colors: Instead of rolling in powdered sugar, try colored sprinkles for holidays like Halloween or Christmas.
• Almond Version: Use white cake mix and add 1 teaspoon almond extract for delicate almond snowflakes.
• Funfetti Fun: Use funfetti cake mix for colorful birthday party cookies that kids will love.

Related Lemon Recipes You’ll Love

If you enjoy these Lemon Snowflake Cookies, I bet you’ll also love some of my other citrusy treats! My Lemon Poke Cake uses similar bright flavors but in cake form and is perfect for feeding a crowd. For a quicker option, try my Lemon Pistachio Muffins which come together in just 30 minutes. And if you’re looking for more soft cookie recipes, my Chocolate Thumbprint Cookies and Old-Fashioned Butter Cookies are always crowd favorites at bake sales and cookie exchanges!

You might also enjoy my Lemon Olive Oil Cake for a more elegant dessert, or dive into our Red Velvet Cake Mix Donuts, another cake mix recipe. They’re all so easy and delicious.

Why These Will Become Your New Favorite Cookies

These 4-Ingredient Lemon Snowflake Cookies have become one of my most treasured recipes, and I hope they become a favorite in your home too! The combination of simplicity and amazing flavor makes them stand out from other cookie recipes. They’re perfect for busy moms, beginner bakers, or anyone who wants to make something special without a lot of fuss.

If you try these cookies, I’d love for you to leave a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ five-star review and tell me how they turned out! Your reviews help other readers decide if this recipe is right for them, and I love hearing about your baking adventures in the comments below.

Did you enjoy this recipe? Don’t forget to pin it for later and follow me on Pinterest for more delicious recipes like this one!

Originally published: October 10, 2017
Updated: September 25, 2025 – Enhanced with more detailed instructions, tips, and serving suggestions. No changes were made to the recipe.