London Fog Crinkle Cookies: Your Favorite Latte in Cookie Form

Imagine your favorite cozy café drink, earthy Earl Grey tea, sweet vanilla, and frothy steamed milk transformed into a cookie. Now picture that cookie with a soft, chewy center, a delicate, crackled sugar crust, and a mesmerizing snow-dusted appearance.

That’s the magic of these London Fog Crinkle Cookies. They capture the soul-warming essence of a London Fog latte in every single bite. I promise, this unique, aromatic cookie will become the new star of your holiday cookie tray and your year-round baking rotation. They are surprisingly simple to make and impossibly hard to resist.

WHY THESE LONDON FOG CRINKLE COOKIES ARE A MUST-BAKE

Let me tell you exactly why you need this London Fog crinkle cookies recipe in your life.

• First, the flavor is extraordinary and sophisticated, like a hug in cookie form.
• Secondly, they have the most satisfying texture: chewy, tender, and perfectly balanced with that iconic crinkly top.
• Thirdly, they fill your kitchen with the most incredible aroma of bergamot and vanilla.
• Finally, they are gorgeous, impressive cookies that spark conversation and recipe requests. These London Fog crinkle cookies are a delightful departure from the ordinary.

Print

GATHERING YOUR AROMATIC INGREDIENTS

The flavor magic comes from a few key players. Here’s what you’ll need for these unforgettable London Fog crinkle cookies.

For the Cookie Dough:

• All-Purpose Flour: The structure of our cookie.
• Earl Grey Tea Leaves: You’ll need about 4-5 high-quality tea bags. The bergamot oil in the tea is non-negotiable for authentic flavor. We’ll finely grind the leaves.
• Baking Powder & Salt: For rise and flavor balance.
• Unsalted Butter, room temperature: For richness and chew.
• Granulated Sugar & Light Brown Sugar: White sugar helps create the crackle, while brown sugar adds moisture and a hint of caramel.
• Eggs & Vanilla Extract: For binding and enhancing the warm notes.
• Milk: A small amount to tie the latte theme together and adjust dough consistency.

For the Coating:

• Confectioners’ Sugar: This creates the classic, snowy “crinkle” appearance and a subtle sweet shell.

THE SIMPLE TOOLS YOU’LL NEED

• Food processor, spice grinder, or mortar & pestle (to grind tea)
• Mixing bowls
• Electric hand mixer or stand mixer
• Whisk and spatula
• Baking sheets lined with parchment paper
• Shallow bowls for coating
• Wire rack

STEP-BY-STEP: CREATING THE PERFECT CRINKLE

Follow these steps closely to achieve the perfect chewy texture and iconic cracked top on your London Fog crinkle cookies.

STEP 1: INFUSE WITH TEA FLAVOR

Start by emptying your Earl Grey tea bags. Use a food processor, spice grinder, or mortar and pestle to grind the tea leaves into a very fine powder. This ensures you get maximum flavor without gritty bits. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, ground Earl Grey tea, baking powder, and salt. Set this fragrant dry mixture aside.

STEP 2: MAKE THE DOUGH

In a large bowl, beat the room-temperature butter with both sugars on medium-high speed for 2-3 minutes, until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, followed by the vanilla extract. Gradually add the flour-tea mixture to the wet ingredients, mixing on low speed until almost combined. Add the milk and mix just until a soft, cohesive dough forms. Do not overmix.

STEP 3: THE CRITICAL CHILL

Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate the dough for at least 2 hours, or preferably overnight. This step is crucial! It allows the flavors to meld, the flour to hydrate, and the dough to firm up. A firm dough is essential for rolling into balls and achieving the perfect crinkle.

STEP 4: ROLL, COAT, AND BAKE

Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Place confectioners’ sugar in a shallow bowl. Scoop chilled dough (about 1.5 tablespoons each) and roll into smooth balls. Roll each ball generously in the confectioners’ sugar, then roll a second time for an extra-thick, snowy coat. Place the balls about 2 inches apart on your lined baking sheets. Bake for 11-13 minutes. The cookies will have puffed up and the tops will have cracked beautifully. They should still look soft in the cracks.

STEP 5: COOL AND SERVE

Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes. They will deflate slightly and set. Then, carefully transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely. The sugar coating will be put into a delicate, sweet shell.

THE SCIENCE OF THE PERFECT CRINKLE

Why do these London Fog crinkle cookies crackle so beautifully? It’s a fantastic bit of baking science. The chilled dough ball goes into a hot oven. The outside sets quickly in the heat, while the interior continues to expand and rise. This expansion causes the hard outer shell to crack. The double coat of confectioners’ sugar provides a dry layer that accentuates these cracks, creating that iconic, craggy, snow-dusted look. Chilling the dough is the key to controlling this process!

PRO TIPS FOR FLAWLESS COOKIES EVERY TIME

• Grind Fine: Ensure your tea is a fine powder to avoid a gritty texture.
• Chill Thoroughly: Don’t skimp on chill time. Warm dough will spread too much and not crackle properly.
• Double Coat Sugar: The second roll in confectioners’ sugar is what gives you that bright white, dramatic contrast.
• Do Not Over-bake: Remove cookies when the edges are just set and the centers still look soft. They will continue to set as they cool.
• Space Them Out: These cookies spread. Giving them room ensures they bake evenly and keep a round shape.

DELICIOUS VARIATIONS TO TRY

• Lavender London Fog: Add 1 teaspoon of culinary dried lavender to the tea when grinding.
• Chocolate-Dipped: Dip half of each cooled cookie in melted white or dark chocolate.
• Lemon Earl Grey: Add the zest of one lemon to the dough for a brighter citrus note.
• Chai Spice Crinkle: Replace Earl Grey with a finely ground chai tea blend.

STORAGE & FREEZING INSTRUCTIONS

Store completely cooled London Fog crinkle cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. They can be frozen for up to 3 months. Freeze baked cookies in a single layer before transferring to a freezer bag. You can also freeze the scooped, uncoated dough balls on a tray, then store in a bag. Bake from frozen, adding 1-2 minutes to the bake time, and roll in sugar just before baking.

TROUBLESHOOTING COMMON QUESTIONS

My cookies didn’t crinkle. The dough was likely not chilled enough, or you didn’t use enough confectioners’ sugar for the coating.
My cookies spread too flat. The dough was too warm, or your butter was too soft when creamed. Ensure proper chill time.
The tea flavor is too weak/too strong. Tea potency varies. Start with 4 bags. For stronger flavor, steep 1 tbsp of loose tea in the melted butter first, then cool before creaming.
Can I use loose-leaf Earl Grey tea? Yes! Use about 1 tablespoon of high-quality loose-leaf tea, ground finely.

HOW TO SERVE THESE AROMATIC COOKIES

Serve these London Fog crinkle cookies with, of course, a hot London Fog latte, a cup of black tea, or a glass of cold milk. They are perfect for afternoon tea, book club, holiday gatherings, or as a thoughtful homemade gift packaged in a cute tin.

A QUICK NOTE ON INGREDIENTS

The quality of your Earl Grey tea directly impacts the flavor. Choose a brand you enjoy drinking. Using vanilla bean paste instead of extract will add beautiful speckles and a deeper vanilla note.

THE STORY BEHIND THE RECIPE: A COZY INSPIRATION

This London Fog crinkle cookies recipe was born on a rainy afternoon. I was curled up with a book and a steaming London Fog, wishing I could capture its comfort in something I could share. I’d always loved crinkle cookies, and the idea just clicked.

The first test batch filled my apartment with the most incredible scent, and the taste was pure nostalgia and warmth. Now, baking these London Fog crinkle cookies is my ritual for welcoming fall, soothing a stressful week, or simply celebrating a quiet moment. They’re more than a cookie; they’re a mood.

FINAL CHECKLIST BEFORE YOU BAKE

• Earl Grey tea is ground into a fine powder.
• Butter and eggs are at room temperature.
• You have time to chill the dough for at least 2 hours.
• Baking sheets are lined with parchment paper.
• Confectioners’ sugar is in a shallow bowl, ready for double-coating.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS