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Easy Italian Lemon Ricotta Cookies

A stack of soft ricotta cookies drizzled with white lemon glaze and topped with bright yellow lemon zest.
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Make soft, pillowy Italian ricotta cookies that melt in your mouth, finished with a bright lemon glaze.

Ingredients

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  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 cup whole milk ricotta cheese, drained if watery
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon lemon zest
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (for cookie dough)
  • 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar (for glaze)
  • 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (for glaze)

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
  2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
  3. In a large bowl, cream the softened butter and granulated sugar together until light and fluffy.
  4. Beat in the egg, then mix in the ricotta cheese, vanilla extract, lemon zest, and 2 tablespoons of lemon juice until just combined.
  5. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing on low speed until a soft dough forms. Do not overmix.
  6. Drop rounded teaspoons of dough onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 2 inches apart.
  7. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden and the centers look set. They should remain soft.
  8. Remove cookies from the oven and let them cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
  9. While cookies cool, prepare the glaze: Whisk together the powdered sugar and 3 tablespoons of lemon juice until smooth. Add more powdered sugar for a thicker glaze or more juice for a thinner one.
  10. Once cookies are completely cool, dip the tops into the glaze or drizzle the glaze over them. Let the glaze set before serving.

Notes

  • Drain excess liquid from the ricotta cheese using a fine-mesh sieve lined with cheesecloth for at least 30 minutes to prevent overly wet dough.
  • For an almond flavor variation, substitute the lemon zest and juice in the dough with 1 teaspoon of almond extract, and use almond extract in the glaze instead of lemon juice.
  • These cookies freeze well before glazing. Store cooled, plain cookies in an airtight container for up to 3 days at room temperature.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://spoonfulsnap.com/italian-lemon-ricotta-cookies-easy-recipe/