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The Ultimate Soft and Cakey Italian Ricotta Cookies with Zesty Lemon Glaze

A stack of soft Italian ricotta cookies topped with a bright lemon glaze and zest.
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Make soft, tender Italian ricotta cookies that have a cake-like texture. This easy recipe includes instructions for a bright lemon glaze.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
  • 3 large eggs
  • 1 cup whole milk ricotta cheese, drained if watery
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
  • Zest of 1 lemon
  • 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • For the Glaze: 2 cups powdered sugar
  • For the Glaze: 4 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
  2. In a large bowl, cream together the softened butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy.
  3. Beat in the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition.
  4. Mix in the ricotta cheese, vanilla extract, almond extract, and lemon zest until just combined.
  5. In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
  6. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing on low speed until a soft dough forms. Do not overmix.
  7. Drop rounded tablespoons of dough onto the prepared baking sheets, leaving about 2 inches between each cookie.
  8. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden and the centers look set. They should remain pale.
  9. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
  10. To make the glaze, whisk together the powdered sugar and lemon juice until smooth. Add more powdered sugar for a thicker glaze or more juice for a thinner glaze.
  11. Dip the top of each cooled cookie 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 glaze instead of lemon, substitute 4 tablespoons of milk and 1/2 teaspoon of almond extract for the lemon juice.
  • These cookies freeze well before glazing. Store baked, unglazed cookies in an airtight container for up to one week.

Nutrition

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