Italian Lemon Ricotta Cookies
These soft Italian ricotta cookies have a tender, cake-like texture with hints of lemon and vanilla. Finished with a bright lemon glaze, these melt-in-your-mouth lemon ricotta cookies are not too sweet and can easily be made ahead. Decorate them with colorful sprinkles for holidays and cookie trays or use fresh lemon zest to enjoy them any time of year!
Servings: 36 cookies
Calories: 103kcal
Ingredients
For the Cookies
- ½ cup butter 1 stick, unsalted and softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons lemon zest finely grated
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 egg large, room temperature
- 1 cup whole-milk ricotta cheese
- 2 cups all-purpose flour spooned and leveled
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
For the Glaze
- 1 ½ cups powdered sugar
- 3 tablespoons lemon juice fresh
- 1 pinch kosher salt
- rainbow nonpareils or lemon zest for decorating
Instructions
- Add the butter, sugar, and lemon zest to a large bowl. Beat with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 4-5 minutes. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed.½ cup butter, 1 cup granulated sugar, 2 teaspoons lemon zest
- Add the vanilla and egg, then mix until fully incorporated.2 teaspoons vanilla extract, 1 egg
- Add the ricotta, then mix on medium speed until evenly combined. The mixture may look slightly curdled, which is normal.1 cup whole-milk ricotta cheese
- In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.2 cups all-purpose flour, ½ teaspoon baking powder, ½ teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- Add the dry ingredients to the ricotta mixture. Mix on low speed just until no dry streaks of flour remain. Do not overmix. The dough will be very soft and sticky.
- Cover the bowl and refrigerate the dough for at least 1 hour or up to 2 days.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Scoop the chilled dough into balls about 1½ tablespoons in size, then place them on the prepared baking sheets about 2 inches apart.
- Bake one pan at a time on the center rack for 10-12 minutes, rotating halfway through, until the tops are set and the bottoms are just beginning to turn pale golden. Do not let them brown.
- Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Make the glaze by whisking together the powdered sugar, lemon juice, and salt until smooth. The glaze should be thick enough to coat the cookies without running completely off. Add more lemon juice, ½ teaspoon at a time, as needed.1 ½ cups powdered sugar, 3 tablespoons lemon juice, 1 pinch kosher salt
- Dip the tops of the fully cooled cookies into the glaze, then allow the excess to drip back into the bowl.
- Decorate with sprinkles immediately while the glaze is wet, then place on a wire rack and let them sit until the glaze is completely dry and firm.rainbow nonpareils or lemon zest
- Serve immediately or store in an airtight container for up to 3 days at room temperature or 1 week in the refrigerator.
Notes
- To release even more of that fragrant citrus oil into your cookies and give them a robust lemon aroma, rub the lemon zest into the sugar with your fingertips before beating the butter.
- Measure the flour by spooning it lightly into the measuring cup, then leveling the top. Scooping directly from the bag can pack in too much flour and make the cookies dry.
- Pour off any liquid sitting in the ricotta container before measuring. If your ricotta is very loose or watery, drain it in a fine-mesh sieve lined with paper towels for 30 minutes.
- Chilling the dough firms the butter, hydrates the flour, and helps the cookies hold a rounded shape. Keep the remaining dough refrigerated while the first batch of cookies bakes.
- Freezing the scooped cookies for 15 minutes before baking helps solidify the fat in the butter, preventing excessive spreading when the cookies are baked.
- Do not wait for the tops to brown. Ricotta cookies should remain pale and will continue setting as they cool.
- Let the cookies cool completely before glazing or the glaze will melt and soak into the surface.
Nutrition
Serving: 1cookie | Calories: 103kcal | Carbohydrates: 16g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 15mg | Sodium: 63mg | Potassium: 19mg | Fiber: 0.2g | Sugar: 11g | Vitamin A: 116IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 20mg | Iron: 0.4mg
