Description
Make soft, cakey Italian ricotta cookies from scratch. This simple recipe yields melt-in-your-mouth cookies topped with a bright lemon glaze.
Ingredients
Scale
- 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 unsalted butter, softened
- 1 large egg
- 1 cup whole milk ricotta cheese
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Zest of 1 lemon
- 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice (for cookies)
- For the Glaze: 2 cups powdered sugar
- 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (for glaze)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set this dry mixture aside.
- In a large bowl, cream together the softened butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy.
- Beat in the egg, then mix in the ricotta cheese, vanilla extract, lemon zest, and 1/4 cup of lemon juice until just combined.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing on low speed until a soft dough forms. Do not overmix.
- Drop rounded tablespoons of dough onto the prepared baking sheets, leaving about 2 inches between each cookie.
- Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the edges are lightly set and the bottoms are barely golden. They should remain pale.
- Cool the cookies completely on a wire rack before glazing.
- To make the glaze, whisk together the powdered sugar and 3 tablespoons of lemon juice until smooth. Add more powdered sugar or lemon juice as needed to reach a thick but pourable consistency.
- Drizzle or dip the cooled cookies into the lemon glaze. Let the glaze set before serving.
Notes
- For a more cakey texture, ensure your ricotta cheese is well-drained before measuring.
- You can substitute almond extract for vanilla extract for an almond flavor variation.
- If you prefer a thicker glaze, use less lemon juice in the glaze mixture.
- Prep Time: 20 min
- Cook Time: 12 min
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 180
- Sugar: 18g
- Sodium: 110mg
- Fat: 7g
- Saturated Fat: 4g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 28g
- Fiber: 0.5g
- Protein: 4g
- Cholesterol: 25mg