Italian Ricotta Cookies

Recipe Image

Soft and cake-like, these cookies keep it simple and classy with a hint of lemon and a creamy glaze. Leave them out for Santa or share them with friends and family to spread some holiday cheer.

Best served

With a warm glass of eggnog and a sizeable stack of presents begging to be opened. Wash it down with our Kris Kringle Kraken if you're enjoying that twist of lemon.

Recipe

Featured Ingredient: Ricotta

For the cookies

  • 3 ½ cups (495g) all-purpose flour
    2 ½ tsp baking powder
    ¾ tsp salt
    1 cup (8 oz) unsalted butter, softened
    1 ¾ cups (370g) granulated sugar
    1 tsp lemon zest
    15 oz ricotta, whole milk or fresh
    1 Tbsp vanilla extract
    2 large eggs

 

For the glaze

  • 1 Tbsp butter (salted or unsalted), melted
    3 ¾ cups (460g) powdered sugar
    2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
    1 tsp vanilla extract
    4 - 6 Tbsp milk

 

Make the cookies

  1. In a mixing bowl whisk together flour, baking powder and salt, set aside.

  2. In the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment whip together butter, granulated sugar and lemon zest until pale and fluffy (scrape down sides and bottom of bowl occasionally throughout entire mixing process).

  3. Mix in ricotta and vanilla extract then blend in eggs one at a time. Set mixer on low speed and slowly add in flour mixture and mix just until combined. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and chill 2 hours or up to 2 days. Preheat oven to 350°F during last 20 minutes of dough chilling.

  4. Scoop chilled dough out 1 Tbsp at a time and shape into balls (if it's too sticky just drop onto sheet using two spoons), drop onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.

  5. Bake in preheated oven 12 - 14 minutes until underside of cookies are golden. Cool on baking sheet several minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

  6. Once cool dip tops of cookies in glaze and return to wire rack, immediately add sprinkles if using. Allow glaze to set at room temperature. Store in an airtight container in a single layer.

 

Make the glaze

  1. In a mixing bowl whisk together powdered sugar, melted butter, lemon juice or almond extract, vanilla and 4 Tbsp milk until smooth, adding in more milk 1 tsp at a time to thin as needed (you don't want it to be very thin, it should be quite a bit thicker than a doughnut glaze).

NOTE: You can also use almond extract (or another extract) in place of lemon juice/zest. Start with 1/4 tsp almond extract then add more to taste (can thin glaze with more milk as needed).