Lemon Ricotta Cookies

4.67 from 3 votes

These soft, Italian-lemony ricotta cookies are delicate and inviting. The dough can be made up to a week in advance and baked whenever you want. The creamy glaze holds the sprinkles perfectly.

Course Dessert

Cuisine Italian

Keyword almond, christmas cookies, cookies, lemon, ricotta

Dietary Restrictions Vegetarian

Prep Time 45

Cook Time 15

Total Time 1

Servings cookies

Calories 110.51kcal

Author Lisa Lotts

Ingredients

1 cup butter (2 sticks) at room temperature
2 cups sugar
1 ¾ cups whole milk ricotta cheese
1 lemon zested
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 large eggs
4 cups unbleached all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
½ teaspoon salt

FOR GLAZE:

4 cups confectioners sugar
1 tablespoon melted butter
2 tablespoons lemon juice or fresh lemon juice
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ cup milk or half and half plus more as needed

DECORATING

sugar pearls
jimmies
sprinkles
lemon zest
food coloring whisk in 2-4 drops to the confectioners glaze to give cookies a festive look before glazing.

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

FOR THE RICOTTA COOKIE DOUGH

Using a stand mixer or hand mixer, place 1 cup butter, softened and 2 cups sugar in a large bowl and beat until light and fluffy.
Add 1 ¾ cups whole milk ricotta cheese, 1 lemon, zested 2 teaspoons vanilla extract and 2 teaspoons almond extract Beat until well incorporated. Beat in 2 large eggs, one at a time.
Add 4 cups unbleached all purpose flour, 2 teaspoons baking soda and ½ teaspoon salt. Mix until just combined, and you have a soft dough. Cover and refrigerate for at least two hours or for several days until you're ready to bake the cookies.
Preheat the oven to 350℉ and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silpat.
Scoop a scant tablespoon of dough into a ball and place it on the baking sheet. Continue in this method, setting the dough about 2 inches apart from each other on the pan (the cookies will spread).
Bake for 13-15 minutes or until the bottoms of the cookies are a pale brown. Transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool.

MAKING CONFECTIONERS GLAZE

In a medium bowl combine 4 cups confectioners sugar, 1 tablespoon melted butter, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, ½ teaspoon vanilla extract, and a few tablespoons of ¼ cup milk or half and half. Whisk to combine. Add any additional milk by the tablespoon, whisking after each addition until the sugar glaze is thick, but has the right consistency for spreading and dipping. You want the confectioner's glaze to spread and ooze evenly over the cookies when dunked.

GLAZING LEMON RICOTTA COOKIES

Pick up a cooled cookie and turn it upside down so that it can be dunked in the glaze. You don't have to coat the entire cookie, just give it a nice crown and let the glaze run down and over the sides. Continue with all of the cookies.
Sprinkle Italian ricotta cookies with your favorite jimmies, sprinkles, sugar pearls or other adornments.

Notes

Store Italian lemon ricotta cookies in an airtight container, separated by sheets of parchment, so they don't smudge.
To color the icing, add 2-4 drops of food coloring and stir until thoroughly blended.

Nutrition