These soft Italian lemon 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.
Using a stand mixer or hand mixer, place the softened butter and sugar in a large bowl and beat until light and fluffy.
Add the ricotta, lemon zest, vanilla and almond extract and beat until well incorporated. Beat in the eggs one at a time.
Add flour, baking soda and salt and mix until just combined and you have a soft dough. Cover and refrigerate 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 the confectioners sugar, melted butter, lemon juice, vanilla extract, almond extract and a few tablespoons of the milk. Whisk to combine. Add additional milk by the tablespoon, whisking after each addition until the sugar glaze is thick, but the right consistency for spread and dipping. You want the confectioners 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.