Italian Ricotta Cookies
Italian Ricotta Cookies are, in a word, delicious! This soft, light sprinkle cookie has just the right amount of lemon and vanilla in it and is topped with a light glaze and pretty little sprinkles.
These cookies are made with whole-milk ricotta cheese which gives them this lovely lightness along with a slightly crunchy exterior, a combination I find divine!
And, at my house, we sprinkle them with different colors for the various holidays and celebration! We love versatility!
This easy recipe begins by combining butter, sugar and lemon zest in a mixer at medium speed until it’s light in color and fluffy. Add the egg and vanilla and stir until well combined. Now, add the ricotta cheese and use a spatula to ensure that it’s well mixed.
Add the dry ingredients and stir into the wet ingredients.
Use a small scoop and place balls of dough onto a sheet pan. Bake one sheet at a time for 11-12 minutes. The bottoms should be golden brown and the tops are light but dry.
Let the cookies cool completely prior to glazing them.
To make the glaze, combine the powdered sugar with water, lemon juice or milk, depending on the flavor you prefer. Since there is lemon in the cookies, I opt typically for milk in the glaze so that the lemon flavor is subtle. Add the vanilla and whisk it all together.
Dip the tops of the cookies in the glaze and before the glaze dries, add some sprinkles. Enjoy!
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Italian Ricotta Cookies
Makes: 60 cookies
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Bake Time: 12 minutes per sheet
Total Time: 56 minutes
Ingredients
- 1/4 pound butter, softened (1 stick; 4 ounces)
- 1 cup sugar
- Zest of one lemon
- 8 ounces whole-milk ricotta cheese (1 cup)
- 1 large egg
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 2 & 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp baking powder
For the Glaze:
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1/8 cup lemon juice, milk, or water
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- Rainbow sprinkles or colored sprinkles of your choice
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350°F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter, sugar, and lemon zest over medium speed until fluffy and lightened in color. Add the egg and vanilla and continue to beat until well combined. Stir in the ricotta and mix over medium speed until combined. Scrape the bowl with a spatula.
Add the flour, baking soda, and baking powder and stir the dry mixture into the wet ingredients on low, just until fully combined.
Use a teaspoon or small cookie scoop to scoop the cookie dough onto the prepared cookie sheets, leaving at least an inch of space between each as they will spread slightly.
Bake one cookie sheet at a time, in the center rack, for 11 to 12 minutes, until the bottoms are golden brown and the tops look light but dry.
Remove the ricotta cookies from the oven. Let them sit for a couple of minutes to firm up on the baking sheet, then transfer to a wire rack to cool.
For the Glaze and to Finish:
Mix the glaze by combining the confectioner’s sugar with water, lemon juice, orange juice, or milk in a bowl. Add vanilla. Mix with a fork or whisk. The consistency of the glaze should be like thick cream. (Lemon juice or orange juice will give the cookies a more pronounced citrus flavor. Milk and water will taste more neutral and simply sweet.)
The glaze will drip a little as it dries, so I like to place a sheet of parchment or waxed paper below the wire rack to catch the drips of glaze. It makes for easier cleanup. Dip the top of the cookies into the glaze, and place them back on the cooling rack. Before the glaze dries, sprinkle the tops with your preferred sprinkles.
Chef’s Notes:
Storage: These little Italian ricotta cookies will keep just fine in an airtight container at room temperature for about three days.
Freezing: The cookies also freeze very well for up to three months in an airtight container, even with the glaze. Do not refrigerate; refrigeration will dry them out.
Recipe from Unpeeled Journal
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