Italian Ricotta Cookies

A small plate with three lemon ricotta cookies, one with a bite out.

5 from 12 votes

Italian Lemon Ricotta Cookies are soft and tender with a cake-like consistency. The ricotta cheese in these Italian-style cookies adds incredible flavor and will make these the hit of your party!

Course Dessert

Cuisine American, Italian

Keyword Italian ricotta cookies

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 12

chill time 1

Total Time 1 27

Servings cookies

Calories 138kcal

Author Sue Ringsdorf

Ingredients

Cookies - wet ingredients:

1/2 cup unsalted butter - sotened
1 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
7.5 oz. whole-milk ricotta
2 Tablespoons lemon juice
2 teaspoons lemon zest - zest from one large lemon)
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Cookies - dry ingredients:

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
sprinkles - optional

For the glaze:

2 cups sifted powdered sugar
2-3 Tablespoons whole milk - or to right of consistency
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon almond extract

Instructions

In the bowl of a large standing mixer, add the softened butter and sugar and mix until creamy.
1/2 cup unsalted butter, 1 cup granulated sugar
Add the egg, ricotta cheese, lemon juice and zest, and the vanilla and almond extract. Mix again until all the ingredients are combined and smooth.
1 large egg, 7.5 oz. whole-milk ricotta, 2 Tablespoons lemon juice, 2 teaspoons lemon zest, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
Then add the flour, baking powder, and salt - and mix until the ingredients are just combined. Don't over-mix.
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
Use a small cookie scoop or a tablespoon to form 30 small cookie dough balls. Add to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, and refrigerate for at least an hour to chill.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place about 8 cookie balls on the baking sheet, spaced evenly apart.
Bake cookies for 11-12 minutes, or until the cookies barely start to brown on top. Let cookies cool a few minutes on the pan, and then use a spatula to remove cookies to a wire rack.
Mix up the icing. In a medium bowl, combine the sifted powdered sugar, the milk, vanilla extract and almond extract. Use a hand mixer to blend until smooth.
2 cups sifted powdered sugar, 2-3 Tablespoons whole milk, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
Spoon the icing over the cooled cookies. Add sprinkles, if desired.
sprinkles

Notes

STORE cookies in an airtight container on your countertop for several days. They are also great cold if you want to store them in the refrigerator as well.

FREEZE cookies in a cookie tin covered with a freezer bag. I prefer using disposable tins to store my cookies.

TIPS:

Measure ingredients properly. Make sure you use the spoon-and-level method when measuring flour, or weigh on a digital scale. “Scooping” flour will often result in too much flour in your baked goods, which causes them to be dry. I’ve recently started weighing the ingredients (the flour, especially), and it’s worth the time.
Sift the powdered sugar. Powdered sugar often clumps up, so sifting it will make for a smoother icing.

Nutrition