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Easy Italian Ricotta Cookies with Lemon Glaze

A soft, glazed ricotta cookie cut in half, showing its fluffy interior texture.
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Make soft, cakey Italian ricotta cookies that melt in your mouth. This recipe is simple and produces a perfect holiday or everyday treat.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 cup whole milk ricotta cheese, drained if watery
  • 3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • Zest of 1 lemon
  • 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice (for cookies)
  • 2 cups powdered sugar (for glaze)
  • 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (for glaze)

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
  2. In a large bowl, cream together the softened butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy.
  3. Beat in the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla extract and drained ricotta cheese.
  4. In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
  5. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing on low speed until just combined. Do not overmix. Stir in the lemon zest and 1/4 cup lemon juice. The dough will be soft.
  6. Drop rounded tablespoons of dough onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 2 inches apart.
  7. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden. The cookies will look pale.
  8. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
  9. While cookies cool, prepare the glaze: Whisk together the powdered sugar and 3 tablespoons of lemon juice until smooth. Add more powdered sugar or juice, a teaspoon at a time, to reach a thick but pourable consistency.
  10. Once cookies are completely cool, dip the tops into the glaze or drizzle the glaze over them. Let the glaze set before serving.

Notes

  • Drain excess liquid from the ricotta cheese using a fine-mesh sieve lined with cheesecloth for at least 30 minutes to prevent overly wet dough.
  • For a thicker glaze, use less lemon juice. For a thinner glaze, add a few more drops of juice.
  • You can substitute almond extract for vanilla extract for a different flavor profile.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://tastytribune.com/ricotta-cookies-italian-lemon-glaze-recipe/