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Easy Soft Italian Ricotta Cookies with Lemon Glaze

A stack of three fluffy Italian ricotta cookies generously topped with a sweet white glaze.
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Make soft, cakey Italian ricotta cookies from scratch. This simple recipe yields melt-in-your-mouth cookies topped with a bright lemon glaze.

Ingredients

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  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 cup whole milk ricotta cheese, drained if very wet
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • Zest of 1 lemon
  • For the Glaze: 2 cups powdered sugar
  • 4 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
  2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
  3. In a large bowl, cream the softened butter and granulated sugar together until light and fluffy.
  4. Beat in the egg, then mix in the ricotta cheese, vanilla extract, and lemon zest until just combined.
  5. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing on low speed until a soft dough forms. Do not overmix.
  6. Drop rounded tablespoons of dough onto the prepared baking sheets, leaving about 2 inches between each cookie. They will spread slightly.
  7. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden and the centers look set. They should remain soft.
  8. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
  9. To make the glaze, whisk together the powdered sugar and lemon juice until smooth. Add more powdered sugar for a thicker glaze or more juice for a thinner one.
  10. Dip the top of each cooled cookie into the glaze, or drizzle the glaze over the cookies. Let the glaze set before serving.

Notes

  • Drain excess liquid from the ricotta cheese using a fine-mesh sieve or cheesecloth for about 30 minutes before measuring to prevent a wet dough.
  • For an almond glaze, substitute almond extract for vanilla in the cookie dough and use milk or water instead of lemon juice in the glaze, adding a drop of almond extract.
  • These cookies freeze well before glazing. Store cooled, unglazed cookies in an airtight container for up to 3 months.

Nutrition

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