If you are looking for a tender, cake-like cookie that is not too sweet, but has a delightful lemon flavor that makes it perfect to pair with coffee or tea, this Italian Ricotta Cookie recipe will be one you want to try. These cookies are always a hit at our house. I even made 2 batches during Christmas in order to have some for my daughter to take back with her.
They are such a festive looking cookie to bake during Christmas and New Year’s, but you can make them any time of year. If you want, you can tint the icing with food coloring.Ā Some people like to tint it red or green for Christmas. You could tint it pink or blue for baby showers or gender reveal parties as well. I prefer white and just change the colors of the nonpareils or sugar sprinkles I use if I want to make them a bit different.
It is very important to use whole milk ricotta when baking these cookies, part skim does not taste the same. Also, be sure to cool the cookies on cooling racks before icing them. Never frost a hot or warm cookie. The recipe says to chill the dough, but if you are pressed for time, I have made them without chilling the dough and they came out fine.
Ingredients
- Ingredients For Dough
- I cup of softened butter
- 2 cups of sugar
- 1 Ā¾ cups (15 oz) of whole milk ricotta cheese
- Finely grated zest of 1 lemon
- 2-1/2 tsp of pure vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs
- 4 cups of flour
- 2 tsp of baking soda
- 3/4 tsp of sea salt
- Ingredients For Icing
- 1 tbs of melted butter
- 1-1/2 tsp of pure vanilla extract
- 4 cups of confectionersā sugar
- Juice of one lemon
- 1/4 to 1/2 cup of milk (use as needed to think icing to correct consistency)
Instructions
- Cream the 2 sticks of butter with sugar until fluffy with electric mixer. Add ricotta, lemon zest, vanilla extract and mix well. Add in eggs, one at a time. Scrape sides of bowl and then begin to slowly mix in flour, one cup at a time. Add baking soda and salt and mix until blended. If you want you can chill dough for several hours or overnight. You can also bake immediately.
- Scoop with a cookie scoop and place about 2" apart onto a non-stick baking sheet liner or parchment paper. Bake cookies at 350 degrees F. for 15 minutes or until golden brown on the bottom. Remove cookies and let cool on wire rack.
- To make icing, melt 1 tablespoon of butter and whisk into the confectioners sugar with lemon juice, add enough milk to make a spreadable icing. Using an offset spatula or butter knife, spread icing onto top of cookies and sprinkle with sprinkles, nonpareils, decorative sugar or other decors. Let cookies set until icing is hard.
Watch my complete baking tutorial video for these cookies below.
They look delicious.
I have never had these before but they look delicious. Reminds me of a sugar cookie but the recipe sounds different. I may have to try this one.
These cookies look really good! I will have to try out the recipe.
Oh gosh these sound so amazing and like you said for several things. I have to make these for my family.
These look and sound delicious!
Looks SUPER YUMMY! Thank you so much for the recipe! Definitely adding this to my favorites! š
This sound delicious. I enjoy using Ricotta for both sweet and savory recipes.
Looks so amazing and delicious. Thanks for sharing.
These look gooooood!!
Wow! I have to make these! So delicious
These look really good! I can’t wait to try out my new mixer and this recipe!
Thanks for posting this! I will certainly try these!
These look great. We enjoy making Christmas cookies.
These sound and really look good. They look like they are pretty easy to make too. I think my family would just love them.
I have never heard of these before but they sure do look yummy!
I’ve heard of these but have never tried to make them before. Sounds pretty easy and they look delicious!
I hav enever tried thesse will add to my list for next years cookies
They look nice. I like the sprinkles.
I love cookies with icing and the recipe is not too complicated…something I can do!
I have never made cookies with ricotta before but am excited to try these because they look delicious!
These would be great for family gatherings.
They look awesome! I will have to try making them. Definitely a winner
These look easy. Thanks
These look wonderful. My husband’s family is Italian and they make an “egg” cookie that looks a lot like these.
I love Italian cookies, especially the ones are not too sweet. Definitely I will try to make them for my son because he loves light sweet cakes and cookies š
Thank You for sharing this awesome recipe!
I have not tried these before but they look yummy.
I know I would love these. They would pair well with a nice cup of tea or coffee.
This sounds and looks delicious! I love ricotta!
WoW! Those look really good! š
These sound so unique! I need to try this!
These look delicious.
I would like these without icing. I’m not a big fan of real sweet cookies, but these look good.
They are not very sweet at all, in fact without the icing they would not taste very good. Since the cookie is not overly sweet the icing gives it just the right amount of sweetness and the lemon gives it a tangy flavor.
This looks so good and delicious!
They are!!!
These look so good! Can I have some?
A recipe I have to try! I LOVE ricotta and this recipe looks very easy. Thank you!
That looks so good!
These sound amazing!
I’ve never had ricotta cookies but this post makes me curious! They look so good
I’ve never had these or heard of them before, but they are something I’d love to try!
These look easier than Iād have thought, and they sure sound delicious!
I love the cookies of course but its my new years resolution to lose weight lol I gotta focus on that blender. We have had the same one for years and it is a lil hand held one.
I’ve had these before and they are as delicious as they sound.
Thanks for the video tutorial. I’m not the best cook and having a visual aid always helps.
They look great and something I would like to try.
I was skeptical when I read the title (cheese in cookies?!) but it actually sounds like they’d be really good with a cup of tea.
This must be so yummy. I’m not a very good cook so I would give this recipe to my stepdad. He lives to cook!! lol he can make them for me.
My husband always makes riccota pie at Easter. I am going to show him this and see if he will do cookies too.
I love these. I just got a kitchenaid mixer and will use these recpice to try it out š
I have never heard of baking with ricotta. Interesting.
You should try them.
Sounds delicious!
I’ve never heard of using ricotta in cookies! I would love to try them!
Oh these sound so interesting and look fantastic! I love making different kids of cookies for my family to try…I will have to give these a try!
i would love to try these. they sound good.
This recipe sounds so different. I want to try it!
These look so good! I don’t really like to cook, but I enjoy surprising my kids with sweet treats.
OMG! These look exactly like what my Sicilian aunt Thethe used to make us for each holiday! Im dying to try to make them!
I bet these are delicious..I love ricotta cheese in everything
These look excellent. Thanks for sharing.
These look oh – so good!! I’ve never thought to bake a sweet with riccotta before, that’s always been a lasagna staple but not much else. I can’t wait to try out the recipe!!
Let me know how you like them.
These sound so good. I pinned them so that I will be able to find them when I am ready to make them. (I am trying to lose a little weight first LOL)
Definitely a recipe to add to the rotation, I think my kids would go crazy for these. Thanks for posting.
This looks delicious! I am going to make these!
These look fantastic. We would like to try them.
This sounds interesting! I would like to try out this recipe.
I would be interested in trying ricotta in cookies.
Always loved Italian cookies and loving this twist with ricotta! Delicious with a bit of tart and butteriness to them.
Look really good.
I generally prefer a crisp cookie, but the lemon flavoring is a real draw for these.
Good tips. I definitely agree that the cheese should be whole ricotta! These look good.
I love making cookies at Christmas. These look interesting.
I would love to try these!
These look so yummy!
I would try them….
I have never had ricotta cookie, but have had ricotta pancakes. They are moist and delicious. I bet the ricotta cookies would be the same.
They look tasty!
They would definitely be a hit in my house; I have copied the recipe so I can make them
Please let me know how you like them Shirley.
These look amazing.
these sound great.
i was skeptical at first hearing the word ricotta and cookies together but those actually look really good.
I am bookmarking this recipe because it sounds delicious.
These just look so delicious! I love finding new cookie recipes and these are ones I know I will have to try to make!
Would like to try andmake them. Look tasty to me!
They look really moist and fluffy, I would try them. The recipes looks easy to follow also.
These look really good!!! Gonna have to try these for sure!!!
I have never even thought of using ricotta in a cookie. After reading this article, I am convinced that this is my type of cookie though. I am going to make a batch for our Superbowl party.
Please let me know how you like them.
These look yummy and not too hard
They look yummy. thanks
This is being bookmarked! YUM!
These sound delicious. Never would of thought of ricotta as a base for cookies.
The recipe sounds great. The cookies look delicious.
Looks yum and sound delicious!
These look tasty and not that complicated to make
This recipe would be great for parties.
This seems like an easy recipe.
These cookies sound delicious and easy to make.
I tried making these today and they were absolutely delicious!!! Thank you so much for sharing the recipe!
these look so light and fluffy!!!
I have been looking for a good ricotta cookie recipe. This sounds so delicious!
Yum!! These look amazing, can’t wait to try them.
I’m not a great baker but these look so so yummy I will have to try them
I have got to try these!
They look very yummy!
These cookies look like something to have during the holidays.
These cookies look so good planning on making them soon
I haven’t had cookies like that, but it does look good. I will be trying out the recipe, and the way those look I won’t be sharing lol
pinned! cannot wait to try these š