Indulge in these irresistible Italian lemon ricotta cookies. Light, fluffy, and bursting with lemon flavor, this recipe will have you coming back for more. Drizzled with a sweet lemon glaze and dotted with sprinkles that suit the holiday or any occasion, they are sure to please.
The Best Lemon Ricotta Cookies
Lemon Ricotta Cookies are soft, cake-like Italian cookies made with ricotta cheese and fresh lemons. Customize with sprinkles or a little lemon zest for a simple yet elegant touch. If you like these cookies, try iced lemon cookies, snickerdoodle cookies, waffle cookies, and Funfetti cookies.
Lemon Ricotta Cookies Ingredients
For the cookies, you need:
- Flour – all purpose
- Baking powder
- Baking soda
- Salt
- Butter – unsalted
- Sugar – granulated
- Eggs – large
- Vanilla extract
- Lemon zest
- Lemon juice – freshly squeezed
- Ricotta cheese – preferably whole milk
For the lemon glaze, you need:
- Powdered sugar
- Lemon juice – freshly squeezed
How to make Italian Lemon Ricotta Cookies
Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl. Set this aside while you prepare the rest of the recipe.
Next, beat the softened butter and sugar with an electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy. Turn the mixer low and beat the eggs one at a time. Then stir in the vanilla, lemon zest, lemon juice, and ricotta cheese. Add the dry ingredients in three to four parts to the butter mixture, stirring to combine between each addition. Don’t forget to scrape down the bowl and the beaters so that everything is mixed in thoroughly. Cover the dough and chill it in the refrigerator for 2 hours.
Use a 1 1/2 tablespoon cookie scoop to proportion the dough. Roll it into balls and place them on parchment-covered baking sheets or silicone baking mats. Bake for about 15 minutes or until the cookies are set and the bottoms are lightly browned. Cool for 5 minutes before moving to a wire rack to cool. Whisk together powdered sugar and lemon juice in a small bowl until smooth. Gently dunk the cooled cookies in the icing and then top with sprinkles. Allow the icing to set for several hours.
Recipe Tips
- Cream the butter and sugar until it is light and fluffy. This can take several minutes. If you have a stand mixer, the paddle attachment works best.
- Cover the baking sheet with parchment paper. It helps the cookies bake more evenly, reduces undesirable spreading, and prevents sticking.
- Always preheat your oven and try to load the cookie sheet or (sheets) in the middle of the oven.
- Do not overbake these ricotta cookies. They are at their best when lightly browned on the bottom and set on the tops.
- Store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for 2 days or in the fridge for up to a week.
What is ricotta cheese?
Ricotta is a creamy white, soft, mild, slightly sweet cheese. It is an Italian whey cheese made from cow, sheep, or goat milk whey, which is leftover from cheese production. Ricotta is often used as an ingredient in baked lasagna but is equally delicious in cookies. You can find ricotta in the refrigerator section of your local grocery store, usually close to the cottage cheese.
Do Ricotta Cookies Need to be Refrigerated?
Store ricotta cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days or in the refrigerator for up to a week.
Can you freeze Ricotta Cookies?
These Lemon Ricotta cookies are best frozen before adding icing and sprinkles. Place the cooled cookies on parchment paper-covered baking sheets, ensuring they do not touch each other. Cover them lightly with plastic wrap and place them in the freezer. Once completely frozen, put them in a sturdy freezer container with wax paper between the layers. To thaw, remove the cookies from the freezer container and thaw them in the fridge. Do not freeze the raw dough for baking later, as it does not freeze well.
More Cookie Recipes
Lemon Ricotta Cookie Recipe
Ingredients
Ricotta Cookies
- 4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter softened
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons lemon zest
- 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 15 ounces whole milk ricotta cheese
Glaze
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 5-6 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cover baking sheets with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
- Beat softened butter and sugar with an electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy. Turn the mixer to stir; beat in the eggs 1 at a time. Stir in vanilla, lemon zest, lemon juice and ricotta cheese. Add flour mixture in 3-4 four parts to the butter mixture. Stir just to combine between each addition; scrapping down the bowl and beaters. Cover the cookie dough and chill it in the refrigerator for 2 hours.
- Using a 1 1/2 tablespoon cookie scoop, roll the dough into balls and place them on the prepared baking sheets a couple of inches apart. Bake for 15 minutes or until cookies are set and bottoms are lightly browned. Remove to cookie cooling racks.
- Whisk together powdered sugar and lemon juice until smooth. Gently dunk completely cooled cookies in the icing head first and dribble with sprinkles. Allow the icing to set for 2-3 hours.
Notes
- Cream the butter and sugar until it is light and fluffy. This can take several minutes. If you have a stand mixer, the paddle attachment works best.
- Cover the baking sheet with parchment paper. It helps the cookies bake more evenly, reduces undesirable spreading, and prevents sticking.
- Always preheat your oven and try to load the cookie sheet or (sheets) in the middle of the oven.
- Do not overbake these ricotta cookies. They are at their best when lightly browned on the bottom and set on the tops.
- Store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for 2 days or in the fridge for up to a week.
- If the lemon glaze is too thick add another tablespoon of lemon juice. If it is too thin add a couple tablespoons of powdered sugar.
Nutrition
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Stephanie Z
These cookies are so darn good! The ricotta and lemon really come through and compliment each other nicely. Gonna make these again for St Patrick’s day and add some green sprinkles. Yum!
Beth Pierce
What fun! Have a great St. Patrick’s Day!
Debbie jeffords
Do these cookies have to be refrigerated after baking and frosting
Beth Pierce
Store on the counter for 3-4 days or in the refrigerator up to a week.
Catalina
Oh my goodness! I can’t resist to these cookies!
Lora
Ricotta makes the cookies nice and soft. Perfect to enjoy for a coffee break right now!
Sara Welch
These look so fun and easy; will make great gifts for Christmas this year, too! Yum!
jade manning
These look so scrummy, I don’t know if I could share these!!!!
annie
We love this recipe!
Erin
Lemon Ricotta Cookies are sound delicious right about now!
Erin
These sound delicious! Dangerously good… I need these in my life!!!
Allison
I haven’t made these in years. Thanks for the reminder. Time to get baking!
Jacquelyn Hastert
Yay for sprinkles! These would be perfect for my daughter’s sleepover tonight.
Catalina
My favorite cookies. I will try your recipe this weekend.
Jade Manning
I love Lemon, I reckon this could satisfy my sweet tooth!
Bee
I love ricotta in sweet dishes. Those cookies sounds great Beth!
Chrissie Baker
These cookies look delicious, would love to have with a cup of tea.
Melanie Bauer
Omg, looks insanely delicious! I’m totally drooling over this right now, looking forward to trying this!