Italian Lemon Ricotta Cookies with Lemon Glaze
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Lemon Ricotta Cookies are the ultimate tangy cookie with a cake-like texture. These tender cookies, topped with a luscious lemon glaze, deliver a burst of zesty lemony goodness with every bite. So easy to make that you don’t have to wait for a special occasion to indulge in these citrusy Italian cookies!
Want to know how good these cookies are? My mother is known as a master Italian cookie baker, but this was never a cookie recipe she made. After trying my lemony ricotta cookies, she declared them her favorite cookies!
Lemon ricotta cookies will have all of the lemon lovers out there jumping for joy as they eat these little Italian confections. If you’re a fan of Italian ricotta cookies, you’ll love this lemony version. They have the same soft texture but with just the right amount of bright lemon flavor.
Lemons play a significant role in Italian cuisine, so it is no surprise that they are a popular ingredient in traditional Italian dishes. From the lemons in the Amalfi coast to the lemons in Sicily, this wonderful citrus fruit is front and center in so many delicious recipes. I especially love the flavor it brings to dessert recipes, such as Anginetti Cookies (Italian Lemon Cookies, Lemon Olive Oil Cake, Italian Limoncello Mascarpone cake, and Italian Cheesecake with Ricotta and Mascarpone. And how it brightens savory dishes like Chicken Limone and Lemon Pepper Salmon with Dill!
What Makes This Recipe So Good
- The ricotta cheese in this cookie recipe makes them soft and tender. They will absolutely melt in your mouth!
- The flavor of these cookies is the perfect balance between sweet and tangy, thanks to the light and fluffy cookie and the sweet lemon glaze.
- This recipe is easy and reliable. It doesn’t matter if you are an experienced baker or not, this lemon ricotta cookie recipe comes out perfect every time.
- The cookie dough can be made up to 1 day ahead and refrigerated until you are ready to bake the cookies.
- You only need a few simple ingredients to make a big batch of cookies!
Ingredients and Notes For Lemon Ricotta Cookies
- Ricotta Cheese: For the best results, use whole milk ricotta cheese. Whole milk ricotta is creamy and tends to have less water in it. Although all store-bought, ricotta will have some water in it. If your ricotta is too wet, drain it in a fine mesh sieve lined with cheesecloth to remove any extra liquid before adding it to the cookie batter.
- All-purpose flour: I have not made this with other types of flour, so I can not say how they will work. Good old all purpose flour is perfect in this recipe.
- Lemon: Fresh lemon juice and zest will provide the best flavor. It is easiest to zest the lemon before cutting and juicing it.
Variations
If you want to try a flavor other than lemon, you can substitute oranges or even limes.
You can swap out the lemon juice and zest for 2 tsps. of almond extract or any other flavor you like.
Step By Step Instructions For Making Italian Lemon Ricotta Cookies
Photo 1: Combine the softened butter and eggs in the bowl of stand mixer or in a large mixing bowl if using an electric hand mixer. Beat at medium speed until pale in color, about 5 minutes.
Photo 2: Add the eggs one at a time, beating until each egg is completely incorporated into the butter mixture between additions.
Photo 3: Add the ricotta, lemon juice, and lemon zest to the batter and mix until creamy.
Photo 4: Slowly add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and mix on low speed just until the flour is completely blended into the batter. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate it for at least an hour to chill before baking.
Photo 5: Use a tablespoon or a small cookie scoop to drop the cookie dough onto a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Space the cookies about 2 inches apart on the cookie sheet and bake in a preheated 350°F oven for 12-14 minutes. The cookies will still be pale on top, but the bottoms will be golden brown when they are done. Remove the cookies from the oven and place them on a wire rack to cool completely before frosting them
Photo 6: Combine confectioners’ sugar, lemon juice, and lemon zest in a small bowl and whisk until creamy. The glaze should be pourable but not overly liquid. If the glaze is too liquid, add confectioners’ sugar one tablespoon at a time. If it is too thick, add lemon juice 1 teaspoon at a time until you achieve the desired consistency.
Photo 7: Working with one cookie at a time, dip the top of the cookie into the glaze and use your finger or the back of a spoon to spread the tart lemon glaze evenly around the cookie. Set the cookies on a cooling rack or waxed paper and allow the glaze to dry completely before storing.
Tips for Making the Best Lemon Ricotta Cookies
- Start with room temperature eggs and unsalted butter. Room temperature ingredients will cream more easily, resulting in soft cookies.
- Chilling the dough helps the cookies retain their shape while baking. If you skip this step, the cookies will still be delicious, but they will not be as puffy.
- The cookies will spread slightly while baking, so be sure to leave enough room between each cookie on the baking sheet.
- Do not try to make these cookies larger than the recommended one tablespoon size. Larger cookies will take longer to bake and will spread too much.
FAQ’s
After the glaze has dried completely, place your cookies in a container or cookie tin with sheets of waxed paper between layers. You can store them in a cool place for 2-3 days or in the refrigerator for about a week.
If you need to store lemon ricotta cookies for more than a couple of days, it is best to refrigerate them. Ricotta, like cream cheese or yogurt, is a perishable food item that will spoil if left out for too long. Refrigeration slows down bacterial growth and maintains freshness.
Yes you can. After placing them in an airtight container, I recommend wrapping the container in plastic wrap to keep any other freezer odors from permeating the cookies. The cookies will stay fresh for 2-3 months.
If your cookies are too flat, it is likely the result of not thoroughly chilling the dough, using too much dough per cookie, or insufficient flour.
1. Lemon ricotta cookie dough is a cross between a cake batter and cookie dough. It has a soft consistency so it needs to be chilled for at least an hour to avoid excessive spreading.
2. Using more than a tablespoon of dough per cookie requires a longer baking time, and that extra time in the oven causes them to spread too much.
3. Too little flour in the dough can cause a lack of structure, so the cookies can’t hold their shape while baking.
Other causes may include the oven temperature being too low; the ricotta having too much water in it, and the baking powder or baking soda having expired.
Yes, you can mix ricotta and lemon; in fact, many pasta, cake, and cookie recipes combine them to create a light, fresh flavor profile.
More Italian Cookies To Try
Italians are known for their delicious holiday cookies. Some of the most popular Christmas cookies are Italian Chocolate Spice Cookies, Cuccidati Italian Fig Cookies, and Pignoli Cookies. It just wouldn’t Christmas in an Italian house without them!
Other favorites that make an appearance at all of our family celebrations include Homemade Italian Butter Cookies, Pizzicati, and Italian Almond Cookies.
I love to get your feedback, so if you’ve tried this recipe for Lemon Ricotta Cookies or any other recipes on this website, please leave me a comment below. I hope you enjoy my recipes and I look forward to hearing from you!
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Italian Lemon Ricotta Cookies with Lemon Glaze
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Ingredients
- 2½ cups All Purpose Flour
- 1 tsp Baking Powder
- ½ tsp Baking Soda
- 1 pinch Salt
- ½ cup Butter Unsalted, softened
- 1½ cups Sugar
- 2 Eggs large, room temperature
- 15 oz Ricotta Cheese whole milk or extra cream
- 2 tbsp Lemon Juice
- 1 tbsp Lemon Zest
Lemon Icing
- 1½ cups Confectioners' Sugar
- 3 tbsp Lemon Juice
- 1 tbsp Lemon Zest
Instructions
- Pre-heat the oven to 350°F. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper. Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl and set aside.
- Using an electric mixer or a stand mixer, cream the butter and sugar until the mixture is pale yellow, about 5 minutes.
- Add the eggs one at a time and beat until completely mixed in between additions. Scrape down the sides to make sure the eggs are fully incorporated.
- Add the ricotta cheese, lemon juice and lemon zest to the egg mixture and beat well.
- Continue beating while you slowly add the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. Mix until the flour is completely and evenly mixed in and you have a soft fluffy cookie dough.
- Use a tablespoon or a cookie scoop to drop the dough on the the prepared cookie sheets, leaving about 2 inches between each cookie.
- Bake for 11-13 minutes. The top of the cookies will still be white but the bottoms should be golden brown. Remove the cookies from the oven and place them on a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.
Lemon Icing
- Combine all of the ingredients in a small bowl and whisk until the icing is pourable but not too liquidy.
- Dip the tops of the cookies into the icing and use your finger or the back of a spoon to spread the icing evenly on the cookie. Set the cookies on sheets of waxed paper to dry.
Notes
Tips for Making the Best Lemon Ricotta Cookies
- Chilling the dough helps the cookies retain their shape while baking. If you skip this step, the cookies will still be delicious, but they will not be as puffy.
- The cookies will spread slightly while baking, so be sure to leave enough room between each cookie on the baking sheet.
- Do not try to make these cookies larger than the recommended one tablespoon size. Larger cookies will take longer to bake and will spread too much
So creamy and moist.
One of my favorites, perfect in summer or the holidays
I live these cookies. They are moist and flavorful. Love to have these with coffee.
These are by far my favorite cookies! So moist and delicious….perfect little treat in the afternoon or any time of day. And so easy to make!,
Mary I am so glad you like these cookies. They are one of my favorites too!