Dessert

Peach Almond Cake – Gluten Free

September 5, 2021 by Marisa 4 Comments

This delightfully moist and flavourful Peach Almond Cake recipe is perfectly gluten free. It’s made with two types of flours. Almond flour and gluten free flour. The crowning beauty of this cake is the topping of sliced fresh peaches with crunchy toasted almonds.

It’s so incredibly easy to make and is sure to delight those gluten intolerant friends or family members in your life. Simply because…they too need a little sweetness in their lives!

I always look forward to the late summer stone fruits, such as these freestone peaches from Ontario. I find them to be the most flavourful and tastiest ever!

They’re readily available here in Montreal from mid August up until the end of September. These fresh peaches, with their characteristic fuzzy skin and soft flesh, are best enjoyed straight out of hand. But they’re just as fantastic in baked goods.

And as my friends and family know me well, I never pass up an opportunity to bake with fresh fruits. Especially after finding myself with 12 litres of these sweet rosy peaches!

Are you ready to try a gluten free cake topped with fresh ripe peaches and sliced almonds?!

How To Make A Gluten Free Peach and Almond Cake

Step 1: You’ll need about 4 to 5 medium peaches, depending on their size. Make sure to wash the peaches well and dry them thoroughly.
There is no need to peel the peaches! Simply slice them into 3/4 inch wedges then cover and set aside.
Step 2: In a medium size bowl, whisk together the gluten free flour and almond flour with the baking powder and salt.
Set aside while you mix the sugar with the eggs.

Step 3: In the bowl of a stand mixer, with the whisk attachment, beat together the granulated sugar and eggs for about 2 minutes.
The mixture will increase in volume and have a frothy appearance.

Step 4: Mix in the oil, lemon zest and both the vanilla and almond extracts till combined.
Step 5: Slowly mix in the reserved flour mixture until well incorporated and finally the milk.
Transfer the cake mixture into a greased and floured round cake pan.
You’re now ready to top the cake with peaches and almonds!

How To Top This Peach Cake Recipe With Sliced Peaches

Place the peach slices side by side in a circular fashion, along the outer edges of the cake pan. Repeat with a second row while fanning them out as much as you can, in keeping with a circular pattern.

You may have just enough room, depending on the size of your peaches, to add one solo slice in the very centre of the cake.

Then sprinkle the top with the sliced almonds.

Bake the cake in a preheated oven for approximately 45 minutes.

Test for doneness by inserting a wooden skewer in the centre of the cake. If it comes out clean then it’s ready. But don’t pierce through the fruit as this can give you a false cue of needing more time in the oven.

Allow the cake to cool in the cake pan set over a baking rack for about 20 minutes.

Then release the cake from the pan and gently brush the top with warmed honey. Of course this is entirely optional but you’ll love the pretty sheen it gives to the baked peaches.

Cake Dusting

Dusting a cake with powdered sugar is one of the absolute easiest and simplest way to add a little extra finishing touch to baked goods.

But when dusting with powdered sugar, it is best to do so just before serving. Especially after brushing a cake with warm honey or jams as I did with this cake, otherwise the sugar will quickly dissolve over the cake.

What Type Of Gluten Free Flour For Baking

I’ve tried quite a few different gluten free flour brands over the years and one that I’m truly enjoying is the Italian Caputo (Fioreglut) gluten free flour. (Not Sponsored)

It’s a blend of gluten free wheat starch, dextrose, cornstarch, buckwheat flour, rice starch, psyllium seed fibre, thickener and Guar gum.

Now, this is not a sponsored post and I only mention it because I’ve come to enjoy baking with it whenever I need a gluten free treat.

But feel free to use your favourite. Or, maybe you create your own blend and so use that one.

Over all have fun experimenting and enjoy the process!

And if you’re loving this late summer peach and almond cake, you may want to check out some other delicious fruity desserts that your whole family will love.

Happy Baking!

Other Baked Fruit Desserts You’ll Love

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5 from 1 vote

Peach Almond Cake (Gluten Free)

Gluten free, fresh Peach and Almond Cake. This delightfully moist and flavourful cake is made with both gluten free flour and almond flour. It's so incredibly easy to make.

Prep Time20 mins

Cook Time40 mins

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: Italian

Keyword: Peach Almond Cake

Servings:

Calories: 457kcal

Equipment

9 inch round spring form pan

Ingredients

For the Peach Almond Cake

1½ cups gluten free flour I used Caputo gluten free flour
1½ cups almond flour
1½ teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cups granulated sugar
3 large eggs room temperature
lemon zest from 1 lemon
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoon pure almond extract
1/2 cup whole milk

For the Peach Topping

4 peaches Sliced into 3/4 inch wedges
1/2 cup sliced almonds
2 tablespoons honey warmedAllow the cake to cool slightly
powdered sugar

Instructions

Preheat oven at 350 degrees F.
Grease and flour a 9 inch round springform baking pan.

For the Peach Almond Cake

In a medium size bowl, whisk together the gluten free flour, almond flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
In the bowl of a stand mixer with the whisk attachment, mix together the sugar and eggs for about 2 minutes or till doubled in volume.
Mix in the lemon zest, oil, vanilla and almond extracts.
Slowly mix in the reserved flour mixture till combined.
Mix in the milk until combined.
Transfer the cake batter into the prepared springform pan.
Arrange the sliced peaches in a circular pattern over the top of the cake batter.
Sprinkle the sliced almonds over and around the peaches.
Bake in a preheated oven for approximately 45 minutes, or until a wooden skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean.
Place the cake on a cooling rack and allow to cool for about 20 minutes before releasing from the pan.
Gently brush the top with warm honey and allow to cool completely.
Dust with powdered sugar just before serving.

Nutrition

Italian Orange Cake with Blueberries

July 24, 2021 by Marisa 17 Comments

Italian Orange Cake with blueberries, is a wonderfully dense and moist cake baked in a rose shaped Bundt pan for a lovely sculpted look.

This Italian-style breakfast cake uses the juice and zest of fresh oranges with folded blueberries in the mix. It’s then brushed with an orange glaze and crowned with more sweet blueberries for a spectacular looking dessert!

You’ll find it perfect for Sunday brunches, potlucks and yet elegant enough for special occasions.

I happen to have a love affair with beautiful intricate shaped baking pans as seen in my previous recipe of this flavorful lemon-thyme cake baked in a loaf pan.

Regardless of how simple a cake recipe is, when baked in decorative pans, the end result is just so pleasing to the eye!

It needs nothing more than a light syrup or glaze. Or even at times unadorned, with a final dusting of powdered sugar to enhance the look of the cake.

In fact whenever I bake my lemon Ciambella or our family’s much sought after apple cake, that’s all it needs indeed!

However, at times it can be challenging to effortlessly release the cake from the intricately designed mould. So do ensure you have a good cake release product.

Here I used a baking spray from Wilton (not sponsored) which allowed me to release the cake effortlessly.

But know that there is a difference between cooking spray and baking spray. You’ll want a baking spray because these such sprays contain flour and adds that extra release protection we need in baking.

Another good alternative is to brush the inside of your pan with softened vegetable shortening or butter and then dust with flour. Use a kitchen brush if you have one, as this lets you get into those narrow crevices and hard to reach places.

So prep your Bundt pan and lets get baking!

Ingredients for a Bundt Cake with Blueberries

flour
sugar
eggs
vegetable oil
fresh orange juice and zest
milk
baking powder
salt
blueberries

How to Make an Italian Orange Cake

Here are a few things I prep ahead before mixing the wet ingredients!

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Grease and flour a 10 inch (3 litre) Bundt pan or an angel food pan and set aside.
In a medium sized bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. Then set this aside.
In a measuring cup, stir together the freshly squeezed orange juice and milk. And set aside.

Now we’re ready for the wet ingredients. You can use the bowl of a stand mixer or hand held mixer.

Step 1: First beat together the oil and sugar until well combined.

Step 2: Next, beat in the eggs one at a time and stir in the orange zest.

Switch your mixer on stir mode or low speed for the next step.

Step 4: Using your stand mixer or hand held mixer, stir in the flour mixture alternately with the juice and milk mixture. Make 3 additions of flour and 2 of juice and milk mixture.

Step 5: Fold in the 2 cups of blueberries.

TIP: Toss the blueberries with a bit flour while shaking off any excess. This helps the blueberries from sinking to the bottom of the bowl.

6- Use a ladle to spoon the cake batter evenly around the prepared pan. Evenly spooning the cake batter into the pan will allow better distribution of the blueberries. Then smooth out the top and give the pan a light tap on your counter to release any air pockets.

7- Bake the cake in the preheated oven at 350 degrees F (180C) for approximately 50-55 minutes or until a wooden skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean.

Remove from the oven and place the cake on a cooling rack.

Let cool for 20 minutes then loosen the edges of the cake and invert onto a serving platter.

And now you’re ready to glaze this pretty and delicious Italian orange cake. But first we have to make the glaze!

Simple Orange Glaze

Citrusy glazes are one of the easiest ways to enhance a cakes flavor. They’re quick, easy and ready in mere minutes!

Just follow the simple steps below.

Orange Glaze: Combine 1/3 cup of sugar and 1/3 cup of orange juice in a small sauce pan. Bring to a boil and boil a minute or so while stirring often.

You can also just as easily use the microwave on high for about 90 seconds. Keep an eye on it so that it doesn’t boil over. Stir well to dissolve the sugar and allow the glaze to cool a little.

Finally, brush the top and sides of the cake with the orange glaze.

TIP: Use a pastry brush to get into the crevices of the rose shaped bundt cake.

When you’re ready to serve the cake, fill the centre with the remaining 2 cups of blueberries and top with a light dusting of powdered sugar.

You’ll find it easy to make, eye catching gorgeous and so delicious!

And if blueberries are not your jam then you might just enjoy a Pear and Honey Rosemary Bundt Cake. It’s exquisitely moist, made with a pear and rosemary compote.

Happy Baking!

This post was originally published on June 25, 2015 and republished July 24, 2021 with new photos and content.

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Italian Orange Cake with Blueberries

An Italian orange cake recipe with blueberries. This Italian-style breakfast and rose shaped cake is incredibly moist and delicious. It makes a spectacular looking dessert for just about any occasion.

Prep Time25 mins

Cook Time55 mins

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: Italian

Keyword: Italian Orange Cake with Blueberries

Servings:

Calories: 385kcal

Equipment

Bundt Pan

Ingredients

For the Cake Batter

2½ cups all purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt I used fine sea salt
1/2 cup orange juice freshly squeezed
1/2 cup milk
2/3 cup vegetable oil
1½ cups granulated sugar
4 large eggs
2 tablespoons orange zest
2 cups blueberries

Orange Glaze

1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup orange juice freshly squeezed

Garnish

2 cups blueberries
Powdered sugar for dusting

Instructions

For The Cake

Grease and flour a 10 inch (3 litre) Bundt pan or an angel food pan and set aside
Preheat oven to 350 Degrees F.
In a medium sized bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and the salt. Set aside.
Stir together the milk and orange juice. Set aside.
In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat together the oil and sugar until well combined.
Beat in the eggs one at a time till fully combined.
Stir in the orange zest.
With the mixer on stir mode, stir in the flour mixture alternately with the milk and juice mixture, making 3 additions of flour and 2 of liquids.
Toss 2 cups of blueberries with some flour while shaking off any excess. (this helps the blueberries from sinking to the bottom of the pan.)
Fold in the floured blueberries into the cake batter.
Use a ladle to pour the cake batter into the prepared bundt pan in an even circular fashion. This will allow the blueberries to be evenly distributed.
Smooth out the top and give the pan a light tap on your counter to release any air pockets.
Bake in a preheated oven for approximately 50 to 55 minutes.
Test for doneness with a wooden skewer. If it comes out clean then it's ready.
When ready, remove the cake from the oven and place it on a cooling rack for 20 minutes.

Orange Glaze

Meanwhile, make the glaze by combining 1/3 cup of sugar with 1/3 cup of orange juice.
Heat in the microwave for about 1 ½ minutes while taking care it does not boil over and stir at 15 seconds intervals.
Loosen the cake around the edges of the pan and invert onto a serving platter.
Brush the cake with the orange glaze and allow to cool completely.
Once cooled, fill the centre of the orange cake with the remaining 2 cups of blueberries and dust with powdered sugar.
Slice, serve and enjoy!

Nutrition

Lemon and Thyme Cake with Lemon Glaze

July 6, 2021 by Marisa 10 Comments

A deliciously moist lemon loaf cake with a lovely hint of thyme. This easy to make lemon cake is made with olive oil which imparts an exquisite depth of flavour to baked goods. And along with the yogurt, it renders the cake with a wonderfully light and moist crumb.

Dress it up with a luscious lemon glaze for an extra tangy bite and watch every slice disappear in a flash!

Lemon glazed desserts are by far my favourite kind of sweet treats. So much so that you’ll find quite a few more of these lemonlicious goodies, in one form or another, here on the blog.

From soft cake-like Lemon Ricotta Cookies topped with a lemon glaze to the ever popular Italian knot cookies we call Tarallucci al Limone.

Other zesty Italian cookies that take a deep dive into lemon glacées are Ciambelle Cookies and yes, even biscotti!

Glazes have a way of elevating simple sweets to flavoursome, toothsome desserts!

And all you need for a lemon glaze are two ingredients!

Icing sugar, otherwise known as powdered sugar and freshly squeezed lemon juice. So simple!

And here today, this lemon concoction dazzles when adorned over a simple loaf cake!

Main Ingredients for a Lemon Thyme Cake

Sugar: I used granulated sugar and processed the sugar and thyme together in a food processor. This infuses the sugar with the thyme scent.
Thyme: A little goes a long way and enhances this loaf cake with its peppery-sweet taste.
Flour: The flour along with the baking powder and salt is sifted directly over the wet ingredients to break up any lumps while making mixing that much easier.
Eggs: Use large eggs at room temperature and make sure to whisk them for 2 minutes alongside the thyme-sugar and olive oil to aerate the eggs.
Olive Oil: Gives a wonderful flavour to baked goods and reduces saturated fat.
Yogurt: It’s creamy texture helps to keep baked goods fresh and light.
Lemon zest and juice: Adds a bright and sweet taste to baked goods. It’s a bite of sunshine in every morsel.
Baking powder: Helps baked goods to rise and will lighten its texture.
Salt: Enhances the flavors of all ingredients used.

How To Make A Lemon Thyme Cake with Yogurt and Olive Oil

Step 1: In a bowl of a stand mixer, with the whisk attachment, whisk together the sugar-thyme mixture, eggs, olive oil and lemon zest. For about 2 minutes.

Step 2: Whisk in the lemon juice and the yogurt till well combined.

Alternately, you can use a hand held mixer.

Step 3: Sift in the flour, baking powder and salt and mix till combined.

Step 4: Pour the cake batter into your prepared loaf pan.

Gently tap the loaf pan on the counter to release any air bubbles.

Step 5: Bake the lemon cake in a preheated oven for approximately 50 to 55 minutes.

Test for doneness by inserting a wooden skewer in the middle of the cake. If it comes out clean then it’s ready.

Step 6: Allow the lemon and thyme cake to cool in the pan for 10 minutes then invert onto a cooling rack.

And now we’re ready to glaze this simple lemon and olive oil cake.

Glaze Tips:

If you want to have that brilliantly white snow capped look adorning your lemon loaf cake, you’ll need to allow it to cool completely after it’s released from the pan.

Glazing a still warm cake will give the glaze a translucent runny appearance. Which is ok if that’s the appearance you’re looking for.

Finally, let the glaze set and dry out before slicing into the sweet loaf. This should take a couple of hours.

Waiting a couple of hours not only allows the cake to soak up some of the glaze but it’ll also be easier to slice into. A wet glaze is a messy glaze!

The final step, and this is optional. I poke about a dozen or so holes over the cake with long wooden skewers. And then I drizzle the lemon glaze over the cake.

This allows some of the glaze to seep into the loaf and absorb some of the glacé. You’ll end up with an extra moist crumb in every bite.

But do allow it to set for a couple of hours as this firms up the glacé and makes slicing so much easier!

This lemon loaf stays fresh for quite a few days which is great if planning ahead.

Keep it stored at room temperature in a seal proof container. Or slice, wrap and freeze in individual portions for a quick grab-and-go treat.

Happy Baking!

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5 from 5 votes

Lemon and Thyme Cake

A deliciously moist lemon loaf cake with a hint of thyme. This easy lemon cake recipe is made without butter and topped with a luscious lemon glaze for an extra tangy bite.

Prep Time20 mins

Cook Time55 mins

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: Italian

Keyword: Lemon Thyme Cake

Servings:

Calories: 262kcal

Ingredients

Lemon Thyme Cake

1 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon thyme
2 large eggs
lemon zest from 1 lemon
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/2 cup olive oil
3/4 cup yoghurt
1½ cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt

Lemon Glaze

1 cup powdered sugar
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice approximately

Instructions

Lemon Thyme Cake

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
Grease and flour a loaf pan or use your favourite non-stick baking spray.
Place the sugar and thyme leaves in a food processor and pulse for a few seconds to combine. This infuses the sugar with the thyme scent.
In the bowl of a stand mixer, with the whisk attachment, whisk together the sugar-thyme mixture, eggs, olive oil and lemon zest. (For about 2 minutes)
Add in the lemon juice, yoghurt and whisk till combined.
Sift the flour, baking powder and salt directly into the mixing bowl.
Stir together, either with a wooden spoon or the "stir mode" of your stand mixer.
Pour the cake batter into the prepared loaf pan.
Give the pan a little tap on the kitchen counter to remove any air bubbles.
Bake in the preheated oven for approximately 50 to 55 minutes. Or until a wooden skewer inserted in the centre of the loaf comes out clean.
Allow the cake to cool slightly in the loaf pan for about 10 minutes.
Then, invert the cake directly onto a cooling rack positioned over a tray. (the tray will catch any drippings from the glaze)
Allow the cake to cool completely before adding the lemon glaze.

Lemon Glaze

Prepare the lemon glaze by whisking together the powdered sugar and lemon juice in a medium sized bowl.
With a long wooden skewer, poke holes on top of the loaf cake. About a dozen or so, as this will allow the cake to soak up some of the glaze.
Slowly drizzle the lemon glaze over the cake.
Allow the glaze to set and then garnish the top of the loaf cake with thyme leaves and small lemon wedges.
Slice, serve and enjoy alongside fresh berries if desired.

Nutrition

Almond Biscotti with Pineapple and Coconut

June 18, 2021 by Marisa 47 Comments

An incredibly easy recipe for Almond Biscotti with Pineapple and Coconut.

These popular twice baked cookies are topped with a drizzle of melted white chocolate and a generous sprinkle of sweetened shredded coconut. Just because we all need a little indulgence once in a while!

This almond cookie recipe was inspired by a tropical themed party my daughter held years back when celebrating a milestone birthday.

She had opted out of a traditional birthday cake and instead requested mini vanilla cupcakes with a buttercream frosting and chocolate cream cheese cake pops, dipped in yellow candy melts.

I had also made dozens of the these light and crumbly biscotti, studded with sweetened flaked coconut, diced crystallized pineapple and chopped roasted almonds. Truly wonderful flavors of the tropics in every bite!

This recipe was posted way back in January of 2016 and just recently, I decided to refresh and update the photos and add new content.

They’re wonderfully easy to make and no stand mixer is required.

Just two bowls! One for stirring the dry ingredients and the other for whisking the wet ingredients.

You’ll be working with a firm cookie dough but still sticky so do flour your hands and work surface.

Also make sure your cookie sheet is ready and nearby to quickly transfer the rolled logs effortlessly. And don’t worry if it’s a less then perfect log because it will spread anyhow during the first baking.

Let’s get started!

How to Make Almond Biscotti with Pineapple and Coconut

Step 1: Place the flour, baking powder, salt, chopped almonds, shredded coconut and pineapple pieces in a large bowl. Stir to combine.

You can use a very sturdy whisk but a wooden spoon works better.

Step 2: Place the sugar, oil, eggs, vanilla and almond extracts in a separate large bowl. Whisk till combined.

Step 3: Stir the wet ingredients into the flour mixture until thoroughly combined.

Step 4: Transfer the dough onto a work surface and divide the dough into 2 equal portions.

Have ready nearby a parchment lined cookie sheet.

Step 5: Roll and shape the dough into 12 inch logs on a lightly floured work surface. Carefully transfer the logs on the prepared baking sheet.

Step 6: Brush the top and sides of the logs with the beaten egg white and bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes.

When ready, after the first bake, the cookie logs should feel firm to the touch.

Allow the logs to cool for 15 minutes before slicing and baking a second time.

Step 7: Slice the logs into 1/2 inch pieces and return the sliced biscotti to the baking sheet, standing upright for even baking. (Check below on how to slice biscotti)

Return to the oven and bake an additional 15 minutes.

These twice baked cookies are wonderful all on their own. But for a little extra indulgence, I like to drizzle the tops with melted white chocolate and a generous sprinkle of sweetened flaked coconut.

They have all the makings of a delicious and over the top cookie with the flavours of the tropics!

How To Slice Biscotti

I am often asked how to get ends that don’t break off while slicing. Here are my tips and tricks!

Allow the cookie logs to cool 15 minutes before slicing. They’re much more pliable to a sharp knife while still warm.
Point the tip of the sharp knife down and slice in one fluid motion. This always works best for me. And because these tropical biscotti are not the rock hard variety I don’t use a serrated knife.
Also, because the pineapple pieces stick to the knife, I wipe the knife with a damp cloth between each slice. This way you’re assured clean and even neat slices.

How Long Do Biscotti Keep?

Although they will keep well in an airtight container for up to two weeks they will disappear oh so quickly!

Happy Baking!

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Tropical Biscotti

A crisp and light biscotti with the sweet flavors of the tropics.

Prep Time20 mins

Cook Time45 mins

Restine time15 mins

Course: Biscotti

Cuisine: Italian

Keyword: Almond Biscotti with Pineapple and Coconut

Servings: pieces

Calories: 159kcal

Author: Marisa

Ingredients

2 cups of all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup roasted almonds, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup sweetened flaked coconut
2/3 cup chopped crystallized pineapple
1/2 cup olive oil
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon almond extract
1 beaten egg white For brushing logs before baking

Topping

1/2 cup pure white chocolate chips melted
3/4 cup sweetened flaked coconut

Instructions

Preheat oven to 325*
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a medium sized bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, and salt with the chopped almonds, coconut and pineapple pieces.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the olive oil, granulated sugar, eggs and both extracts.
Stir the wet ingredients into the flour mixture until thoroughly combined.
Transfer the dough onto a lightly floured work surface and divide equally in half.
With lightly floured hands and work surface, roll each half into a log about 12 inches long .
Transfer the logs to the prepared cookie sheet and brush the top and sides with the beaten egg white.
Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until the logs are golden brown and firm to the touch.
Let the logs cool for 15 minutes.
Transfer the logs one at a time onto a cutting board and slice diagonally into 1/2 inch pieces.
Return the sliced biscotti to the baking tray, laying them upright.
Place the tray back into the oven and bake for an additional 15 minutes.
Let the biscotti cool completely before topping with the melted chocolate and coconut.

Melting Chocolate For Topping

Melt the chocolate chips in a microwave safe bowl while stirring at 15 second intervals so that it doesn't scorch.
Either brush or drizzle the melted chocolate over top of biscotti and sprinkle with shredded coconut.
For easier drizzling, you can thin out the chocolate with a neutral tasting vegetable oil. About a teaspoon at a time til you achieve a consistency you like.

Nutrition

Lemon Ricotta Cookies

May 14, 2021 by Marisa 28 Comments

Soft and cake-like Lemon Ricotta Cookies made with a quick lemon infused sugar. These fragrantly bright Italian cookies are dipped in a lemon glaze for a delightful all around citrus scent.

They’re incredibly easy to make and you can top them with sprinkles of your choice to suit just about any holiday or other special occasion.

These cookies made with ricotta are extremely popular in Italian households. Especially around the holidays with each family having their own unique way of decorating these lemon flavoured cookies.

They’re inspired by Canadian Living Magazine’s Ricotta Cookies from a holiday issue. I’ve made a few switch ups which will definitely appeal to all lemon lovers.

To achieve an all around citrus taste in the cookie dough, I added lemon zest and made a quick lemon sugar by pulsing together the lemon zest with the granulated sugar in my mini food processor. It’s the same technique I use when baking batches of Ciambelle Cookies as well!

Alternately, if you don’t have a food processor you can skip this step. And simply beat together the butter and sugar with the lemon zest.

I also omitted the baking soda altogether and increased the baking powder from 1/4 teaspoon to a full teaspoon. This yielded a plumper cookie which did not spread out much and does not flatten out. They resembled these perfect little round soft and fluffy pillows.

Also for uniformly round cookies I used a 1 1/2 inch round cookie scoop but you can just as easily measure the dough out with a rounded tablespoon.

I opted out of the cream cheese icing and decided to make a luscious lemon glaze.

They’re extremely soft to the bite, much more so than my Tarallucci al Limone. And they also have a very cake-like texture full of lemon flavour which are sure to appeal to all you die hard cookie fans!

How To Make Lemon Ricotta Cookies

1. Pulse together the lemon zest and sugar together in a food processor for about 1 minute. This technique infuses the sugar granules with the citrus scent.

2. Place the lemon sugar and the softened butter in a large mixing bowl.

3. With an electric mixer, beat together the butter and sugar until fluffy.

4. Add in the egg, ricotta cheese and vanilla extract

4. Beat together until well combined.

5. Add in the sifted dry ingredients consisting of flour, salt and baking powder. And stir the dry ingredients into the ricotta mixture.

6. Scoop out approximately 1 tablespoon of cookie dough onto a parchment lined baking sheet while spacing the cookies 2 inches apart. (use a 1.5 inch small scoop or a tablespoon)

7. Bake in a preheated oven for about 12 to 14 minutes. Remove from the oven when pale yellow in colour with golden bottoms. Then simply transfer the cookies to a wire rack and allow to cool completely before glazing.

Lemon Glaze For Cookies

This is a simple dairy free lemon glaze consisting of powdered sugar, also known as icing or confectioner’s sugar. And with both the juice and zest of a lemon.

You may need an extra lemon for juicing if your first one does not give out enough juice.

Simply add the powdered sugar, juice and zest in a medium bowl. Use a whisk to thoroughly combine the ingredients until smooth in appearance with no lumps.

You can customize the thickness of the lemon icing or glaze to your taste. Adding less lemon juice to the icing sugar will result in a thicker glaze. Or, if you prefer a thinner glaze try adding a little more lemon juice.

Do keep in mind though that these cookies absorb quite a bit of the icing, especially a day after. So if you want that white glazed appearance make sure the icing is not overly thin.

Can You Freeze Lemon Ricotta Cookies?

I had full intentions to test out whether these ricotta cookies would freeze well because I’m all for baking ahead during the holidays.

However, they lasted 1 full day in my freezer because greedy hands quickly devoured the cookies! They’re that delicious!

Here is what I recommend!

If baking and freezing ahead do freeze the cookies without the lemon glaze.
Thaw and then glaze the cookies the same day you plan to serve them for best appearance.

How to store Italian Ricotta Cookies

Store the cookies in an air tight container and keep in a cool dark place.
They’ll be at their freshest for about 5 days
Or freeze unglazed cookies and then defrost and glaze them on the day you plan to serve them.

Bake them today and tag @marisasitaliankitchen on Instagram so I can see your creation!

This recipe was originally posted Nov 13, 2017 and republished May 14, 2021 with updated content and photos.

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4 from 4 votes

Lemon Ricotta Cookies

These classic Italian Ricotta Cookies are extremely soft and cake-like in texture. They're dipped in a lemon glaze and topped with golden non-pareils.

Prep Time30 mins

Cook Time14 mins

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: Italian

Keyword: Lemon Ricotta Cookies

Servings:

Calories: 115kcal

Author: Marisa

Ingredients

For The Cookie Dough

1 cup granulated sugar
zest from 1 lemon
1/2 cup unsalted butter softened
1 large egg
8 ounces whole milk ricotta cheese
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt I used fine sea salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
sprinkles or nonpareils for decorating

For The Lemon Glaze

2 1/2 cups icing sugar
zest from 1 lemon
4 to 5 tablespoons of freshly squeezed lemon juice

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Line 3 cookies sheets with parchment paper as this will make for easy release of the cookies and set aside.
Pulse the granulated sugar with the lemon zest in a food processor for about 1 minute so as to infuse the sugar with the lemon scent.
Place the lemon sugar and the softened butter in a large bowl and beat until fluffy.
Beat in the egg, ricotta cheese and the vanilla until well combined.
In a medium sized bowl whisk together the flour, salt, baking powder and stir this into the ricotta mixture.
Using a small cookie scoop of about 1 1/2 inch in size, scoop out the dough onto the prepared baking sheet, spacing them about 2 inches apart so that they have room to expand. Or simply measure out a heaping tablespoon if you don't have a cookie scoop.
Bake in the preheated oven for about 12 to 14 minutes or until the bottoms are golden in color.
Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely and in the meantime prepare the lemon glaze.
FOR THE LEMON GLAZE
Place the icing sugar and lemon zest in a medium sized bowl and whisk in the lemon juice 1 tablespoon at a time, until a desired consistency is achieved.
Dunk the top of the ricotta cookies into the lemon glaze and place on a wire rack with a tray underneath to catch any drippings.
Sprinkle with nonpareils of your choice and then allow the lemon glaze to set before serving.

Nutrition