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You are here: Home / Cookies / Lemon Ricotta Cookies

Lemon Ricotta Cookies

November 13, 2017 by Marisa 28 Comments

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Ricotta cookies dipped in lemon glaze and topped with sprinkles
Soft cake-like cookies with ricotta cheese.

Italian Lemon Ricotta Cookies made with a quick lemon infused sugar and dipped in a lemon glaze for a delightful all around citrus scent. They’re all dressed up in gold nonpareils and ready to grace any holiday cookie platter with some merry cheer!

Lemon Ricotta Cookies

While some people are dreaming of a white Christmas or even getting an early start to a flurry of holiday shopping, I’m living and breathing cookies in all shapes and forms. Shopping is pushed to the sidelines in anticipation of the glorious sweet treats begging to come to light.

What better way to ease into holiday baking then with these adorable Lemon Ricotta Cookies! They’re extremely popular in Italian households especially around the holidays with each family having their own unique way of decorating these citrusy morsels.

These cookies are extremely soft to the bite. They also have a very cake like texture which are sure to appeal to all you die hard cookie fans!

Freshly baked Italian cookies

Lemon Ricotta Cookies with Lemon Glaze

These Lemon Ricotta Cookies are inspired by Canadian Living Magazine’s ricotta cookie from their latest 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. Alternately, if you don’t have a food processor simply beat the butter, sugar and zest all together.

I omitted the baking soda altogether and increased the baking powder from 1/4 teaspoon to a full teaspoon as this yielded a plumper cookie which did not spread out overly much. 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.

“A balanced diet is a cookie in each hand” Barbara Johnson

Soft ricotta cookies with a lemon glaze.

Lemon Sugar Glaze

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 glaze appearance make sure the icing is not overly thin.

Glazed lemon cookies in a white and blue muffin tin.

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.

Sliced soft Italian cookies with sprinkles

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.

Soft and cakey cookies

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

Lemon Ricotta Cookies
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Lemon Ricotta Cookies

These classic Italian Ricotta Cookies are extremely soft and cake-like in texture, are dipped in a lemon glaze and topped with golden non-pareils.
Course Dessert
Cuisine Italian
Keyword Lemon Ricotta Cookies
Servings 3 dozen
Author Marisa

Ingredients

  • COOKIES
  • 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
  • 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.

Notes

Inspired by Canadian living Magazine and tweaked with a few switch ups for personal taste.
Tried this recipe?Mention @marisasitaliankitchen or tag #marisasitaliankitchen!

 

 

Filed Under: Cookies, Dessert, Italian Cookies Tagged With: cookies, dessert, holiday, Italian cookies, Lemon, ricotta

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. blankanotherfoodieblogger

    November 13, 2017 at 11:17 am

    Those are absolutely gorgeous cookies, Marissa! The gold sprinkles make them so elegant and festive.

    Reply
    • blankMarisa

      November 13, 2017 at 10:16 pm

      Thanks Kathryn, they make quite an entrance….everyone loves them?

      Reply
  2. blankNadia

    November 13, 2017 at 11:22 am

    Beautiful! And you know I love anything with ricotta. I totally agree with your swapping out the cream cheese icing for a simple lemon glaze. Thanks for sharing!

    Reply
    • blankMarisa

      November 13, 2017 at 10:20 pm

      I too adore anything with ricotta! My go to after school snack was ricotta and Nutella sandwich…..and that lemon glaze keeps the cookies so moist. One day I promise to try your cannoli! Thanks so much?

      Reply
  3. blankpblevitt

    November 13, 2017 at 1:13 pm

    With cookie planning in the making soon, these will definitely be added to my list. Marisa, your photos are absolutely stunning!

    Reply
    • blankMarisa

      November 13, 2017 at 10:29 pm

      Thanks Bella, these will also be making a reappearance at my house for Christmas this year…they’re too delicious to delicious to pass up! Do let me know how it goes?

      Reply
  4. blankTasty Eats Ronit Penso

    November 13, 2017 at 2:09 pm

    Beautiful cheese and lemon in a cookie form – can’t get any better than that! No wonder they disappeared so quickly!

    Reply
    • blankMarisa

      November 13, 2017 at 10:34 pm

      Thanks Ronit, one can never go wrong with a ricotta and lemon combo and as a bonus they’re so easy to make?

      Reply
  5. blankFida

    November 13, 2017 at 9:47 pm

    These cookies look gorgeous and sound so delicious, lemony desserts are my favourite!

    Reply
    • blankMarisa

      November 13, 2017 at 10:45 pm

      Mine too Fida…..there’s just something about lemon desserts! They’re a little bit of sunshine in every bite! Thanks so much for dropping by and your lovely comment?

      Reply
  6. blankmaria

    November 14, 2017 at 1:23 pm

    Ricotta and lemons, two of my favorite foods combined into one! They look perfect! Thanks for sharing Marisa ♥♥♥

    Reply
    • blankMarisa

      November 15, 2017 at 10:20 pm

      You can never go wrong with ricotta and lemon…there is a little burst of sunshine in every bite and so irresistible! Thanks Maria?

      Reply
  7. blankKarly

    November 14, 2017 at 7:42 pm

    Wowza, do these look amazing or what!? So light and perfectly sweet- definitely need to try!

    Reply
    • blankMarisa

      November 15, 2017 at 10:25 pm

      They are indeed light Karly and a must if you love a lemon and ricotta combo! They can also be adapted for any holiday celebration…enjoy!?

      Reply
  8. blankNikki

    November 14, 2017 at 7:59 pm

    YESSSSS omg I need to make these. Would be a perfect addition to my Christmas baking this year!
    Nikki
    http://www.nikkisplate.com

    Reply
    • blankMarisa

      November 21, 2017 at 11:19 pm

      Hi Nikki, I’m sure your friends and family will absolutely love them and perfect for the holidays…enjoy and thanks for dropping by!

      Reply
  9. blanknahdalaskitchen

    November 15, 2017 at 4:55 am

    Lemon and ricotta are a match made in heaven, and these beautiful cookies are definitely their lovechild~! They’re SO going on my holiday-cookie-baking-list 🙂 thanks for the recipe~

    Reply
    • blankMarisa

      November 15, 2017 at 10:29 pm

      They will make a perfect addition to your holiday cookie platter and you can dress them up any which way you like Nahdala! I’m sure you’ll them…enjoy !

      Reply
  10. blankcheddarben

    November 15, 2017 at 7:22 am

    These look like delightful little dessert morsels. I have a feeling that treats like these would not last long on my counters.

    Reply
    • blankMarisa

      November 15, 2017 at 10:32 pm

      Yes, they actually do disappear rather quickly! Doubling the recipe might just be in order!? Hope you get to try them and thank-you for dropping by!

      Reply
  11. blankJulie C

    November 16, 2017 at 2:33 pm

    What is icing sugar?

    Reply
    • blankMarisa

      November 16, 2017 at 10:05 pm

      Hi Julie, so icing sugar is the same as powdered sugar and (or) confectioners sugar. Different names but same thing!

      Reply
  12. blankDebbie Spivey

    November 17, 2017 at 9:18 am

    So pretty!!! I would make them look ugly all over my mouth while cramming them in…lol! 😉

    Reply
    • blankMarisa

      November 20, 2017 at 10:07 pm

      Lol….that’s too funny and I’m sure you’d still look elegant while doing so?

      Reply
  13. blankstellalucentellc

    November 20, 2017 at 8:48 pm

    Fantastico! I love lemon cookies and these look great!

    Reply
    • blankMarisa

      November 20, 2017 at 10:10 pm

      There’s just something about lemon cookies….a little bit of sunshine in every bite! Grazie Stella!

      Reply
  14. blankCorbi

    July 10, 2018 at 12:02 am

    Have you been able to try freezing them? How did they turn out?

    Reply
    • blankMarisa

      July 10, 2018 at 11:33 pm

      Corbin I’ve only frozen them for a day which is not long enough to give an informed opinion! However a friend and colleague has assured me that she freezes them with no issue at all. I hope this helps and feel free to come back and chime in if you do bake and freeze them. I would love to hear from you on how they turn out. Thanks for commenting!

      Reply

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