These Italian Ricotta Cookies are light, airy, and a must for my Christmas table. Made with whole milk ricotta, vanilla extract, and lemon.
I know what you might be thinking: RICOTTA in COOKIES?
Ma’am — or sir — I promise these cookies are not only an Italian classic (and hello, we have fabulous desserts), but it tastes nothing like cheese.
Looking for more recipes for the holiday’s? Here are some of my favorite:
Ricotta Cookie Ingredients
Here’s what you’ll need for these cookies:
Ricotta: I use whole-milk Polly-O Ricotta.
King Arthur All-Purpose Flour: Spooned and leveled.
Granulated sugar: For sweetness.
Unsalted butter: Softened to room temperature.
Eggs: For richness.
Baking powder & baking soda: To help these cookies rise.
Vanilla & almond extracts: For their signature flavor.
Kosher salt: To bring it all together.
Powdered sugar: For the icing.
Milk: For the icing.
Lemon juice: For the icing.
Sprinkles: For topping.
How to Make Italian Ricotta Cookies
Here’s how to make these cookies:
Step 1: Prep your ingredients.
Start by prepping your ingredients, including mixing all of your dry ingredients together (flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda) in a bowl and setting aside.
Step 2: Cream your sugar and butter.
Add the softened butter and sugar to the bowl of a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Start on low, and then increase the speed to medium and whisk until it’s creamy, about 3 minutes.
Turn off the mixer and scrap down the sides with a spatula.
Step 3: Add the wet ingredients.
Add the ricotta, eggs, vanilla extract, and almond extract and whisk on medium until combined.
Step 4: Add the dry ingredients.
Turn the speed down to low and slowly add the flour mixture. I like to add a little bit at a time, making sure it’s fully incorporated. Turn off the mixture to scrape down the sides when needed, and then keep adding the flour ingredients until incorporated. Once all of the flour is added, turn off the mixer and finish mixing by hand so that you don’t overmix.
Step 5: Chill the dough.
Now cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for atleast 2 hours, or up to 3 days. When you’re in the last 20 minutes of chilling, turn the oven on to 350 degrees F.
Step 6: Make the balls.
Take about 1 TBS of dough at a time and roll into balls. Add to a parchment paper-lined baking sheet about 2 inches apart.
Step 7: Bake the cookies.
Bake for about 9 minutes, or until JUST SET. They’ll look a little underdone, but they’ll continue cooking on the baking sheet. Let cool on the sheet for 5 minutes before moving to a wire rack to cool completely.
Step 8: Make the icing.
Combine the powdered sugar, lemon juice, vanilla extract, small pinch of salt, and a few TBS of milk. Whisk together, adding a little bit of milk at a time until you reach your desired consistency. Set aside.
Step 9: Ice the cookies.
Dip the top of each cookie is the icing and add back to the rack (I like to have them sitting over parchment paper or a baking sheet to catch the icing.
Every few cookies add the sprinkles (to make sure the icing doesn’t dry before you get to them).
Italian Ricotta Cookies
Ingredients
- 3.5 cups King Arthur All Purpose Flour spooned and leveled
- 1 ¾ cups granulated sugar
- 15 oz Polly-O Whole Milk Ricotta
- 2 sticks unsalted butter at room temperature
- 2 large eggs at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 3 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
- Sprinkles of choice
For the icing
- 3 ½ cups powdered sugar sifted
- 4-6 tbs milk
- 2 tbs fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Pinch kosher salt
Instructions
- Add the softened butter and sugar to the bowl of a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Start on low, and then increase the speed to medium and whisk until it's creamy, about 3 minutes. Turn off the mixer and scrap down the sides with a spatula.
- Add the ricotta, eggs, vanilla extract, and almond extract and whisk on medium until combined.
- Turn the speed down to low and slowly add the flour mixture. I like to add a little bit at a time, making sure it's fully incorporated. Turn off the mixture to scrape down the sides when needed, and then keep adding the flour ingredients until incorporated. Once all of the flour is added, turn off the mixer and finish mixing by hand so that you don't overmix.
- Now cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for atleast 2 hours, or up to 3 days. When you're in the last 20 minutes of chilling, turn the oven on to 350 degrees F.
- Take about 1 TBS of dough at a time and roll into balls. Add to a parchment paper-lined baking sheet about 2 inches apart.
- Bake for about 9 minutes, or until JUST SET. They'll look a little underdone, but they'll continue cooking on the baking sheet. Let cool on the sheet for 5 minutes before moving to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Make the icing by combining the powder sugar, lemon juice, vanilla, and salt. Add a bit of milk at a time, whisking, until you reach your desired consistency.
- Dip the top of each cookie into the icing and put back on the wire rack. I like to have a baking sheet or parchment paper set up underneath to catch the icing as it drips.
- Every few cookies, add the sprinkles to ensure the icing doesn't get too set so that the sprinkles don't stick.
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