Italian Ricotta Cookies
These Italian Ricotta Cookies are light, airy, and a must for a Christmas table. Made with ricotta, vanilla extract, and lemon.
Servings: 24 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.
Notes
Recipe adapted from: Cooking Classy