These Lemon Ricotta Cookies are soft, tender, and wonderfully cake-like, with fresh lemon flavor in every bite. Ricotta cheese gives these homemade cookies their distinctive texture, while lemon juice and zest add a bright flavor that keeps them from tasting overly sweet.
A simple lemon glaze adds even more citrus flavor and creates a pretty finish that’s perfect for sharing. If you’ve never baked with ricotta before, these cookies are an easy place to start. The dough comes together with basic baking ingredients, whole-milk ricotta, fresh lemon juice, and lemon zest. After baking, the cookies stay soft rather than becoming crisp, making them especially good for anyone who prefers a tender, cake-like cookie.
The lemon glaze is simple to prepare and adds a sweet-tart finish. These cookies are a great choice for holiday cookie trays, afternoon coffee, dessert tables, or homemade food gifts. For the best lemon flavor, use fresh lemons and zest the fruit before squeezing the juice. The zest contains flavorful citrus oils that give the cookies a stronger lemon aroma and taste. Because these are soft cookies, allow them to cool completely before glazing and give the glaze plenty of time to set before stacking or storing them.
This recipe is adapted from Giada De Laurentiis and currently lists a total time of 1 hour 30 minutes, with 15 minutes of preparation and 15 minutes of baking.
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Lemon Ricotta Cookies
- Total Time: 1:30
- Yield: 20 1x
Ingredients
Cookies:
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 stick unsalted butter, softened
- 2 cups sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 (15-ounce) container whole milk ricotta cheese
- 3 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 lemon, zested
Glaze:
- 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 3 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 lemon, zested
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
- Cookies: In a medium bowl combine the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
- In the large bowl combine the butter and the sugar. Using an electric mixer beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, beating until incorporated. Add the ricotta cheese, lemon juice, and lemon zest. Beat to combine. Stir in the dry ingredients.
- Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Spoon the dough (about 2 tablespoons for each cookie) onto the baking sheets. Bake for 15 minutes, until slightly golden at the edges. Remove from the oven and let the cookies rest on the baking sheet for 20 minutes.
- Glaze: Combine the powdered sugar, lemon juice, and lemon zest in a small bowl and stir until smooth. Spoon about 1/2-teaspoon onto each cookie and use the back of the spoon to gently spread. Let the glaze harden for about 2 hours. Pack the cookies into a decorative container.
- Prep Time: :15
- Cook Time: :15
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Oven