Lemon ricotta cookies are soft, fluffy, cake-like cookies. Topped with a sweet-tart lemon glaze, they are a great addition to holiday dessert platters. If soft, frosted cookies are your favorite, check out this pumpkin cookie recipe.
Lemon ricotta are one of my favorite cookies. They are perfectly lemony, soft and fluffy cookies. The lemon glaze on top is an absolute must.
Lemon ricotta cookies
These are hands down, the best lemon ricotta cookies I’ve ever made. This recipe has been tested over and over to yield a perfectly fluffy cookie that does not spread.
There is something about the sweet-tart of lemon desserts that I honestly can’t get enough of. If you are not a fan of heavy desserts, these are the cookies for you.
This recipe uses common pantry ingredients. The only items you may have to shop for would be the ricotta and possibly a lemon or two. I tend to like my lemon desserts very lemony, so I will get 2 lemons for that extra punch.
While I am most definitely a lover of chocolate, lemon has often usurped the crown.
I am NOT a baker, but I tried these for a cookie exchange and fell in LOVE! They are SO good!
– Taci
How to make this lemon-glazed ricotta cookie recipe
Sift your dry ingredients – flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt, into a medium bowl and set aside.
Beat butter and sugar together until creamy, then add eggs and ricotta.
Add dry ingredients and mix together until it forms a uniform dough. Scoop dough and refrigerate.
After dough has chilled, bake cookies and let them cool completely. While cookies are cooling, mix together all of the ingredients for the glaze. Add as much or as little lemon juice to get the desired consistency.
Use a small offset spatula to spread the icing on the cookies and top with sprinkles. The easiest way to do this is over a baking sheet to catch any drips for easy cleanup.
Chef tips for success
- Chill the dough – I tested this recipe over and over. For me, the sweet spot was chilling the dough for four hours. That’s when I got the perfect cookie. If you don’t have that much time, chill for at least 2 hours.
- Use parchment paper – I had the best results when the cookies were baked on parchment-lined baking sheets. A Silpat also gave me good results, but I preferred the parchment paper.
- A small offset spatula makes spreading the glaze on the cookies a snap.
- Use full fat ricotta cheese. Don’t buy fat-free, it won’t give you the same results and you’ll be disappointed.
- Don’t make cookies too big. A small cookie scoop (1 tbsp.) makes the perfect size.
I really hope you love this recipe. If you make it, snap a pic and share it with me either in the Fabulous Foodie Friends Facebook group or on Instagram by tagging @pookspantry and using hashtag #pookspantry.
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Lemon Ricotta Cookies
Pillowy soft and perfectly lemony, lemon ricotta cookies are sure to be a hit.
Ingredients
For the Cookies
- 3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour (14.5 oz)
- 1 tsp. salt
- 1 tsp. baking soda
- 1 tsp. baking powder
- 1 stick unsalted butter (1/2 cup)
- 2 cups sugar
- 2 eggs
- 15 oz. ricotta cheese
- 1 lemon, zested
- 2 tbsp. lemon juice
- 2 tsp. vanilla
For the Glaze
- 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 tbsp. melted butter
- 3 tbsp. lemon juice
- 2 tbsp. lemon zest
- 2 tbsp. sprinkles, if desired
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Whisk to combine and set aside.
- In a large bowl, combine butter and sugar. Using an electric mixer, beat until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
- Add eggs, one at a time, beating until incorporated after each addition.
- Add ricotta cheese, vanilla, lemon juice and zest, beat until fully incorporated, about 2 minutes.
- Mix in dry ingredients until thoroughly incorporated, but do not overmix.
- Line baking sheets with nonstick silicone liners or parchment paper. Using a tablespoon (1/2 ounce) scoop, portion dough onto baking sheets, leaving two inches between them.
- Wrap baking sheet tightly with plastic wrap and chill dough for at least 2 hours, up to 24 hours.
- Remove plastic wrap and bake cookies straight from the fridge for 12 -14 minutes, until edges begin to brown.
- Remove from oven and let cool on baking sheet for 10 minutes, then transfer to cooling rack to cool completely.
- Mix all ingredients for glaze together and gently spread on top of cookie. Top with sprinkles, if desired. Let glaze harden for at least 2 hours.
Notes
To spread icing:
Use a butter knife or a small offset spatula to spread icing on top of cookies
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Nutrition Information:
Yield:
60Serving Size:
1 cookieAmount Per Serving: Calories: 91Total Fat: 3gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 13mgSodium: 80mgCarbohydrates: 15gFiber: 0gSugar: 10gProtein: 2g
Nutrition information calculated by a third-party company as a courtesy. It is intended as a guideline only.
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Originally published 9/24/13, most recent update 12/11/20