Italian Lemon Ricotta Cookies
These are the best easy Italian lemon ricotta cookies! Soft, tender, and pillowy cookies topped with a sweet lemon glaze. Perfect for holidays, gifting, or anytime you want a melt-in-your-mouth Italian dessert.
Ingredients
For The Cookies
- 2 cups cake flour
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup butter softened
- 1 ¾ cups granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 15 ounces ricotta cheese
- 2 teaspoons almond extract
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest (one lemon)
- Juice of 1 lemon
For The Glaze
- 2 cups powdered sugar sifted
- 1 tablespoon melted butter
- 4 tablespoons milk
- Juice of 1/2 lemon
Instructions
Italian Ricotta Cookies
- In a medium bowl, whisk together 2 cups cake flour, 1/2 cup all-purpose flour, 2 teaspoons baking powder, and 1/2 teaspoon salt, then set aside. In a large bowl, cream 1 cup softened unsalted butter with 1 1/3 cups granulated sugar until light and fluffy—bonus points if you skip the mixer and get a little arm workout while you’re at it.
- Next, beat in 2 large eggs, 2 teaspoons almond extract, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1 tablespoon lemon zest, and 2 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (juice of one lemon). Once smooth, fold in 15 ounces ricotta cheese until fully incorporated. Gradually add the flour mixture, folding gently just until combined. Remember, overmixing leads to tough cookies, and nobody wants that. Cover the dough and chill it in the refrigerator for one hour. Heather’s Tip: Chilling firms the dough and ensures your cookies bake soft and pillowy.
- When you’re ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Scoop the dough into 1 1/2 tablespoon mounds, spacing them about three inches apart on the prepared sheets. Bake for 10 to 13 minutes, until the edges are lightly golden but the centers remain soft. Heather’s Note: Peek, don’t poke! Let them cool slightly before glazing.
- After removing the cookies from the oven, let them sit on the baking sheet for 4–5 minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack to cool completely. This little pause keeps them from breaking and ensures they stay tender.
Lemon Glaze
- In a small bowl, whisk together 2 cups powdered sugar (sifted—sooo important because nobody likes lumpy glaze!), 1 tablespoon melted butter, 4 tablespoons milk, and the juice of 1/2 lemon until smooth. You can dip your cookies upside down into the glaze, but I find using a small silicone spatula to spread it works best. Once glazed, sprinkle a little extra lemon zest or fun sprinkles on top for that final wow factor.
Notes
Tips and Tricks for Perfect Cookies
-
- Don’t Overmix – Prevents tough cookies. Your arms and your teeth will thank you.
- Uniform Cookie Size – One giant cookie = burnt edges. No thank you.
- Citrus Zest is Non-Negotiable – Adds flavor, pizzazz, and Instagram-worthy flair.
- Freeze Dough – Bake straight from frozen for an emergency cookie fix.
- Decorate Boldly – Sprinkles, chocolate chips, or crushed nuts = fun factor.
- Sift Powdered Sugar for the Glaze – So important because nobody likes lumpy glaze. Seriously, just do it. You will cry.
- Flavor Experiments – Almond extract, lemon, or vanilla overload? Yes, yes, yes. Inspired by Lemon Cupcakes with Lemon Buttercream Frosting and Red White and Blue Cheesecake Bars.
- More Inspiration – Pina Colada Cake Mix Whoopie Pies, Classic Snickerdoodle Recipe, Christmas Lights Cookies, and Copycat Lofthouse Sugar Cooki