These Italian Ricotta Cookies are irresistibly soft, tender, and packed with flavor, making them perfect for the holidays or any occasion throughout the year. The ricotta cheese lends a rich, moist texture, while the vanilla icing adds a delicate sweetness that takes these cookies to the next level. Easy to make and even easier to enjoy.
The Best Italian Ricotta Cookies Recipe
The combination of the lemon and ricotta is classic and delicious. These soft cookies are flavorful without being overly sweet. They are easy to make and traditionally made as a Christmas dessert. Since everyone loves them so much, I like to decorate these cookies for all sorts of Holidays and make them throughout the whole year.
My favorite part about this recipe is that it’s not necessary to chill the dough before you bake it. So, if you choose, you may scoop and bake the cookies as soon as you prepare them. My kids love getting in the kitchen to help decorate cookies and this is a great recipe to let them help with.
Why You’ll Love These Ricotta Cookies
- Budget-friendly. The ingredients needed for these Italian ricotta cookies are affordable and easy to find anywhere.
- Customizable recipe. You may add other colors, flavors, and a variety of sprinkles to these cookies to make them your own.
- Freezes well. These cookies store great in the freezer!
What You’ll Need
Here is everything you need to make the lemon ricotta cookie dough and the rich frosting on top. The unique ingredient here is ricotta cheese but that is found in the dairy section at the grocery store.
For the Ricotta cookies
- Flour: I use all-purpose flour but you may try this recipe with your favorite gluten-free blend.
- Baking soda: To achieve light and airy cookies, I use baking powder in the dough.
- Salt: I add a little salt to balance the sweet and tart flavors in the cookies.
- Butter: You will need softened butter so ensure you leave it at room temperature for about 30 minutes before you start preparing the cookies. I also recommend using unsalted butter so they don’t have a salty flavor.
- Sugar: I use white granulated sugar for these cookies. We like to keep it simple when possible!
- Lemon: For these lemon ricotta cookies, I use only fresh lemon zest. It adds a subtle and natural lemon flavor that compliments the cheese perfectly.
- Eggs: These add fat, flavor, and structure to the cookies as they bake. I recommend that the eggs be at room temperature for a smooth dough.
- Vanilla: I always use pure vanilla extract for the best authentic vanilla flavor. It also enhances the flavors of the other ingredients.
- Ricotta cheese: This is key in ricotta cookies. It adds moisture, texture, and flavor. Feel free to use whole milk or part-skim.
For the Icing
- Powdered sugar: This is the perfect sweetener for a smooth and luxurious frosting.
- Milk: I add a little milk to ensure it reaches the correct consistency. I recommend whole or 2% milk.
- Butter: Melted butter is the perfect base for vanilla frosting. Ensure it is unsalted, too!
- Vanilla: I use the same pure vanilla as the cookies for this.
- Sprinkles: I chose red and green sprinkles but you may choose any kind you like or use none at all!
How to Make Italian Ricotta Cookies
Below are all of the steps you’ll need to make this ricotta cookie recipe as well as the vanilla frosting. Keep in mind that you may need to bake the cookies in batches depending on the size of your cookie sheets.
- Prep the oven and pans. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Then, line two baking sheets with parchment.
- Mix the dry ingredients. Add flour, baking soda, and salt to a medium bowl. Stir the ingredients well to combine.
- Combine the wet ingredients. Add butter, sugar, eggs, vanilla, and lemon in a separate large bowl. Use a stand mixer to beat the ingredients until they are smooth and creamy.
- Add the ricotta. Next, beat the ricotta into the butter mixture.
- Beat in the dry ingredients. Gradually pour the flour mixture and beat it until the ingredients are well mixed and a dough forms.
- Scoop and bake. Using a small cookie scoop or spoon, scoop the cookie dough onto the prepared pans, leaving 2 inches in between each of them. Bake the cookies for 10-12 minutes or until they are light golden brown.
- Cool. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets and then transfer them to a wire rack.
- Make the icing. Combine the powdered sugar, milk, butter, and vanilla in a small bowl. Whisk until well combined and smooth.
- Dip and add sprinkles. Dip the top of each cookie into the frosting and shake off the excess. Place it back onto the wire rack and add sprinkles. Repeat the process with each cookie.
- Let them dry. Allow them a few minutes for the icing to set and harden.
- Serve. Enjoy!
Serving and Variations Ideas
- Serving. Enjoy these Italian ricotta cookies as a treat after a holiday meal. Some great ideas are Eye of Round Roast with Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes and Orange Glazed Ham Recipe with. Apple Cranberry Stuffing.
- Other Holidays. Color the frosting pastel yellow and top the cookies with pastel or white sprinkles for Easter. Top the cookies with orange and purple sugar sprinkles to create a cute Halloween dessert.
- Flavor. Use orange zest instead of lemon zest for a fun twist.
Proper Storage
Store extra cookies in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 4 days. To freeze, don’t add the frosting and place them in a container or freezer-safe bag. They will stay fresh for up to 3 months. Make the frosting after they thaw!
More Cookie Recipes to Try
Italian Ricotta Cookies
Ingredients
- 4 cups flour
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 3/4 teaspoons Kosher salt
- 1 cup butter softened
- 1 3/4 cups sugar
- 1 teaspoons lemon zest
- 2 large eggs
- 1 Tablespoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 3/4 cups whole milk ricotta cheese
Vanilla Frosting:
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 4-5 Tablespoons whole milk
- 3 Tablespoons unsalted butter melted
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- Sprinkles Rainbow or Holiday
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line two cookie sheets with parchment paper.
- Using a medium bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda, kosher salt.
- Using a standing mixer, beat the butter, sugar, lemon zest, eggs, and vanilla until combined, creamy and smooth.
- Beat in the ricotta cheese until combined.
- Gradually beat in the dry ingredients until combined and a soft dough forms.
- Using a small cookie scoop, drop the cookie dough onto the cookie sheets about 2 inches apart.
- Once trays have a minimum of 12 cookies, place in the oven and bake for 10-12 minutes or until lightly brown.
- Remove and place on the counter to cool.
- Once cookies are cooled, place onto a wire rack.
Icing
- Using a medium bowl, whisk all ingredients, except the sprinkles, together until smooth and combined.
- Dip the top of the cookies into the icing and gently shake the excess off.
- Place cookies back onto the wire racks and add sprinkles on top.
- Allow the icing to harden before serving.
Last Step:
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6 comments on “Italian Ricotta Cookies”
Made these for Christmas, excellent!
Thanks CJ!
The cookie is just as stated — fluffy and delicious, almost cake-like. The only thing I wondered about was — using 4 cups of flour, 1 cup butter, etc, for JUST two dozen cookies? Sure enough — using a small-medium scoop (#30), it made almost 4 dozen good -sized cookies. Was there a mistake made about the servings? For this many cookies, you’ll need at least twice the amount of zest in the recipe, because it IS a really good cookie. I’m frosting it with an orange-zest glaze and will be included in my Christmas cookie assortment this year!
Thank you Moe! You are correct about the servings. That is a typo that I will fix. Thanks!
light and tasty..easy to make
Thanks Pat!