Wanderzest

  • Home
  • Recipes
    • Appetizers
    • Bread
    • Breakfast
    • Dessert
    • Drinks
    • Dinner
    • Side Dishes
    • Toppings and Sauces
  • About
  • Subscribe
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Summer
  • Recipes
  • Travel
  • About
  • Subscribe
subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • Summer
  • Recipes
  • Travel
  • About
  • Subscribe
×
Home » Recipes » Dessert

Lemon Italian Ricotta Cookies

Updated: Mar 14, 2025 · Published: Dec 14, 2017 by Ashley Amundsen · This post may contain affiliate links. · Leave a Comment

Jump to Recipe

These Italian Ricotta Cookies are soft, delicate and flavored with just a hint of lemon. They are sure to become a new favorite Christmas cookie!

Italian ricotta cookies laid on a white plate.
Jump to:
  • 🥘 Ingredients
  • 🔪 Instructions
  • 🍴 Storage
  • 🌟 Top Tip
  • 🍊 Flavor Variations
  • 💭 FAQs
  • 🍰 More Christmas Dessert Recipes
  • 📋 Recipe
  • ⭐ Reviews

Don't miss my Apricot Thumbprint Cookies and Mint Chocolate Thumbprint Cookies!

Introducing a new cookie to add to your Christmas line-up: Italian Ricotta Cookies. You may be wondering...ricotta? In cookies? Really? I thought that was just used in lasagna... Just wait, though; I promise it's way better than it sounds.

Italian Ricotta Cookies are traditional Italian cookies often made around Christmas time. These cookies have a soft, cake-like texture due to the addition of ricotta cheese. And if you're wondering, the ricotta does not make the cookies taste like cheese. It simply helps to create a beautiful, melt-in-your-mouth, tender cookie.

Italian ricotta cookies cooling on a rack.

🥘 Ingredients

  • Butter
  • Granulated sugar
  • Lemon zest
  • Ricotta cheese
  • Vanilla extract
  • Eggs
  • All-purpose flour
  • Baking soda
  • Salt
  • Powdered sugar
  • Milk
  • Lemon juice
Italian ricotta cookies on a white plate.

🔪 Instructions

  1. With an electric mixer, cream butter and sugar Add lemon zest, ricotta and vanilla extract.
  2. Beat in eggs one at a time. Scrape the sides of the bowl. Add the flour, baking soda, and salt, mix until combined. Cover dough and chill for at least 2 hours.
  3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bake cookies for 12-14 minutes or until the bottom of the cookies is golden brown.
  4. Mix powdered sugar, milk, vanilla, and fresh lemon juice in a mixing bowl. Dip cooled cookies in icing. Allow icing to set before storing in an airtight container.
Italian ricotta cookies in a stack on a white surface.

🍴 Storage

Store baked cookies in an airtight container for up to one week. Baked cookies can be frozen for up to 3 months, although you'll want to wait to ice the cookies until ready to serve.

🌟 Top Tip

The glaze sets fast, so dip a couple of cookies in the glaze at a time and then top with sprinkles before it sets.

🍊 Flavor Variations

  • Almond extract: Add 1 teaspoon to cookie dough and ½ teaspoon to glaze.
  • Orange: Substitute equal amounts of zest and juice for the lemon.
  • Lime: Substitute equal amounts of zest and juice for the lemon.
  • Anise: Add 1 teaspoon to cookie dough and ½ teaspoon to glaze.

💭 FAQs

How long can I store the cookie dough in the refrigerator?

Ricotta cookie dough is best baked within 48 hours.

Italian ricotta cookies in a pile on a white plate.

If you need a quick neighbor gift or a treat to take to a Christmas party, this is the perfect recipe to make. They are so easy and festive and certainly won't disappoint!

🍰 More Christmas Dessert Recipes

  • Nutty Divinity
  • Coconut Macaroons
  • Mint Chocolate Thumbprint Cookies

If you make this recipe, let me know what you think! I’d love it if you could add a star rating ★ and a comment below. Be sure to follow me on Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook, too!

📋 Recipe

These Italian Ricotta Cookies are soft, delicate and flavored with just a hint of lemon. You won't be able to eat just one!

Italian Ricotta Cookies

Ashley Amundsen
These Italian Ricotta Cookies are soft, delicate and flavored with just a hint of lemon. You won't be able to eat just one!
No ratings yet
Print Recipe Pin Recipe Save Saved!
Prep Time 10 minutes mins
Cook Time 12 minutes mins
Total Time 2 hours hrs 22 minutes mins
Course Dessert
Cuisine Italian
Servings 48 cookies
Calories 144 kcal
Prevent your screen from going dark

Ingredients
  

Cookies

  • 1 cup unsalted butter softened
  • 1 ¾ cup white sugar
  • zest of half a lemon
  • 15 oz ricotta
  • 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 large eggs
  • 3 ½ cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoon baking soda
  • ¾ teaspoon salt

Glaze

  • 3 cups powdered sugar
  • 4 tablespoon milk
  • 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Instructions
 

Cookies:

  • With an electric mixer, cream butter and sugar, until fluffy. Add lemon zest, ricotta and vanilla extract. Beat well.
  • Beat in eggs one at a time, and mix until well blended. Scrape the sides of the bowl. Add the flour, baking soda, and salt, mix until combined. Cover dough and chill for at least 2 hours or up to 2 days.
  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or silicone baking mat. Drop by rounded tablespoons on baking sheet. Bake cookies for 12-14 minutes or until the bottom of the cookies is golden brown. Transfer cookies to cooling rack.

Glaze:

  • In a mixing bowl, mix together powdered sugar, milk, vanilla, and fresh lemon juice. Adding more milk as necessary to make a smooth icing. Dip cooled cookies in icing. Allow icing to set before storing in an airtight container.

Notes

Adapted from Cooking Classy

Nutrition

Calories: 144kcalCarbohydrates: 22gProtein: 2gFat: 5gSaturated Fat: 3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.3gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0.2gCholesterol: 22mgSodium: 93mgPotassium: 26mgFiber: 0.2gSugar: 15gVitamin A: 170IUVitamin C: 0.2mgCalcium: 24mgIron: 0.5mg
Did you try the recipe?Leave us a review!

More Delicious Easy Desserts

  • Butterbeer Crepes (Epic Universe Copycat)
  • Dulce de leche snickerdoodles broken in half and placed in a stack.
    Dulce de Leche Snickerdoodles
  • Drizzling salted caramel sauce on top of a piece of bread pudding. The pan with the rest of the pudding is in the background.
    Irish Bread Pudding with Salted Caramel Sauce
  • Pani Popo (Samoan Coconut Sweet Rolls)

Comments

No Comments

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




Ashley

Hi, I'm Ashley! I created Wanderzest as a place to share traditional foods and fusion recipes inspired by different cultures. I hope you enjoy experiencing the world through food with me!

More about me →

Summer

  • Coconut Lemongrass Tea
  • Thai Peanut Sauce
  • Thai Cucumber Salad
  • Chicken Satay on a black surface.
    Baked Chicken Satay
  • Chicken gyro on a wood surface.
    Greek Chicken Gyros
  • Greek tzatziki in a white bowl next to cucumbers and carrots.
    Tzatziki Sauce Recipe
See more Summer →

Featured On

Trending Recipes

  • Stroopwafels in a stack with a spoon drizzling caramel on top.
    Dutch Stroopwafels
  • A stack of homemade cannoli on a white plate.
    Homemade Cannoli
  • Piece of mochi with a bit taken out of it.
    Custard Mochi (Daifuku)
  • Pita bread on a plate next to a bottle of olive oil.
    Homemade Pita Bread
  • A piece of hagelslag bread on a white plate.
    Dutch Hagelslag
  • How to Cook Frozen Chicken in the Instant Pot

Footer

As Seen On...

↑ back to top

About

  • Privacy Policy
  • Disclaimer
  • Terms & Conditions
  • Accessibility Policy

Recipes

  • Dinner
  • Dessert
  • Side Dishes

Contact

  • Work with Me
  • Press
  • Contact

As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Copyright © 2025 Wanderzest

  • 22
42 shares

Rate This Recipe

Your vote:




A rating is required
A name is required
An email is required