Bright Citrusy Sweet Italian Lemon Ricotta Cookies Recipe
Soft, pillowy cookies with lemon ricotta cookies dancing on your taste buds promise a delightful culinary adventure.
These delicate treats blend creamy textures with bright citrus notes.
Tender and light, they melt in your mouth with each delectable bite.
The recipe originated in traditional Italian kitchens, where simple ingredients create magic.
Ricotta cheese adds a luxurious richness that sets these cookies apart from ordinary desserts.
Zesty lemon zest provides a refreshing twist that cuts through the sweetness.
Bakers of all skill levels can master this straightforward yet impressive recipe.
Prepare to indulge in a little slice of Italian comfort that will transport you straight to a sunny Mediterranean kitchen.
Quick Recipe Overview
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes
Calories: 170 kcal
Servings: 12
What’s Inside Italian Lemon Ricotta Cookies
For Dry Ingredients:For Wet Ingredients:For Glaze:Tools to Bake Ricotta Cookies Just Right
Making Italian Lemon Cookies the Way
Crank the oven to 350F and grab a baking sheet. Lay down some parchment paper to create a non-stick surface for your delightful treats.
Mix soft butter and sugar until they transform into a fluffy cloud-like texture. Blend in ricotta, egg, zesty lemon juice, and vanilla until everything looks smooth and dreamy.
Gently fold dry ingredients into your creamy mixture. Stir just enough to combine – no aggressive mixing allowed! The goal is a light, tender cookie.
Scoop small rounded dollops of dough onto your prepared baking sheet. Leave some breathing room between each cookie cluster.
Slide the tray into the hot oven and let magic happen. Watch for edges turning golden and bottoms becoming light amber – about 12-15 minutes.
Whisk powdered sugar with a splash of lemon juice until silky smooth. This will transform your cookies from good to absolutely irresistible.
Once cookies have cooled completely, drizzle the zesty glaze over top. For an extra pop of flavor, sprinkle some fresh lemon zest.
Give your glazed cookies about 15 minutes to dry and set before serving. Enjoy your lemony little pieces of happiness!
Tangy Add-Ins for Ricotta Cookie Fans
Serving Ricotta Cookies with a Twist
How to Store Italian Ricotta Cookies
Print
Sweet Italian Lemon Ricotta Cookies Recipe
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: 13 1x
Description
Silky italian lemon ricotta cookies showcase zesty citrus notes in a delightful dessert. Creamy ricotta and bright lemon zest create a perfect balance of sweetness and tang you’ll savor with each delicate bite.
Ingredients
- 1 large egg
- 250 g (2 cups) all-purpose flour
- 250 g (1 cup) ricotta cheese
- 200 g (1 cup) granulated sugar
- 115 g (½ cup) unsalted butter, softened
- 2 tbsps fresh lemon juice
- 1 tbsp lemon zest
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ¼ tsp salt
- 120 g (1 cup) powdered sugar
- 2 tbsps fresh lemon juice
- 1 tsp lemon zest (optional, for garnish)
Instructions
- Dry Mixture Preparation: Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in a medium bowl until thoroughly combined and aerated.
- Butter Creaming: Using an electric mixer, cream butter and sugar until the mixture transforms into a fluffy, pale yellow consistency with soft peaks.
- Wet Ingredient Integration: Blend egg, ricotta, lemon juice, lemon zest, and vanilla extract into the butter mixture, creating a smooth, fragrant base.
- Dough Formation: Gradually incorporate dry ingredients into wet ingredients, stirring gently until a uniform dough emerges without overmixing.
- Baking Setup: Line baking sheets with parchment paper and heat oven to 180C (350F), positioning racks in the middle for even heat distribution.
- Cookie Portioning: Drop rounded tablespoons of dough onto prepared sheets, spacing each cookie approximately 2 inches apart to allow spreading.
- Baking Process: Bake for 12-15 minutes until cookie edges turn golden and bottoms develop a light bronze color, indicating perfect doneness.
- Initial Cooling: Let cookies rest on baking sheets for 5 minutes, allowing them to firm up and become easily transferable.
- Complete Cooling: Carefully transfer cookies to a wire rack, allowing them to reach room temperature and develop a tender texture.
- Glaze Creation: Whisk powdered sugar and lemon juice until achieving a smooth, glossy glaze with a ribbon-like consistency.
- Finishing Touch: Drizzle lemon glaze generously over cooled cookies, creating an elegant and tangy coating.
- Final Garnish: Optional – Sprinkle additional lemon zest over glazed cookies to enhance visual appeal and citrus profile.
- Glaze Setting: Allow glazed cookies to rest for 15 minutes, permitting the sugar coating to solidify and create a delicate, crisp surface.
Notes
- Prevent Overmixing: Gently fold dry ingredients into wet ingredients to maintain a soft, tender cookie texture, avoiding tough or dense results.
- Zest Selection: Use fresh, vibrant lemon zest for maximum citrus flavor, avoiding dried or older zest that can diminish the bright, tangy notes.
- Temperature Precision: Allow butter and eggs to reach room temperature before mixing, ensuring smoother blending and more consistent cookie structure.
- Glaze Consistency: Adjust lemon glaze thickness by adding powdered sugar or lemon juice incrementally, creating a smooth, drizzleable topping that sets perfectly.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Desserts, Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 13
- Calories: 175
- Sugar: 16 g
- Sodium: 70 mg
- Fat: 7 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 24 g
- Fiber: 0.5 g
- Protein: 3 g
- Cholesterol: 30 mg
Jenna Hartley
Founder & Recipe Creator
Expertise
Education
Box Hill Institute, Melbourne
William Angliss Institute, Melbourne
Jenna is the heart of Picture Perfect Meals, turning simple ingredients into beautiful, easy‑to‑make dishes.
Growing up around family meals in Melbourne, she trained at Box Hill Institute and then perfected her pastry skills at William Angliss Institute. She loves mixing classic Australian flavors with fresh ideas to keep cooking fun and stress‑free.