Italian Ricotta Cookies – Full Recipe and Video Tutorial

If you are looking for a tender, cake-like cookie that is not too sweet, but has a delightful lemon flavor that makes it perfect to pair with coffee or tea, this Italian Ricotta Cookie recipe will be one you want to try. These cookies are always a hit at our house. I even made 2 batches during Christmas in order to have some for my daughter to take back with her.

They are such a festive looking cookie to bake during Christmas and New Year’s, but you can make them any time of year. If you want, you can tint the icing with food coloring.  Some people like to tint it red or green for Christmas. You could tint it pink or blue for baby showers or gender reveal parties as well. I prefer white and just change the colors of the nonpareils or sugar sprinkles I use if I want to make them a bit different.

 

 

It is very important to use whole milk ricotta when baking these cookies, part skim does not taste the same. Also, be sure to cool the cookies on cooling racks before icing them. Never frost a hot or warm cookie. The recipe says to chill the dough, but if you are pressed for time, I have made them without chilling the dough and they came out fine.

Italian Ricotta Cookies

Ingredients

  • Ingredients For Dough
  • I cup of softened butter
  • 2 cups of sugar
  • 1 ¾ cups (15 oz) of whole milk ricotta cheese
  • Finely grated zest of 1 lemon
  • 2-1/2 tsp of pure vanilla extract
  • 2 large eggs
  • 4 cups of flour
  • 2 tsp of baking soda
  • 3/4 tsp of sea salt
  • Ingredients For Icing
  • 1 tbs of melted butter
  • 1-1/2 tsp of pure vanilla extract
  • 4 cups of confectioners’ sugar
  • Juice of one lemon
  • 1/4 to 1/2 cup of milk (use as needed to think icing to correct consistency)

Instructions

  1. Cream the 2 sticks of butter with sugar until fluffy with electric mixer. Add ricotta, lemon zest, vanilla extract and mix well. Add in eggs, one at a time. Scrape sides of bowl and then begin to slowly mix in flour, one cup at a time. Add baking soda and salt and mix until blended. If you want you can chill dough for several hours or overnight. You can also bake immediately.
  2. Scoop with a cookie scoop and place about 2" apart onto a non-stick baking sheet liner or parchment paper. Bake cookies at 350 degrees F. for 15 minutes or until golden brown on the bottom. Remove cookies and let cool on wire rack.
  3. To make icing, melt 1 tablespoon of butter and whisk into the confectioners sugar with lemon juice, add enough milk to make a spreadable icing. Using an offset spatula or butter knife, spread icing onto top of cookies and sprinkle with sprinkles, nonpareils, decorative sugar or other decors. Let cookies set until icing is hard.
https://www.mommyramblings.org/2017/12/29/italian-ricotta-cookies-full-recipe-and-video-tutorial/

Watch my complete baking tutorial video for these cookies below.

 

Please let me know if you try them and what you think.

112 Comments

Filed under Baking, Cooking

112 Responses to Italian Ricotta Cookies – Full Recipe and Video Tutorial

  1. Leela

    They look delicious.

  2. James Robert

    I have never had these before but they look delicious. Reminds me of a sugar cookie but the recipe sounds different. I may have to try this one.

  3. Jenny Q.

    These cookies look really good! I will have to try out the recipe.

  4. Stephanie Phelps

    Oh gosh these sound so amazing and like you said for several things. I have to make these for my family.

  5. Ellie Wright

    These look and sound delicious!

  6. Tandi Cortez

    Looks SUPER YUMMY! Thank you so much for the recipe! Definitely adding this to my favorites! 🙂

  7. Annette

    This sound delicious. I enjoy using Ricotta for both sweet and savory recipes.

  8. Abigail Gibson

    Looks so amazing and delicious. Thanks for sharing.

  9. Nicole Martin

    These look gooooood!!

  10. Wow! I have to make these! So delicious

  11. Karley Moore

    These look really good! I can’t wait to try out my new mixer and this recipe!

  12. Debbi Wellenstein

    Thanks for posting this! I will certainly try these!

  13. Kelly D

    These look great. We enjoy making Christmas cookies.

  14. Debbie Welchert

    These sound and really look good. They look like they are pretty easy to make too. I think my family would just love them.

  15. Miranda W.

    I have never heard of these before but they sure do look yummy!

  16. Janet W.

    I’ve heard of these but have never tried to make them before. Sounds pretty easy and they look delicious!

  17. kathy Persons

    I hav enever tried thesse will add to my list for next years cookies

  18. mami2jcn

    They look nice. I like the sprinkles.

  19. Antoinette M

    I love cookies with icing and the recipe is not too complicated…something I can do!

  20. Mary Gardner

    I have never made cookies with ricotta before but am excited to try these because they look delicious!

  21. Kelly D

    These would be great for family gatherings.

  22. Sandy Klocinski

    They look awesome! I will have to try making them. Definitely a winner

  23. Elizabeth

    These look easy. Thanks

  24. Renee G

    These look wonderful. My husband’s family is Italian and they make an “egg” cookie that looks a lot like these.

  25. Fiona N

    I love Italian cookies, especially the ones are not too sweet. Definitely I will try to make them for my son because he loves light sweet cakes and cookies 😉
    Thank You for sharing this awesome recipe!

  26. Chris L

    I have not tried these before but they look yummy.

  27. Cynthia C

    I know I would love these. They would pair well with a nice cup of tea or coffee.

  28. This sounds and looks delicious! I love ricotta!

  29. Donna Clifford

    WoW! Those look really good! 🙂

  30. Ashley C

    These sound so unique! I need to try this!

  31. Jeremy McLaughlin

    These look delicious.

  32. Daniel Scott

    I would like these without icing. I’m not a big fan of real sweet cookies, but these look good.

    • They are not very sweet at all, in fact without the icing they would not taste very good. Since the cookie is not overly sweet the icing gives it just the right amount of sweetness and the lemon gives it a tangy flavor.

  33. Jodi Hassel

    This looks so good and delicious!

  34. Azeem Isaahaque

    These look so good! Can I have some?

  35. A recipe I have to try! I LOVE ricotta and this recipe looks very easy. Thank you!

  36. Darlene Carbajal

    That looks so good!

  37. Jeanna

    These sound amazing!

  38. Marianna

    I’ve never had ricotta cookies but this post makes me curious! They look so good

  39. Ann Marie Walker

    I’ve never had these or heard of them before, but they are something I’d love to try!

  40. Heather!

    These look easier than I’d have thought, and they sure sound delicious!

  41. Sam

    I love the cookies of course but its my new years resolution to lose weight lol I gotta focus on that blender. We have had the same one for years and it is a lil hand held one.

  42. amy stonger

    I’ve had these before and they are as delicious as they sound.

  43. amy stonger

    Thanks for the video tutorial. I’m not the best cook and having a visual aid always helps.

  44. Ann Marie

    They look great and something I would like to try.

  45. Marty

    I was skeptical when I read the title (cheese in cookies?!) but it actually sounds like they’d be really good with a cup of tea.

  46. Melissa Shirley

    This must be so yummy. I’m not a very good cook so I would give this recipe to my stepdad. He lives to cook!! lol he can make them for me.

  47. elizabeth miller

    My husband always makes riccota pie at Easter. I am going to show him this and see if he will do cookies too.

  48. jeannine d

    I love these. I just got a kitchenaid mixer and will use these recpice to try it out 😉

  49. Katrina Angele

    I have never heard of baking with ricotta. Interesting.

  50. Michelle C

    I’ve never heard of using ricotta in cookies! I would love to try them!

  51. Laurajj

    Oh these sound so interesting and look fantastic! I love making different kids of cookies for my family to try…I will have to give these a try!

  52. susan smoaks

    i would love to try these. they sound good.

  53. Julieh

    This recipe sounds so different. I want to try it!

  54. Jessica Whitehouse

    These look so good! I don’t really like to cook, but I enjoy surprising my kids with sweet treats.

  55. Kerry P

    OMG! These look exactly like what my Sicilian aunt Thethe used to make us for each holiday! Im dying to try to make them!

  56. kathy pease

    I bet these are delicious..I love ricotta cheese in everything

  57. Danalee

    These look excellent. Thanks for sharing.

  58. Amanda Wood

    These look oh – so good!! I’ve never thought to bake a sweet with riccotta before, that’s always been a lasagna staple but not much else. I can’t wait to try out the recipe!!

  59. These sound so good. I pinned them so that I will be able to find them when I am ready to make them. (I am trying to lose a little weight first LOL)

  60. Jae Park

    Definitely a recipe to add to the rotation, I think my kids would go crazy for these. Thanks for posting.

  61. Jodi Hassel

    This looks delicious! I am going to make these!

  62. Jennifer H.

    These look fantastic. We would like to try them.

  63. Hesper Fry

    This sounds interesting! I would like to try out this recipe.

  64. John H.

    I would be interested in trying ricotta in cookies.

  65. Always loved Italian cookies and loving this twist with ricotta! Delicious with a bit of tart and butteriness to them.

  66. AJ T.

    Look really good.

  67. clynsg

    I generally prefer a crisp cookie, but the lemon flavoring is a real draw for these.

  68. Rosey

    Good tips. I definitely agree that the cheese should be whole ricotta! These look good.

  69. DB

    I love making cookies at Christmas. These look interesting.

  70. Antoinette M

    I would love to try these!

  71. Leah Shumack

    These look so yummy!

  72. Lisa Vanhook

    I would try them….

  73. Jill Rivera

    I have never had ricotta cookie, but have had ricotta pancakes. They are moist and delicious. I bet the ricotta cookies would be the same.

  74. Shea Balentine

    They look tasty!

  75. Shirley Younger

    They would definitely be a hit in my house; I have copied the recipe so I can make them

  76. Kayla Klontz

    These look amazing.

  77. elizabeth miller

    these sound great.

  78. Amanda Whitley

    i was skeptical at first hearing the word ricotta and cookies together but those actually look really good.

  79. Michelle H.

    I am bookmarking this recipe because it sounds delicious.

  80. Laura Emerson

    These just look so delicious! I love finding new cookie recipes and these are ones I know I will have to try to make!

  81. Richard Hicks

    Would like to try andmake them. Look tasty to me!

  82. Vikki Billings

    They look really moist and fluffy, I would try them. The recipes looks easy to follow also.

  83. Brenda Elsner

    These look really good!!! Gonna have to try these for sure!!!

  84. Tamara Regan

    I have never even thought of using ricotta in a cookie. After reading this article, I am convinced that this is my type of cookie though. I am going to make a batch for our Superbowl party.

  85. Janine H

    These look yummy and not too hard

  86. Eileen Boyce

    They look yummy. thanks

  87. jenny

    This is being bookmarked! YUM!

  88. Samantha Thomas

    These sound delicious. Never would of thought of ricotta as a base for cookies.

  89. Buddy Garrett

    The recipe sounds great. The cookies look delicious.

  90. Mita

    Looks yum and sound delicious!

  91. DanV

    These look tasty and not that complicated to make

  92. Jennifer H.

    This recipe would be great for parties.

  93. John H.

    This seems like an easy recipe.

  94. Cathy Burnett

    These cookies sound delicious and easy to make.

  95. Laura Emerson

    I tried making these today and they were absolutely delicious!!! Thank you so much for sharing the recipe!

  96. amber

    these look so light and fluffy!!!

  97. Trisha McKee

    I have been looking for a good ricotta cookie recipe. This sounds so delicious!

  98. Stephanie Grant

    Yum!! These look amazing, can’t wait to try them.

  99. Robyn

    I’m not a great baker but these look so so yummy I will have to try them

  100. Juanita May

    I have got to try these!

  101. Eileen Boyce

    They look very yummy!

  102. Vikki Billings

    These cookies look like something to have during the holidays.

  103. Meme

    These cookies look so good planning on making them soon

  104. Shakeia Rieux

    I haven’t had cookies like that, but it does look good. I will be trying out the recipe, and the way those look I won’t be sharing lol

  105. Edye

    pinned! cannot wait to try these 🙂

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