Recipe by: Mandy Enright, MS, RDN, RYT
Prep Time: 10 mins Cook Time: 25 mins
Bring the warmth and charm of Italian baking to your Christmas celebration this season with these Lemon Ricotta Cookies!
Inspired by traditional Italian recipes, these cookies combine the creamy richness of ricotta with the bright, zesty flavor of fresh lemon, resulting in a soft, cake-like texture that’s simply irresistible. A perfect holiday treat, they offer a balance of sweetness and tartness, made even more festive with a glossy lemon glaze that adds a beautiful touch of sweetness.
Easy to make and full of flavor, these cookies capture the spirit of Italian holiday baking. Extra tip: don’t skimp on the glaze—it’s what makes these cookies extra special! Happy baking!
INGREDIENTS
Cookies
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- ½ tablespoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 stick of butter, softened
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup brown sugar, packed
- 1 cup ricotta cheese
- 1 large egg
- 1 Wonderful Seedless Lemon, juiced (~ 3 tablespoons)
- Zest of 1 lemon
Lemon Glaze
- 1 ½ cups sifted confectioners’ sugar
- 1 Wonderful Seedless Lemon, juiced (~ 3 tablespoons)
- Zest of 1 lemon
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350ºF.
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set dry ingredient mixture aside.
In a large mixing bowl, cream together the butter, sugar, and brown sugar at medium speed using an electric mixer until light and fluffy.
Add in the ricotta, egg, lemon juice, and lemon zest and beat at medium speed until combined, scraping down the sides as needed.
Reduce the mixer speed to low and gradually add in the dry ingredient mixture while the mixer is running. Beat until dough forms and all ingredients are combined.
Drop rounded tablespoons of dough on to ungreased cookie sheets, about 2 inches apart. Bake 18-22 minutes until cookies are a light brown color. Transfer immediately to a cooling rack and allow cookies to cool for 20 minutes.
To prepare the lemon glaze, in a small bowl whisk together the confectioners’ sugar, lemon juice, and lemon zest until a smooth glaze forms. Spread the glaze on the cookies using a small spoon. Allow icing to dry completely before serving.
Store cookies in an airtight container in a cool, dry place. These do not require refrigeration.
The recipe Glazed Lemon Ricotta Cookies first appeared in The Foundation for Fresh Produce’s Have A Plant® blog. Sponsored by Wonderful® Seedless Lemons.
About The Foundation For Fresh Produce And Have A Plant® Movement
The Foundation for Fresh Produce’s vision is to grow a healthier world by changing the trajectory of human health. The produce industry has the potential to provide solutions for many of the world’s greatest health and economic challenges – especially those surrounding nutrition and hunger.
The Foundation focuses on improving the appeal of fruit and vegetables as an integral part of people’s diets, supporting the development of infrastructure and supply chain solutions that provide easier access, and establishing strategic alliances that enable children and families to form healthier eating habits.
The transformative Have A Plant® Movement inspires consumers with compelling reasons to believe in the powerful role fruits and vegetables can play to fuel happy, healthy and active lifestyles.
