Lemon Ricotta Cookies

I had a tub of ricotta in the fridge and wanted to use it for something sweet. One of the reasons I LOVE ricotta cheese is that it can be used for both sweet and savory. These cookies are light and not too sweet. This is a Giada recipe...

Lemon Ricotta Cookies with Lemon Glaze

2 1/2 c flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1/2 c butter, softened
2 c sugar
2 eggs
1 15 oz container whole milk ricotta (I used light...)
3 T lemon juice
1 lemon, zested

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Combine the flour, baking soda and salt and set aside.

In the large bowl combine the butter and the sugar. Using an electric mixer beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, beating until incorporated. Add the ricotta cheese, lemon juice, and lemon zest. Beat to combine. Stir in the dry ingredients.

Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. (Very, very important to use the parchment paper! The dough is very soft and will stick to your cookie sheet. Once you're done baking, save the parchment paper to put under your cooling rack to catch all of the glaze that drips off. ) Spoon the dough (about 2 tablespoons for each cookie) onto the baking sheets. Bake for 15 minutes, until slightly golden at the edges. Remove from the oven and let the cookies rest on the baking sheet for 20 minutes.


Lemon Glaze

• 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
• 3 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 lemon, zested

Combine the powdered sugar, lemon juice, and lemon zest in a small bowl and stir until smooth. Spoon about 1/2-teaspoon onto each cookie and use the back of the spoon to gently spread. Let the glaze harden for about 2 hours.


Okay, so how did I change the recipe? Well, first, I didn't have any lemons, so I replaced the zest with a teaspoon of lemon extract. I don't recommend this. If possible, use the zest - it's much better. But the extract does work in a pinch. Secondly, I used light ricotta. I try to save calories where I can. Thirdly, I used the whisk to drizzle the glaze onto the cookies. It was a good recipe, what can I say?

I really liked these cookies. They were easy to make and not overly sweet. They'd go well with a cup of coffee.

To find more of Giada's recipes visit http://www.foodnetwork.com/giada-de-laurentiis/index.html