Description
Delight in these soft, tender Lemon Ricotta Cookies glazed with a bright and tangy Limoncello icing. Perfectly balanced with zesty lemon and creamy ricotta, these cookies offer a refreshing twist on a classic treat, ideal for spring or summer gatherings.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
Wet Ingredients
- 1 cup sugar
- ½ cup butter, room temperature (one stick)
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest (from about half a lemon)
- 1 cup whole milk ricotta cheese
- 1 large egg
- 1 tablespoon limoncello liqueur
Glaze
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon limoncello liqueur
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice (from about half a lemon)
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest (from about half a lemon)
Instructions
- Prepare baking sheet: Line a baking pan with a baking mat or parchment paper and set aside to prevent the cookies from sticking during baking.
- Mix dry ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt until evenly combined, then set aside.
- Cream wet ingredients: In a large bowl, use an electric mixer on medium/high speed to cream the sugar, butter, and lemon zest together until the mixture becomes light and fluffy, approximately 2 minutes.
- Add ricotta, egg, and limoncello: Beat in the ricotta cheese, large egg, and limoncello liqueur to the creamed sugar and butter mixture, mixing until well combined.
- Combine dry and wet mixtures: Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and mix just until combined, careful not to overmix to maintain a tender texture.
- Chill dough: Cover the cookie dough tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours to allow flavors to meld and the dough to firm up for easier handling.
- Preheat oven: When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Remove the chilled dough from the refrigerator.
- Shape cookies: Using a cookie scoop, measure out about a tablespoon of dough each time and roll into balls. Place them onto the prepared baking sheet, leaving about 2 inches of space between each cookie for spreading.
- Bake cookies: Bake the cookies for 12-14 minutes, or until the bottoms just begin to brown slightly. Note that the tops will not change color much during baking.
- Cool cookies: Allow the cookies to cool in the pan for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Prepare glaze: While cookies cool, whisk together powdered sugar, limoncello, lemon juice, and lemon zest in a small bowl until smooth.
- Glaze cookies: Holding each cooled cookie upside down, dip the top into the glaze, then return to the wire rack to let the glaze dry fully before serving.
Notes
- Use whole milk ricotta for the best texture and flavor.
- Chilling the dough is crucial to ensure the cookies spread properly and maintain tenderness.
- Adjust the amount of lemon zest in the glaze to your taste preference.
- Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
- For a non-alcoholic version, substitute limoncello with lemon extract or omit entirely.
