My Real Lemon Ricotta Cookies

4.89 from 9 votes

Soft, cake-like lemon ricotta cookies with a bright citrus glaze. These tender cookies are perfect for holidays, brunches, or a cozy summer treat.

Prep Time30

Total Bake Time1

Chill12

Total Time13 30

Course: Cookies, Holiday, summer

Cuisine: Italian

Difficulty: Medium

Servings: cookies

Calories: 134kcal

Weigh or measure the flour, baking powder, and salt into a bowl, then whisk to blend and set aside. Take two medium lemons and cut off the ends. Zest both lemons, then cut them in half and juice them.
Cube the butter into the mixer bowl and cream it on medium speed. If the butter is at room temperature, this should only take about a minute. Add the sugar and continue mixing on medium speed for 3 to 4 minutes. The mixture will look grainy due to the high ratio of sugar to butter.
Add one egg at a time, mixing until each is fully incorporated. Then add the ricotta cheese, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Blend everything together for 2 to 3 minutes, until well combined.
Remove the bowl from the mixer and grab a sturdy spatula (I use a one-piece spatula that I love). Gently fold in the flour, salt, and baking powder mixture until fully incorporated. Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and place it in the refrigerator. This dough needs to chill overnight—I like to make the dough after dinner and bake the cookies the following afternoon.

Preheat oven to 375° F (190° C) Line 2 cookie pans with parchment paper.
Using a medium cookie scooper, scoop 12 mounds onto a prepared baking sheet. Bake for 13 to 15 minutes. After removing them from the oven, leave the cookies on the pan for 2 to 3 minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack. They’ll look pale but should feel set on the outside when gently touched.

Weigh or measure the powdered sugar and add it to a mixing bowl. I used two medium lemons to get the 3 tablespoons of lemon juice I needed. I zested both lemons and packed the zest into a teaspoon—don’t be shy with it! Add the lemon juice and zest to the powdered sugar. Using a French whisk, blend everything together for about a minute until smooth.
After the cookies have cooled, use a ½ teaspoon measuring spoon to add glaze to the top of each cookie. Gently spread it around using the back of the spoon. Let the glaze set for about 2 hours before storing the cookies in a container.