Lemon Ricotta Cookies w/ Lemon Glaze (no, they don’t taste like ricotta…or cookies!)

I felt like I needed to qualify the title of my post because admittedly, “Lemon Ricotta Cookies” don’t sound too appetizing, at least not to me. Or my husband. You should have seen his face when I told him I was making these cookies! He doesn’t like ricotta even where it belongs  (e.g. ravioli or lasagna), so I think he was scared to see it used in a cookie of all things. I assured him that these cookies had rave reviews on Foodnetwork.com, and that they wouldn’t taste like ricotta. Still, he seemed skeptical. Yet his fears quickly dissipated when the sweet, citrusy smell of these cookies wafted through our house 🙂

So, why use ricotta in cookies if they aren’t going to taste like ricotta? Because the ricotta gives these cookies an unbelievably moist, soft texture. In fact, I hesitate to even call them cookies, because they seem more like little cakes…that’s how soft they are!

And they taste wonderful, to boot. Giada de Laurentiis has a knack for creating uniquely flavored cookies that even I can appreciate, as someone who isn’t nearly as excited by cookies as I am by cupcakes, shortcakes, cheesecakes, and pies. This is the second cookie-like recipe I’ve made of hers (the first being Strawberry & Rosemary Scones w/ Lemon Glaze), and they’ve both been winners, in my book. Giada is on a roll!

Yes, these lemon ricotta cookies were on point. The glaze gives them both sweetness and a nice punch of lemon, and the soft texture really steals the show. Plus, they were a breeze to make! With only 15 minutes of baking time, it’s almost immediate gratification 🙂

Lemon Ricotta Cookies with Lemon Glaze (recipe by Giada de Laurentiis)

Ingredients:

For the Cookies-

• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 stick unsalted butter, softened
• 2 cups sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 (15-ounce) container whole milk ricotta cheese
• 3 tablespoons lemon juice
• Zest of 1 lemon

For the Glaze-

• 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
• 3 tablespoons lemon juice
• Zest of 1 lemon

Preparation:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, and salt. 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. Spoon the dough (about 2 tablespoons for each cookie) onto the baking sheets, leaving about an inch between each cookie.
• Bake for 13-15 minutes, until slightly golden at the edges. Remove from the oven and let the cookies rest on the baking sheet for 20 minutes.
• As the cookies are cooling, make the glaze. Combine the powdered sugar, lemon juice, and lemon zest in a small bowl and stir until smooth.
• Spoon about 1/2-teaspoon  of glaze onto each cookie and use the back of the spoon to gently spread. Let the glaze harden for about 2 hours (or less– if you’re going for that whole immediate gratification thing!)

Makes 44 cookies.