Soft, cake-like ricotta cookies with lemon zest and a light vanilla glaze. Delicate, pillowy, and bursting with citrus flavor, these traditional Italian bakery favorites melt in your mouth!
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Table des matières
The Science Behind Italian Ricotta Cookies
- Whey Moisture Retention & Pillowy Crumb: Whole-milk ricotta introduces delicate milk proteins (whey and casein) along with natural dairy moisture. This extra hydration reacts with flour proteins to produce a remarkably soft, pillowy, cake-like crumb structure rather than a dense cookie.
- Leavening Balance via Baking Powder & Soda: Pairing baking powder with baking soda neutralizes the subtle natural acidity of the ricotta cheese while releasing carbon dioxide gas, giving the heavy, moist dough enough lift to bake into rounded, domed cakes.
- Cold Fat Solidification: Chilling the wet, ricotta-rich dough for at least 2 hours solidifies butter triglycerides and firms up the high-moisture batter, preventing the cookies from spreading into flat puddles in the 350°F oven.
| Prep Time | Chill Time | Bake Time | Yield | Category |
| 20 mins | 2 hours | ~11 mins | ~32–36 cookies | Italian / Cake-Like |
Ingredients
For the Cookie Dough Base:
- 3/4 cup (170 g) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 3/4 cups (350 g) granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 15 oz (425 g) whole-milk ricotta cheese (well-drained if watery)
- 1 tbsp pure vanilla extract
- 3/4 tsp kosher salt
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 3 cups (360 g) all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp fresh lemon zest
For the Vanilla Glaze:
- 180 g (~1 1/2 cups) powdered sugar, sifted
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) whole milk
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
Step-by-Step Instructions
1.Whisk Dry Ingredients:Ensures uniform leavening distribution.
In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, and kosher salt. Set aside.
2.Cream Butter, Sugar, and Zest:Beat 2 to 3 minutes until fluffy.
In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened unsalted butter, granulated sugar, and fresh lemon zest together with an electric mixer until light, pale, and fluffy.
3.Beat in Eggs, Vanilla, and Ricotta:Emulsifies wet dairy base.
Beat in the eggs one at a time, followed by the pure vanilla extract and whole-milk ricotta cheese, mixing until thoroughly combined and smooth.
4.Incorporate Dry Ingredients:Low speed prevents tough crumb.
Gradually add the dry flour mixture to the wet ricotta base, mixing on low speed just until combined without dry streaks.
5.Cover and Chill for 2 Hours:Mandatory to firm up moist dough.
Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours (or overnight) until the soft dough is thoroughly chilled and firm.
6.Preheat Oven and Scoop Portions:Set oven to 350°F (175°C).
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line two large baking sheets with parchment paper. Scoop tablespoon-sized portions (~25g each) of dough, leaving slightly more than 2 inches between them on the sheets.
7.Bake Until Bottoms Are Lightly Golden:Bake approximately 11 minutes.
Bake at 350°F for approximately 11 minutes, or until the bottom edges turn a light golden brown while the tops remain pale and soft.
8.Cool and Glaze:Let firm on tray before moving.
Let the cookies firm up on the hot baking tray for 5 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely. Whisk the powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla together until smooth, dip the tops of the completely cooled cookies into the glaze, and let set.
Pro Tips for Baking Success
- Use Whole-Milk Ricotta Only: Always select whole-milk ricotta cheese for this recipe. Skim-milk or fat-free ricotta contains too much water and lacks the fat required to keep the cookies tender and cake-like.
- Drain Excess Liquid: If your container of ricotta has pooled liquid on top, drain it off through a fine-mesh strainer before measuring out 15 ounces.
- Do Not Overbake: These are cake-like cookies; pulling them when the bottoms turn lightly golden keeps the interior pillowy and moist.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are ricotta cookies called in Italian?
In Italy, these soft, cake-like cookies are commonly referred to as biscotti di ricotta (ricotta cookies) or pasticcini alla ricotta. They are a staple of Italian-American bakeries, particularly around holidays like Easter and Christmas.
Do Italian ricotta cookies need to be refrigerated?
Yes! Because these cookies contain fresh whole-milk ricotta cheese and dairy glaze, it is best to store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for maximum freshness, or consume them within 2 days if kept at cool room temperature.
How long do Italian cookies stay fresh?
When stored properly in an airtight container in the refrigerator, Italian ricotta cookies stay fresh, moist, and soft for 4 to 5 days. You can also freeze unglazed baked cookies for up to 2 months.
What is Italian ricotta?
Ricotta is a traditional Italian fresh cheese made from the leftover whey (the liquid remaining after milk has been curdled and strained) of sheep, cow, goat, or water buffalo milk. The word ricotta literally translates to “recooked,” reflecting its traditional production method. It has a mildly sweet, milky flavor and a soft, grainy-smooth texture.
Imprimer
Italian Ricotta Cookies
- Durée totale: 2 hours 36 minutes
- Produit: 60 cookies 1x
- Régime alimentaire: Végétarien
Description
These Italian Ricotta Cookies with Vanilla Glaze are irresistibly soft, tender, and delightfully cake-like, with a rich, moist crumb and delicate hints of fresh lemon zest. Made with creamy whole-milk ricotta cheese and pure vanilla extract, each cookie delivers a pillowy, melt-in-your-mouth texture. Finished with a smooth, sweet vanilla glaze, these classic homemade Italian cookies are perfect for holiday cookie trays, family celebrations, or enjoying with a warm cup of coffee.
Ingrédients
- For the Cookie Dough Base:
- 3/4 cup (170 g) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 3/4 cups (350 g) granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 15 oz (425 g) whole-milk ricotta cheese (well-drained if watery)
- 1 tbsp pure vanilla extract
- 3/4 tsp kosher salt
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 3 cups (360 g) all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp fresh lemon zest
- For the Vanilla Glaze:
- 180 g (~1 1/2 cups) powdered sugar, sifted
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) whole milk
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
Instructions
- Whisk Dry Ingredients: In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, and kosher salt to ensure uniform leavening distribution. Set aside.
- Cream Butter, Sugar, and Zest: In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened unsalted butter, granulated sugar, and fresh lemon zest together with an electric mixer for 2–3 minutes until light, pale, and fluffy.
- Beat in Eggs, Vanilla, and Ricotta: Beat in the eggs one at a time, followed by the pure vanilla extract and whole-milk ricotta cheese, mixing until thoroughly combined and smooth.
- Incorporate Dry Ingredients: Gradually add the dry flour mixture to the wet ricotta base, mixing on low speed just until combined without dry streaks.
- Cover and Chill for 2 Hours: Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours (or overnight) until the soft dough is thoroughly chilled and firm.
- Preheat Oven and Scoop Portions: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line two large baking sheets with parchment paper. Scoop tablespoon-sized portions (~25g each) of dough, leaving slightly more than 2 inches between them on the sheets.
- Bake Until Bottoms Are Lightly Golden: Bake at 350°F (175°C) for approximately 11 minutes, or until the bottom edges turn a light golden brown while the tops remain pale and soft.
- Cool and Glaze: Let the cookies firm up on the hot baking tray for 5 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely. Whisk the powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla together until smooth, dip the tops of the completely cooled cookies into the glaze, and let set.
Notes
- Use Whole-Milk Ricotta Only: Always select whole-milk ricotta cheese for this recipe. Skim-milk or fat-free ricotta contains too much water and lacks the fat required to keep the cookies tender and cake-like.
- Drain Excess Liquid: If your container of ricotta has pooled liquid on top, drain it off through a fine-mesh strainer before measuring out 15 ounces.
- Do Not Overbake: These are cake-like cookies; pulling them when the bottoms turn lightly golden keeps the interior pillowy and moist.
- Temps de préparation: 20 minutes
- Temps de cuisson: 11 minutes
- Catégorie: Dessert
- Méthode: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Portion: 1 cookie
- Calories: 105
- Sucre: 10g
- Sodium: 70mg
- Graisse: 4g
- Graisse saturée: 2g
- Graisses insaturées: 1g
- Gras trans: 0g
- Glucides: 16g
- Fibres: 0g
- Protéine: 2g
- Cholestérol: 18mg