Ricotta Christmas Cookies Recipe - Cooking Classy (2024)

Published December 5, 2022. Updated November 29, 2023

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Italian Ricotta Christmas Cookies are soft and tender, cake-like cookies with sweet and simple icing. They have a light lemon flavor and that sink-your-teeth-in moisture, thanks to the rich ricotta. They’re holiday classics and such a fun recipe to try if you’ve never made them.

Ricotta Christmas Cookies Recipe - Cooking Classy (1)

The Best Ricotta Christmas Cookies Recipe!

Our favorite ricotta cookies! They’re easy to make and they’re always consistently delicious.

They’re so good that you can never stop at just one.

The ricotta cookie dough can be made two days in advance so it’s a great make-ahead recipe. Plus it makes a huge batch of cookies so they’re great for celebrations and gifting.

You’ll love their lightly lemony flavor, the melt-in-your-mouth texture, and that sweet and simple icing finish. And if you want a little contrast finish them with crunchy sugar sprinkles which also add a pretty and festive pop of color.

Watch the Video!

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Ingredients for Ricotta Christmas Cookies

This recipe calls for basic ingredients most all of which you already have on hand. You’ll need:

  • All-purpose flour
  • Baking powder
  • Salt
  • Unsalted butter
  • Granulated sugar
  • Lemon
  • Ricotta – use whole milk
  • Vanilla
  • Eggs
  • Butter
  • Powdered sugar
  • Milk

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How to Make Ricotta Cookies

  1. Whisk flour, baking powder and salt, set aside.
  2. In an electric stand mixer cream together butter, granulated sugar and lemon zest until pale and fluffy.
  3. Mix in ricotta and vanilla extract then blend in eggs one at a time.
  4. Mix in flour mixture.
  5. Chill dough 2 hours or up to 2 days.
  6. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  7. Scoop chilled dough out 1 Tbsp (heaping) at a time and shape into balls, drop onto lined baking sheets.
  8. Bake in preheated oven 12 – 14 minutes until underside of cookies are golden, cool.
  9. Spread over glaze and let set.

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Possible Variations

  • Almond extract: Use almond extract in place of the lemon zest and juice for another flavor option. Use 1/2 tsp almond extract in the dough and 1/4 tsp in the glaze. Replace lemon juice with milk.
  • Orange: You can swap orange zest and orange juice for the lemon, and add extra zest for more orange flavor (up to 2 Tbsp).
  • Lime: Lime zest and lime juice will work well in place of lemon. Use equal amounts.
  • Chocolate chips: Add white chocolate chips to the cookie dough or mini chocolate chips.
  • Nuts: 1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans can be added to the dough.

How to Store Ricotta Cookies

  • Container: Store ricotta cookies in an airtight container. If layering be sure to place parchment paper between them.
  • Fridge: These will keep in the fridge for up to 4 days. Bring to room temperature before serving.
  • Freezer: Ricotta cookies can be frozen for 3 months. I do however recommend waiting to add the icing though because it does wrinkle over time.

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Ricotta Christmas Cookies Recipe - Cooking Classy (8)

More Delicious Ricotta Dessert Recipes to Try!

  • Orange Chocolate Chip Ricotta Cookies
  • Lemon Poppy Seed Ricotta Cookies
  • Lemon Ricotta Cake
  • Cannoli
  • Puff Pastry Tarts with Ricotta Cream Filling

Ricotta Christmas Cookies Recipe - Cooking Classy (9)

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Italian Ricotta Cookies

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Soft and fluffy, lightly lemony, melt-in-your-mouth cookies made with rich ricotta (for moisture and flavor) and finished with a sweet icing.

Watch the video

Servings: 60

Prep30 minutes minutes

Cook50 minutes minutes

Ready in: 1 hour hour 20 minutes minutes

Ingredients

Icing

Instructions

  • For the cookies:

  • In a mixing bowl whisk together flour, baking powder and salt for 20 seconds, set aside.

  • In the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment whip together butter, granulated sugar and lemon zest until pale and fluffy (scrape down sides and bottom of bowl occasionally throughout entire mixing process).

  • Mix in ricotta and vanilla extract then blend in eggs one at a time. Set mixer on low speed and slowly add in flour mixture and mix just until combined. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and chill 2 hours or up to 2 days. Preheat oven to 350 degrees during last 20 minutes of dough chilling.

  • Scoop chilled dough out 1 Tbsp at a time and shape into balls (if it's too sticky just drop onto sheet using two spoons), drop onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper (don't use dark baking sheets).

  • Bake in preheated oven until set, 12 - 14 minutes (bottoms will be lightly golden brown). Cool on baking sheet several minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

  • Once cool spoon icing over cookies and return to wire rack, immediately add sprinkles if using.

  • Allow icing to set at room temperature. Store in an airtight container preferably in a single layer and preferably store in the fridge (bring to room temperature before serving).

  • For the glaze:

  • In a mixing bowl whisk together powdered sugar, melted butter, lemon juice or almond extract, vanilla and 4 Tbsp milk until smooth.

  • Add in more milk 1 tsp at a time to thin as needed (you don't want it to be very thin, it should be quite a bit thicker than a doughnut glaze).

Notes

  • *Scoop flour directly from container using measuring cup and level top using a butter knife. Don't whisk or sift before measuring and don't spoon into a cup. The best option is to use a kitchen scale, I highly recommend investing in one if you don't already have one. I always use mine when baking.
  • **Cookies previously listed using 2 tsp baking soda, but a few have had issues with cookies rising so recipe has been improved to use baking powder instead.
  • Recipe source: adapted fromNew York Times

Nutrition Facts

Italian Ricotta Cookies

Amount Per Serving

Calories 125Calories from Fat 36

% Daily Value*

Fat 4g6%

Saturated Fat 3g19%

Trans Fat 0.1g

Polyunsaturated Fat 0.2g

Monounsaturated Fat 1g

Cholesterol 18mg6%

Sodium 41mg2%

Potassium 41mg1%

Carbohydrates 20g7%

Fiber 0.2g1%

Sugar 13g14%

Protein 2g4%

Vitamin A 142IU3%

Vitamin C 0.2mg0%

Calcium 28mg3%

Iron 0.5mg3%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Nutrition values are estimates only. See full disclaimer here.

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: Italian

Keyword: Ricotta Cookies

Author: Jaclyn

Ricotta Christmas Cookies Recipe - Cooking Classy (2024)

FAQs

What is the most popular Italian cookie? ›

Most Popular Italian Cookies
  • Amaretti. These lovely almond-flavoured biscotti were supposedly first made during the Middle Ages. ...
  • Ricciarelli. ...
  • Baci di dama. ...
  • Chocolate-Pistachio Biscotti. ...
  • Savoiardi. ...
  • Canestrelli. ...
  • Biscotti al Cocco. ...
  • Pizzelle.
Oct 22, 2020

What if my homemade ricotta is too dry? ›

You don't want too much moisture left, but you also don't want your ricotta to be dry. However, ricotta is forgiving. If it is too dry, you can add an egg to it, as long as you will be cooking it. Making homemade ricotta is more expensive than buying a container at the store.

Where did ricotta cookies originate? ›

Italian Ricotta Cookies are Bursting with flavor and boasting a tender, cake-like texture, these cookies are a true delight for your taste buds. Originating from Italy, they have become a beloved treat in households around the world.

What is ricotta fresca? ›

It's a cheese by-product made from whey, the liquid leftover from making other types of cheese such as provolone. Ricotta took its name from how it's made, so “recooked” in Italian is ricotta, and that's exactly how this cheese is made.

What is the number one cookie in the world? ›

Oreo is the best-selling cookie in the world. It is now sold in over 100 countries. Oreo was first produced in 1912 by the National Biscuit Company, now known as Na-Bis-Co.

What flour do Italians use for cookies? ›

For cookies, bars, cakes/cupcakes, biscuits, scones, or anything that needs a tender crumb, use Farina di grano tenero, 00. This is your “cake flour.” Nobody wants a chewy cake. For bread, I recommend starting off with Farina di Manitoba, grano tenero, 0; this is similar to standard American bread flour.

Why is my ricotta not creamy? ›

Whole Milk (not ultra pasteurized!): I recommend whole cow's milk for creamy flavor and texture. Alternatively, 2% or 1% milk can be used; but the final result will not be as creamy. Ultra pasteurized milk does not work for homemade ricotta. It won't curdle properly.

Why is my homemade ricotta rubbery? ›

It really matters what kind of dairy you use: organic whole milk and not ultra-pasteurized cream are preferred. I also want to emphasize the importance of timing: do not overheat the milk-cream mixture, and do not let it boil. Otherwise, you will end up with tough and rubbery curd.

Why does ricotta go bad so fast? ›

Ricotta cheese, like cottage cheese and cream cheese, is high in moisture and spoils more quickly than hard cheeses.

What cookie was not invented until 1938? ›

It wasn't until very recently, around 1938, that chocolate chip cookies were first invented. Unlike a lot of other things, the chocolate chip cookie was not invented by accident. During the 1930s, a chef named Ruth Graves Wakefield decided to give something different to her customers.

What are the oldest cookies in the world? ›

Pizzelles are the oldest known cookie and originated in the mid-section of Italy. They were made many years ago for the “Festival of the Snakes” also known as the “Feast Day of San Domenico” in the village of Colcullo in the Italian region of Abruzzo.

What cookie was invented in 1938? ›

The chocolate chip cookie was invented by American chefs Ruth Graves Wakefield and Sue Brides in 1938. She invented the recipe during the period when she owned the Toll House Inn, in Whitman, Massachusetts. In this era, the Toll House Inn was a popular restaurant that featured home cooking.

What is Chicago style ricotta? ›

Chicago Style Ricotta is one such outcome from a customer's request. An exclusive intermixture of Sweet Whey, Milk, Cream and a hint of salt, produces a robust and slightly tangy curd. One user described it, “A lotta Jazz in those curds”!

What do Italians use instead of ricotta? ›

Mascarpone: Another Italian cheese, mascarpone makes a great ricotta substitute. However, since mascarpone is more tart and flavorful, you should only use it in dishes with other strong flavors.

What is Mexican ricotta cheese called? ›

Mexico´s answer to ricotta cheese, requesón is so soft that it can actually be spread. It is used a lot for filling enchiladas and for antojitos such as tlacoyos and gorditas. In markets, requesón is often sold wrapped in a fresh corn leaf.

What cookie originated in Italy? ›

Biscotti (/bɪˈskɒti/, Italian: [biˈskɔtti]; lit. 'biscuits') or cantucci ( Italian: [kanˈtuttʃi]) are Italian almond biscuits that originated in the Tuscan city of Prato. They are twice-baked, oblong-shaped, dry, crunchy, and may be dipped in a drink, traditionally Vin Santo.

What are the top 5 favorite cookies? ›

Some of the most popular cookie flavors include:
  • Chocolate chip.
  • Peanut butter.
  • Peanut butter blossoms.
  • Double chocolate chip.
  • Snickerdoodle.
  • Sugar.
  • Shortbread.
  • Pumpkin.

What cookies are in an Italian cookie tray? ›

Our Classic Italian assortment is a great way to sample of our traditional sweets. This tray includes Cranberry Almond Biscotti, Amaretto Biscotti with Almonds, Chocolate Almond Macaroons and Pignoli Cookies.

What is Italy cookie choices? ›

Italy Cookie Choices allows you to easily comply with the european cookie law (and Italian too), showing a notice to the user only the very first time he visits your website.

References

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