Ricotta Pie (Authentic Italian Recipe)
Updated May 14, 2025, Published Apr 06, 2022
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Best Italian Ricotta Pie Recipe is a classic, traditional recipe – often served at Easter time. This sweet ricotta pie has a creamy ricotta filling flavored with lemon zest and a hint of almond and vanilla all inside a super easy pie shell.
The dough, an Italian sweet shortcrust pastry (also known as pasta frolla) is widely used as a base for tart and pie shells. I use it to make BEST Italian Crostata Recipe (Jam filled Tart).
Simple Ingredients
This pie has a lightly sweetened, very moist ricotta cheese filling with a hint of lemon, and a thick, rustic crust. It requires few ingredients and little time!
For the crust (pasta frolla):
- 1 recipe for pie dough (pasta frolla – click link for printable recipe card at bottom of post)
For the filling:
- Eggs
- Sugar
- Ricotta
- Vanilla extract
- Almond extract
- Lemon zest
- Optional: freshly whipped cream for topping
See recipe card for quantities.
And if you love ricotta desserts, you’ll also love my Ricotta Cakes recipe.
How To Make Ricotta Pie
As with most cheesecakes, this one starts with a crust to hold its shape. Here we use a lightly sweetened shortcrust known as pasta frolla. You can also use our Ultimate All Butter Pie Crust if you wish.
For the crust (pasta frolla)–
Pasta Frolla is an Italian shortcrust pastry.
- In a medium mixing bowl combine the dry ingredients: flour, sugar, salt and baking powder. Mix with a whisk until incorporated. Add the egg and cold butter and mix until incorporated (the dough will be fairly “rough” at this point). I’ve seen some people even make this in a food processor!
- Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and gather it into a ball. Form the dough into two disks, one slightly larger than the other.
- For this recipe I only used the larger disc and saved the scraps to make small cookies.
- Wrap each disk tightly in saran wrap (plastic wrap), and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or until well chilled (overnight is fine). Remove the dough from the refrigerator 30 minutes before rolling it out with a rolling pin.
For the sweet ricotta filling–
The filling for this easy ricotta pie consists of sweetened whipped ricotta and eggs and it is simply delicious.
- If your ricotta has extra water strain it (see notes in recipe)
- Start by whipping the ricotta in a stand mixer with the whisk attachment or a large bowl using a hand held electric mixer. Whip as you would whipped cream- very smooth consistency.
- Then, add the sugar and mix again. Add the eggs one by one to the ricotta mixture- scraping down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula or wooden spoon when needed.
- Add the almond and vanilla extract and lemon zest, mix to incorporate.
- Set aside while you roll out your dough.
Assembling the pie:
- Roll out the dough to fit your pie plate (9-inch). The thickness should be about 1/8 of an inch. Carefully fold over and fit into your pie pan or springform pan. For this recipe I only used the larger disc and saved the scraps to make small cookies.
- Pour in the ricotta pie filling.
- Optional step: Decorate the top with strips of dough and brush tops of dough strips with egg wash.
- Bake and cool completely, about 2 hours, on a wire rack and refrigerate until serving.
Ricotta pie is a lightly sweetened, cheesecake-like dessert. It has a lighter texture than traditional cheesecakes, like our Italian cheesecake, and makes showstopper dessert for any occasion.
Substitutions
If you want a dough that isn’t as sweet try- Easy Tried and True Crisco Pie Crust
It is difficult to find a real substitute for the filling ingredients. If you want to make this ricotta pie with cream cheese and sour cream you are better off making Tried and True Best Cheesecake Recipe!
Variations
This simple sweet treat is fabulous as this original recipe indicates. If you want ideas for variations here are a few:
- Add orange zest
- Add mini chocolate chips to the batter- this resembles the taste of How to Make Sicilian Cannoli- Recipe
FAQs
Since the ricotta is the star of the show in this pie recipe I recommend a good quality brand that is full fat. If you buy “cheap ricotta” or use part skim ricotta it will be more watery and grainy and change the consistency of the ricotta.
I like an extra creamy ricotta texture, almost silky, so I whip the ricotta before adding the other ingredients.
The higher quality ricotta cheese will also be more dense and you likely won’t even need to strain it to remove the excess moisture and liquid.
Baking a pie for too long or using a temperature that is too high (or too low!) can make a pie dry out and crack or fall.
Overmixing the filling can incorporate air bubbles into the batter, which can cause the pie to fall and crack as it cools down.
Lastly, if the pie doesn’t have enough filling, it could collapse.
The most common reason for a soggy pie crust is under baking. To avoid this do a “blind bake” on your pie shell to ensure it cooks fully before adding any filling. Another common reason is that the crust was too wet (too much water in the dough) or adding too much filling.
Set a fine-mesh strainer lined with cheesecloth or a couple of paper towels over a bowl. Add the ricotta and allow it to strain out excess liquid for 5 to 10 minutes as you continue with the prep.
Top tips
- Buy good quality whole milk ricotta cheese
- If needed drain the ricotta
- Use room temperature eggs- this helps with even baking
- Use cold butter for the crust
Equipment
I love to use either a pretty pie dish or springform pan for this recipe.
Make Ahead & Storage Instructions
As with all pies, you can make some components ahead of time.
The pie crust can be made up to 3 days ahead of time. If you chill it before you roll it out, make sure to let it warm up enough before you attempt to roll it out (about 30 minutes at room temperature).
Ricotta pie is ideal made a day in advance before serving. It is at it’s best when served completely chilled.
Keep leftovers refrigerated for up to 4 days. Do not freeze pie. The crust will get soft and the ricotta cheese filling isn’t meant to be frozen.
More delicious pie recipes for you:
- Best Brown Butter Apple Pie
- Best Blueberry Mini Pies (hand pies)
- Rustic Rhubarb Galette- PERFECT FLAKY CRUST
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Enjoy this traditional Easter dessert for Easter Sunday, or your next dinner party. This creamy custard pie is always well loved!
Ricotta Pie Recipe
Ingredients
For the Crust:
- 1 recipe Italian Pasta Frolla Dough Recipe, click on link and find printable recipe at bottom of post
- For this recipe I only used the larger dough disc and saved the scraps to make small cookies.
For the Filling:
- 2 cups ricotta whole milk, well-drained (about 15 oz)
- 5 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 4 eggs, room temperature
- Optional: freshly whipped cream for topping
Instructions
Make the Dough
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Place oven rack to bottom third.
Filling and Assembly
- Make filling: If your ricotta has extra water strain it (see notes)
- Start by whipping the ricotta in a stand mixer with the whisk attachment or a large mixing bowl using a hand held electric mixer. Whip as you would whipped cream- very smooth consistency.
- Then, add the sugar and mix again. Add the eggs one by one to the ricotta mixture- scraping down the sides of the bowl when needed.
- Add the almond and vanilla extract and lemon zest, mix to incorporate.
- Set aside while you roll out your dough.
- Roll out the dough to fit your pie plate (9-inch). The thickness should be about 1/8 of an inch. Carefully fold over and fit into your pie pan.
- Pour in the filling.
- Optional step: Decorate with strips of dough and brush tops of dough strips with egg wash.
- Bake for approximately 40 minutes or until the center filling is set. Place foil on the edge of crust to prevent over-browning (if needed).
- Cool completely, about 2 hours, on a wire rack and refrigerate until serving. If desired, top with freshly whipped cream. Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Happy Easter and THANK YOU, your recipes are amazing like your personality.
I appreciate you sharing your families recipes! I look forward to your emails.This ricotta pie is amazing and so easy to make. The first one I made didn’t last my husband loved it!, I didn’t mind making more for Easter.
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You are so kind! Thank you. I am so happy you loved this recipe and the others. Cheers to many more!
I made this for Easter last year and my family was in love! Preparing to make it again this year- when I asked my mother if she wanted it again, it was a big YES! Thank you so much for sharing such a wonderful recipe!
Yay! You are welcome! So happy you loved it!