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These Italian lemon ricotta cookies are little pillows of soft, melt-in-your-mouth lemon cookies full of real lemon flavor. It is an excellent recipe for all lemon lovers and cookie monsters.
If you love lemon desserts, don’t miss these recipes for 4-ingredient lemon posset and lemon biscotti.
Quick Look at This Recipe
- Prep Time: 30minutes
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 12 minutes (including 30 minutes of chilling)
- Servings: 48 cookies
- Dietary Info: can be made Gluten Free
- Method: Oven Baked
- Technique: Cream the butter and sugar, then incorporate the ricotta, lemon juice, and zest. Sift in the dry ingredients and stir, then chill. Scoop onto cookie sheets, bake, and cool. Drizzle with glaze and enjoy.
- Flavor & Texture: These lemon ricotta cookies have a delightful creamy lemon flavor, and are pillowy soft with an irresistible cake-like texture.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe!
The soft and creamy ricotta cheese makes these lemon cookies light and smooth, almost cake-like. This is a delicious cookie recipe perfect for putting on a tray and giving as a gift during the holiday season. You won’t be able to stop at just one bite!
If you love citrus desserts, try Struffoli (Italian Honey Balls), Orange Olive Oil Cake, Lemon Biscotti Recipe, and Poppy Seed Cake with Orange Glaze.
Made With Amore,
“This recipe was so easy to make and it’s so delicious 😋. My mother in law said it was the best cookie I have ever made. These are definitely in my Christmas cookies rotation going forward.”
– Kristina
Table of Contents
Simple Ingredients
These light and fluffy lemon ricotta cookies require a few basic ingredients. The secret ingredient is using quality ricotta cheese.
- Ricotta Cheese: Use whole milk ricotta for the richest, creamiest texture. Avoid ricotta that’s too watery; if needed, drain excess liquid before using for soft, tender cookies. Use up any leftover ricotta in savory recipes like Eggplant Slices with Ricotta Cheese, Spinach and Ricotta Lasagna, or Lemon Ricotta Pasta with Asparagus.
- All-Purpose Flour: Regular all-purpose is the best choice for this recipe. However, if you want to make these gluten free, simply swap for your favorite cup for cup gluten-free flour.
- Fresh Lemons: You’ll need to squeeze the juice out the lemons and zest them for this recipe. The freshly squeezed lemon juice and grated zest gives the cookies a wonderful aroma and bright citrus flavor.
See recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Variations & Substitutions
- Chocolate: Add chocolate chips to the batter for a little decadent chocolate kick.
- Lemon Curd: Swap the lemon glaze for lemon curd.
- Meyer Lemons: Try using Meyer lemons their extra sweet taste adds great flavor to the cookie. Meyer lemons work well in all of my lemon desserts, such as Frozen Lemon Bars and Lemon Bars with Shortbread Crust.
- Different Extracts: Add almond extract or vanilla extract for a little variation in flavor. I (personally) like to keep it simple and only highlight the pure lemon flavor in this recipe.
How to Make Lemon Ricotta Cookies
This lemon ricotta cookie recipe is straightforward to make. These cookies are so light and delicious that you’ll be swooning after you try them!
- In a large bowl of an electric mixer, combine the softened butter and the sugar. Beat the butter and sugar on medium speed until pale yellow and light and fluffy, about 5 minutes.
- Add the room temperature eggs, one at a time, mixing between additions until well incorporated and fluffy.
- Add the ricotta cheese, lemon juice, and lemon zest. Beat again and stir to combine. You will reach a smooth mixture at this point.
- In a medium mixing bowl combine the flour, baking powder, and salt. Sift the dry ingredients into the bowl of the wet ingredients. Tightly cover the dough with plastic wrap and chill dough in the refrigerator for 30 minutes or up to overnight.
- Scoop the dough (about 1 tablespoon for each cookie) onto the baking sheets. Bake for 12-14 minutes, until cooked through but still pale (do not overbake!). Remove from the oven and let the cookies rest on a cooling rack for about 15 minutes. Repeat the process with the remaining dough.
- For the glaze, combine the powdered sugar, lemon juice, and lemon zest in a small bowl and whisk until smooth.
- Dip each cooled cookie in the small bowl of lemon glaze. (You can also spoon the glaze on top of the cookie with the back of a spoon.) Let the glaze harden for about 2 hours at room temperature
- Enjoy these cute and delicious lemon ricotta cookies! The whole family will love them at Christmas or anytime throughout the year.
Recipe FAQs
This soft and tender lemon ricotta cookie dough can be made up to 24 hours ahead of time. Prepare the lemon ricotta cookie recipe as directed, cover the bowl with plastic wrap or transfer to an airtight container, and store in the fridge for 30 minutes and up to 24 hours before baking.
Your cookies may turn out flatter if you use butter with a very high fat content, causing them to spread out rather than remaining puffed and round. I recommend a lower butterfat content for a puffy texture; look for butter such as Land O’Lakes for this recipe rather than Kerrygold.
Additional reasons for flat cookies include having a warm dough or overmixing; ensure the dough is chilled and avoid overbeating.
For the freshest taste, store lemon ricotta cookies in an airtight container and keep them in a cool place for about 3 days. You can refrigerate them after this to keep them fresher longer.
You can also freeze unglazed cookies for up to 3 months, and then defrost and glaze them on the day you plan to serve the cookies.
Serving Suggestions
These lemon ricotta cookies are sure to be a favorite at Christmas or anytime of year! Enjoy these with other Italian treats like Italian Ladyfingers, Soft Amaretti Cookies, Italian Wedding Cookies, Pizzelle Cookies, and Almond Biscotti.
My Pro Tips
Expert Tips
- Use room temperature ingredients. They mix better and bake more evenly.
- Choose high-quality ingredients. Using whole milk ricotta and fresh lemon juice and zest make all the difference.
- Chill the dough. This helps the cookies keep their shape while baking.
- Don’t overbake. Bake just until the edges are lightly golden for soft, tender cookies.
Other Italian Cookie Recipes You’ll Love
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Lemon Ricotta Cookies
Equipment
- hand mixer if you don't have a stand mixer
Ingredients
For the Cookies
- ½ cup unsalted butter , softened (see notes)
- 1¾ cups granulated sugar
- 2 eggs, at room temperature
- 1 15-ounce container whole milk ricotta cheese
- 3 tablespoons lemon juice, from 1-1½ lemons
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon zest, from 1 lemon
- 2¼ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
For the Glaze
- 1¼ cup powdered sugar, sifted
- 3 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon zest, from 1 lemon
- sprinkles, for decorating (optional)
Instructions
Making the Cookies
- Line two 11×17-inch baking sheets with parchment paper. Preheat the oven to 375°F.
- Beat the butter and the sugar on medium speed with a stand or hand mixer until it's light and fluffy, about 5 minutes.
- Add the eggs one at a time, mixing between additions until well incorporated. Add the ricotta cheese, lemon juice, and lemon zest. Beat to combine.
- Combine the flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl, then sift the mixture into the bowl of the wet ingredients and stir until incorporated. Tightly cover the dough with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes and up to overnight.
- Scoop the dough (about 1 heaping tablespoon for each cookie) onto the baking sheets. Bake for 12-14 minutes, until cooked through but still pale (do not overbake!). Remove from the oven and let the cookies rest on a cooling rack for about 15 minutes. Repeat the process with the remaining dough.
Making the Glaze
- For the glaze, combine the powdered sugar, lemon juice, and lemon zest in a small bowl and whisk until smooth. Dip each cooled cookie in the small bowl of lemon glaze. You can also spoon the glaze on top of the cookie with the back of a spoon.
- Let the glaze harden for about 2 hours at room temperature. Serve and enjoy!
Notes
- Your cookies may turn out flatter if you use butter with a very high fat content, making them spread out rather than stay puffed and round. I recommended a lower butterfat content for a puffy texture; look for butter such as Land O’Lakes for this recipe rather than Kerrygold!
- Use room temperature ingredients. They mix better and bake more evenly.
- Chill the dough. This helps the cookies keep their shape while baking.
- Don’t overbake. Bake just until the edges are lightly golden for soft, tender cookies.
- Store lemon ricotta cookies in an airtight container and keep them in a cool place for about 3 days for the freshest taste. You can also freeze unglazed cookies and then defrost and glaze them on the day you plan to serve the cookies.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Dangerously addicting. one of the best cookies I have ever made or had. It’s permanently in my recipe files.
This makes me so happy to hear ๐ค โPermanently in my recipe filesโ is the best compliment. Thank you so much for baking them and for sharing!
Elena
I’m a seasoned baker and followed this recipe to the letter even refrigerating overnight. Cookies came out doughy and soft and not at all like a cookie . Waste of ingredients .
Oh No!! I made these with TJs butter and they turned out flat as pancakes. They tasted good though. Followed the recipe very closely. Is this butter too high in fat content? Didn’t even prepare the glaze.
Trader Joeโs butter actually works well for this recipe and isnโt too high in fat, so that wouldnโt be the cause. When lemon ricotta cookies spread and turn flat, itโs usually due to one of these little things:
โข Butter that was too soft or melted
โข Ricotta that was very wet or not good quality (some brands have more moisture)
โข Dough that wasnโt chilled long enough
For next time, a couple of easy fixes:
โข Use butter thatโs just softened, not shiny or melty
โข If your ricotta seems wet, blot it with paper towels before mixing
โข Chill the dough a full 30โ45 minutes before baking
The good news is you did nothing โwrong,โ and Iโm happy they still tasted good, flavor is half the battle! If you try them again, I think youโll get that soft, pillowy texture youโre looking for. Thank you again for baking along with me and for asking ๐ค
Elena
Absolutely amazing, these were a big hit over Christmas with family. These will be made again for sure.
Yay! SO happy that everyone loved them. I like to make them all year!
I made these this year for Christmas. While cakey cookies are not usually my name, these were fantastic. A burst of yummy lemon, very refreshing, they were the first of the array of cookies to disappear.
I do have a question Iโm hoping you can help with so I can learn. I chilled mine in the fridge after they cooled and I dipped them in the icing. They ended up being a bit sticky/tacky after doing that. It didnโt take away from the flavor but Iโm curious if I did something wrong.
Iโm so happy you loved them, especially hearing that they were the first cookies to disappear! That lemony, refreshing bite is exactly what I love about them, even for those who donโt usually reach for cakey cookies.
And great question, you didnโt do anything wrong at all. What you experienced is very common with lemon glaze. Chilling the cookies in the fridge can cause condensation when theyโre dipped or brought back to room temperature, which makes the icing stay a bit tacky or sticky. Lemon glaze also naturally stays softer because of the citrus juice.
For next time, a couple of little tips if you want a firmer finish:
โข Let the cookies cool completely at room temperature (no fridge) before glazing
โข Make sure the glaze isnโt too thin โ a slightly thicker glaze will set better
โข Let them set uncovered at room temperature for a few hours before storing
That said, the flavor is what matters most, and it sounds like they were a big hit. Thank you so much for baking them for Christmas and for taking the time to ask and share. ๐ค
Elena
One of my favourite โค๏ธ
So happy you loved them! Thank you.
I follow the recipe and the cookies are soft but very doughy. The icing never hardened and the next day penetrated the cookies like it wasn’t there.
I made these last night and tried them immediately. They taste like a dream – absolutely wonderful! Thank you and happy Holidays!
Happy holiday’s to you! I am happy you loved these easy and yummy cookies!