Lemon Ricotta Cookies
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These Italian Lemon Ricotta Cookies are soft, pillowy cookies with a delicate cake-like texture and plenty of fresh lemon flavor. Made with creamy ricotta cheese, fresh lemon juice, and lemon zest, this recipe is finished with a sweet lemon glaze for the perfect balance of bright citrus and sweetness.
If you love lemon desserts, don’t miss these recipes for Lemon Posset, Lemon Cream Cheese Bars, and Lemon Biscotti.
Quick Look: Lemon Ricotta Cookies
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Chill Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour amd 12 minutes
- Servings: 48 cookies
- Dietary Info: Vegetarian, can be made gluten-free
- Method: Oven Baked
- Technique: Cream butter and sugar, incorporate ricotta, eggs, and fresh lemon, mix in the dry ingredients, chill the dough, scoop and bake, then finish with lemon glaze
- Flavor & Texture: Bright lemon flavor, lightly sweet, soft, pillowy, and cake-like
Why You’ll Love These Lemon Ricotta Cookies
I love these lemon ricotta cookies because they have such a unique texture. The ricotta makes them incredibly soft and cake-like, while fresh lemon juice and zest give every bite a bright citrus flavor. They’re the kind of Italian cookie that feels right at home on a holiday cookie tray but is just as lovely with an afternoon cup of coffee or tea. 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 lemon ricotta cookies use everyday baking ingredients, with whole-milk ricotta and fresh lemons giving them their signature soft texture and bright citrus flavor.
- Whole-Milk Ricotta: Creates the soft, moist, cake-like texture that makes these ricotta cookies distinctive. 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.
- Fresh Lemons: Fresh lemon juice and zest give the cookies their natural citrus flavor.
- Unsalted Butter: Adds richness and helps create a tender cookie.
- All-Purpose Flour: Provides structure while keeping the cookies soft and delicate. You can substitute cup-for-cup with GF flour.
- Powdered Sugar: Creates the smooth, sweet lemon glaze that finishes the cookies.
See recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Variations & Substitutions
- Chocolate Version: Add chocolate chips to the batter for a little decadent chocolate kick.
- Lemon Curd Variation: 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 just like this Ricotta Cheesecake. 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! Follow the step-by step photos and see the recipe card at the bottom for a printable version.
- 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. Chill the dough for at least 30 minutes. The dough will be soft and sticky before chilling, so don’t add extra flour; chilling helps it firm up and prevents the cookies from spreading too much.
- 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.
Ricotta Cookies FAQs
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.
Use whole-milk ricotta that isn’t overly watery. If your ricotta contains a lot of excess liquid, drain it before adding it to the dough so the cookies maintain the right texture.
Chill the dough for at least 30 minutes before baking. You can also prepare the dough ahead and refrigerate it for up to 24 hours before scooping and baking.
Softness is a defining characteristic of ricotta cookies. The ricotta creates their moist, cake-like texture, so they should not have the firm or crisp texture of a traditional butter cookie.
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 Best Sardinian Pardulas Recipe (Ricotta Cakes)
My Pro Tips
Expert Tips
- Use whole-milk ricotta. Choose ricotta that is creamy but not overly watery for the best texture.
- Use room-temperature ingredients. They incorporate more evenly and help create a smooth cookie dough.
- Chill the dough. This helps prevent the cookies from spreading too much in the oven.
- Don’t overbake. The cookies should remain pale with just lightly golden edges so they stay soft and cake-like.
- Let the glaze set. Allow the lemon glaze to harden completely before stacking or storing the 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
Make 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.
Make 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
- Use whole-milk ricotta. Choose ricotta that is creamy but not overly watery for the best texture.
- Use room-temperature ingredients. They incorporate more evenly and help create a smooth cookie dough.
- Chill the dough. This helps prevent the cookies from spreading too much in the oven.
- Don’t overbake. The cookies should remain pale with just lightly golden edges so they stay soft and cake-like.
- Let the glaze set. Allow the lemon glaze to harden completely before stacking or storing the cookies.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Mine turned out like pancakes too but we’re going to eat them anyway. I like recipes were you weigh ingredients. I think I need more flour.
There is a conversion to grams in this recipe card if that is better for you. They are so delicious with the right portions. I hope you can try again :).
I made these for my bookclub tonight. I think they’ll enjoy them as much as I do. They are easy and delicious!
I hope they all love them too!
Super easy and delicious!
So thrilled you loved them! They are a favorite of ours too.
Hi I wanted to make it so badly as we love the flavors-lemon and ricotta but it was horribly failed attempt. My cookies turned out to be like pancake. I used exact measurements. Can you guide as to what could have gone wrong? I would love to give it another try.
Hi Niki,
I would suggest chilling the dough a bit before baking. Did you use a good quality whole milk ricotta? Have you done a temp check on your oven? Was your batter runny? The batter should be thick. Without looking at it- it hard for me to know what went wrong. It is an AMAZING recipe, and I hope you can try it again! All the best.
These are the BEST cookies. I teach a junior high cooking class and I make these with I students. They are always surprised when we put the ricotta cheese in it but can’t stop raving about them when they are cooked. We love telling them to visit your website for even more great recipes! Thanks for sharing!
Hi Natalie, thrilled you and the students love this recipe. It is a family favorite. Enjoy!
I loved these cookies. They are soft and have the right ratio of sweet and tartness from the lemon. They freeze well.
Hi Joann, happy you loved the recipe. Yes, I have some in the freezer right now.
I have made them twice in the last month (baby shower and Thanksgiving) and they’ve been a huge hit. They definitely need the full time to let the icing dry. Delicious!
So happy you love them! They are easy and full of yummy lemon flavor.
These cookies melt in your mouth and pop with fresh lemon flavor. We loved them!!
They make you want more and more!
Soft and lemony these are one of my all-time favorite cookies. They are so easy to make and super tasty.
Good morning! So excited to try these cookies but I don’t think the proportion of sugar to butter is correct – much to much sugar to make this light and fluffy – even after 10 minutes of beating. Any adjustments? Thanks!
Hi Birgitta, the proportions are correct. Make sure you are using room temperature eggs and granulated sugar. Are you using an electric mixer? I find that helps.