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
💙 MADE THIS RECIPE AND LOVED IT? 💙 Please leave a ⭐️STAR rating and COMMENT below- I love connecting with you! Tag me with your creations on Instagram and find me on Pinterest.
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.
Hi Elena!
I’ve used you recipes many times but this one missed the mark. I followed it to the tee and used land O Lakes butter and they still turned out flat.
Thank you so much for trying the recipe and for your honest feedback, I really appreciate it.
When these cookies turn out flat, it’s usually the ricotta. I’ve found it makes a big difference to use a high-quality brand like BelGioioso with very simple ingredients, just milk, vinegar, and salt (sometimes whey). Many ricottas have added stabilizers or fillers, and that extra moisture can cause the cookies to spread.
A couple of tips for next time:
If your ricotta seems wet, gently drain or blot it with a paper towel
Make sure the butter is softened, not too warm
Chill the dough briefly if needed before baking
They should bake up soft, tender, and lightly puffed.
If you’d like another lemon dessert to try, my lemon yogurt cake is very forgiving and always turns out beautifully.
💛 Mangia!
My daughter who doesn’t love lemon, LOVED these cookies!
That is the best compliment!! If they won over someone who doesn’t even love lemon, I know they’re a winner 😊
That soft ricotta texture with just a hint of fresh lemon is what makes them so special, light, delicate, and not overpowering.
So happy you both loved them, thank you for sharing! 💛 Mangia!
But why lie? It’s one TEASPOON of zest per lemon, not one tbls. That is unless you have grapefruit sized lemons. I find this error in lots of recipes, and most of them warn you not to grate into the pith. So again, three, not one lemon … unless you’re willing to spend an hour getting ALL the zest out of the grater with a toothpick; even then you’ll need at least two.
Thanks for your comment. Lemon size can vary quite a bit, so the amount of zest you get really depends on the fruit. In my experience, one medium lemon usually yields about 1 tablespoon of zest if you remove only the yellow part and avoid the white pith, which is what I do when developing recipes.
If your lemons are smaller or you prefer a lighter lemon flavor, using a little less zest is perfectly fine too. Cooking should always work for your ingredients and taste.
I appreciate you taking the time to share your feedback.
These were huge lemons and I got 2 tablespoons of of five of them. Perhaps modern agriculture has produced lemons with a thinner rind?
Five huge lemons … 2 tablespoons. Perhaps modern agriculture is producing thinner rinds. No matter, LOVE the cookies.
Five huge lemons … 2 tablespoons. Perhaps modern agriculture is producing thinner rinds. No matter, LOVE the cookies.
Yes, I guess it can vary. I am glad you loved the recipe. All the best, Elena.
What a lovely reply to a confrontational comment. My lemon sizes vary so I adjust accordingly.
Your cookies are delicious and I make them for family get togethers. They are often requested!
Yes, sometimes writing recipes is a bit tricky since I can’t be in everyone’s kitchen testing oven temperatures, flour brands, lemon sizes, etc :). I try my best! I always appreciate a little grace. Thank you for your kindness and I am thrilled you love the cookies- YAY!
Delicious flavor and texture! This recipe won me a Most Creative Cookie prize at a cookie exchange last Christmas with my friends. Everyone loved them, including me and my entire family!
That makes me so happy to hear 🤍 Winning Most Creative Cookie is such an honor! I love that you shared them at a cookie exchange and that your friends and family enjoyed them so much. Thank you for baking the recipe and for taking the time to share this with me, it truly means a lot♥️!
There is no way to save or copy and send your recipes anywhere.
Thank you but for me that is absolutely useless. 🫤
Wow, Laura. Elena is kind enough to share her incredible recipes with us for free, and you respond with a one star rating just because you cannot copy and paste it?! Your rating should reflect the recipe, not your entitlement issues.
Thank you for reaching out. You actually can both print and save the recipes, and I’d love to help you find those options.
Right above the recipe card you’ll see a “Print Recipe” button. If you click that, it opens a clean printable version that you can either print or save as a PDF on your computer or phone.
There is also a Save feature on the site that lets you bookmark recipes so you can easily come back to them anytime.
If you’re still having trouble finding those buttons, let me know what device you’re using and I’ll gladly help you step by step. I want the recipes to be easy and useful for you 🤍
could not find cooking temp
Hi! All the information and instructions are there in the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post. Enjoy the recipe!