Lemon Ricotta Cookies Glaze (Print version)
Soft, cake-like lemon ricotta cookies with a sweet tangy glaze, perfect for warm-weather gatherings.
# What you'll need:
→ Cookies
01 - 2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1 teaspoon baking powder
03 - 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
04 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
05 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
06 - 1 cup granulated sugar
07 - 1 large egg
08 - 1 cup whole milk ricotta cheese
09 - 2 tablespoons freshly grated lemon zest (about 2 lemons)
10 - 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
11 - 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
→ Lemon Glaze
12 - 1 cup powdered sugar, sifted
13 - 2 to 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
14 - 1 teaspoon lemon zest
# How to make it:
01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
02 - Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. Set aside.
03 - Beat butter and sugar with an electric mixer until light and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes.
04 - Mix in egg until fully incorporated.
05 - Blend in ricotta, lemon zest, lemon juice, and vanilla until smooth.
06 - Gradually add dry ingredients on low speed until just combined. Avoid overmixing.
07 - Drop tablespoon-sized mounds onto prepared sheets, spacing 2 inches apart.
08 - Bake 13 to 15 minutes until set with lightly golden edges.
09 - Rest on sheets 5 minutes, then transfer to wire rack to cool completely.
10 - Whisk powdered sugar, lemon juice, and zest until smooth and pourable.
11 - Spoon or drizzle glaze over cooled cookies. Let glaze set before serving.
# Expert suggestions:
01 -
- The ricotta keeps them impossibly soft for days, not that they last that long around anyone with working taste buds.
- They taste expensive and fussy but come together faster than washing your dishes afterward.
02 -
- Whole milk ricotta matters more than you expect, and the cheap watery kind from the back of the dairy case will betray you with flat, sad cookies.
- Room temperature ricotta blends smoothly while cold ricotta leaves tiny lumps that bake into weird pockets.
03 -
- Zest your lemons before juicing them, because trying the reverse order leads to slippery frustration and wasted citrus.
- Underbake slightly if you prefer cake-like centers, as these continue cooking on the hot sheet after removal.