Ricotta Christmas Cookies Recipe - Cooking Classy (2024)

Published December 5, 2022. Updated November 29, 2023

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Italian Ricotta Christmas Cookies are soft and tender, cake-like cookies with sweet and simple icing. They have a light lemon flavor and that sink-your-teeth-in moisture, thanks to the rich ricotta. They’re holiday classics and such a fun recipe to try if you’ve never made them.

Ricotta Christmas Cookies Recipe - Cooking Classy (1)

The Best Ricotta Christmas Cookies Recipe!

Our favorite ricotta cookies! They’re easy to make and they’re always consistently delicious.

They’re so good that you can never stop at just one.

The ricotta cookie dough can be made two days in advance so it’s a great make-ahead recipe. Plus it makes a huge batch of cookies so they’re great for celebrations and gifting.

You’ll love their lightly lemony flavor, the melt-in-your-mouth texture, and that sweet and simple icing finish. And if you want a little contrast finish them with crunchy sugar sprinkles which also add a pretty and festive pop of color.

Watch the Video!

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Ingredients for Ricotta Christmas Cookies

This recipe calls for basic ingredients most all of which you already have on hand. You’ll need:

  • All-purpose flour
  • Baking powder
  • Salt
  • Unsalted butter
  • Granulated sugar
  • Lemon
  • Ricotta – use whole milk
  • Vanilla
  • Eggs
  • Butter
  • Powdered sugar
  • Milk

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How to Make Ricotta Cookies

  1. Whisk flour, baking powder and salt, set aside.
  2. In an electric stand mixer cream together butter, granulated sugar and lemon zest until pale and fluffy.
  3. Mix in ricotta and vanilla extract then blend in eggs one at a time.
  4. Mix in flour mixture.
  5. Chill dough 2 hours or up to 2 days.
  6. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  7. Scoop chilled dough out 1 Tbsp (heaping) at a time and shape into balls, drop onto lined baking sheets.
  8. Bake in preheated oven 12 – 14 minutes until underside of cookies are golden, cool.
  9. Spread over glaze and let set.

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Possible Variations

  • Almond extract: Use almond extract in place of the lemon zest and juice for another flavor option. Use 1/2 tsp almond extract in the dough and 1/4 tsp in the glaze. Replace lemon juice with milk.
  • Orange: You can swap orange zest and orange juice for the lemon, and add extra zest for more orange flavor (up to 2 Tbsp).
  • Lime: Lime zest and lime juice will work well in place of lemon. Use equal amounts.
  • Chocolate chips: Add white chocolate chips to the cookie dough or mini chocolate chips.
  • Nuts: 1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans can be added to the dough.

How to Store Ricotta Cookies

  • Container: Store ricotta cookies in an airtight container. If layering be sure to place parchment paper between them.
  • Fridge: These will keep in the fridge for up to 4 days. Bring to room temperature before serving.
  • Freezer: Ricotta cookies can be frozen for 3 months. I do however recommend waiting to add the icing though because it does wrinkle over time.

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Ricotta Christmas Cookies Recipe - Cooking Classy (8)

More Delicious Ricotta Dessert Recipes to Try!

  • Orange Chocolate Chip Ricotta Cookies
  • Lemon Poppy Seed Ricotta Cookies
  • Lemon Ricotta Cake
  • Cannoli
  • Puff Pastry Tarts with Ricotta Cream Filling

Ricotta Christmas Cookies Recipe - Cooking Classy (9)

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Italian Ricotta Cookies

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Soft and fluffy, lightly lemony, melt-in-your-mouth cookies made with rich ricotta (for moisture and flavor) and finished with a sweet icing.

Watch the video

Servings: 60

Prep30 minutes minutes

Cook50 minutes minutes

Ready in: 1 hour hour 20 minutes minutes

Ingredients

Icing

Instructions

  • For the cookies:

  • In a mixing bowl whisk together flour, baking powder and salt for 20 seconds, set aside.

  • In the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment whip together butter, granulated sugar and lemon zest until pale and fluffy (scrape down sides and bottom of bowl occasionally throughout entire mixing process).

  • Mix in ricotta and vanilla extract then blend in eggs one at a time. Set mixer on low speed and slowly add in flour mixture and mix just until combined. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and chill 2 hours or up to 2 days. Preheat oven to 350 degrees during last 20 minutes of dough chilling.

  • Scoop chilled dough out 1 Tbsp at a time and shape into balls (if it's too sticky just drop onto sheet using two spoons), drop onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper (don't use dark baking sheets).

  • Bake in preheated oven until set, 12 - 14 minutes (bottoms will be lightly golden brown). Cool on baking sheet several minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

  • Once cool spoon icing over cookies and return to wire rack, immediately add sprinkles if using.

  • Allow icing to set at room temperature. Store in an airtight container preferably in a single layer and preferably store in the fridge (bring to room temperature before serving).

  • For the glaze:

  • In a mixing bowl whisk together powdered sugar, melted butter, lemon juice or almond extract, vanilla and 4 Tbsp milk until smooth.

  • Add in more milk 1 tsp at a time to thin as needed (you don't want it to be very thin, it should be quite a bit thicker than a doughnut glaze).

Notes

  • *Scoop flour directly from container using measuring cup and level top using a butter knife. Don't whisk or sift before measuring and don't spoon into a cup. The best option is to use a kitchen scale, I highly recommend investing in one if you don't already have one. I always use mine when baking.
  • **Cookies previously listed using 2 tsp baking soda, but a few have had issues with cookies rising so recipe has been improved to use baking powder instead.
  • Recipe source: adapted fromNew York Times

Nutrition Facts

Italian Ricotta Cookies

Amount Per Serving

Calories 125Calories from Fat 36

% Daily Value*

Fat 4g6%

Saturated Fat 3g19%

Trans Fat 0.1g

Polyunsaturated Fat 0.2g

Monounsaturated Fat 1g

Cholesterol 18mg6%

Sodium 41mg2%

Potassium 41mg1%

Carbohydrates 20g7%

Fiber 0.2g1%

Sugar 13g14%

Protein 2g4%

Vitamin A 142IU3%

Vitamin C 0.2mg0%

Calcium 28mg3%

Iron 0.5mg3%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Nutrition values are estimates only. See full disclaimer here.

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: Italian

Keyword: Ricotta Cookies

Author: Jaclyn

Ricotta Christmas Cookies Recipe - Cooking Classy (2024)

FAQs

Should ricotta cookies be refrigerated? ›

How to Store Ricotta Cookies. Store the cooled cookies in a single layer in an airtight container for up to three days at room temperature. They'll last up to a week in the refrigerator.

What is the most popular Italian cookie? ›

Most Popular Italian Cookies
  • Amaretti. These lovely almond-flavoured biscotti were supposedly first made during the Middle Ages. ...
  • Ricciarelli. ...
  • Baci di dama. ...
  • Chocolate-Pistachio Biscotti. ...
  • Savoiardi. ...
  • Canestrelli. ...
  • Biscotti al Cocco. ...
  • Pizzelle.
Oct 22, 2020

What are the different types of ricotta cheese? ›

Fresh ricotta is readily available in a variety of forms, but the most common types are: ricotta di mucca (cow milk ricotta), ricotta di pecora (sheep milk ricotta), and ricotta mista di mucca e pecora (a mixture of cow and sheep milk ricottas).

Why is ricotta so good? ›

Fresh ricotta has a mild, slightly nutty flavor with a thick and creamy texture studded with very small curds. Its pleasantly neutral flavor helps it to work well in both sweet and savory dishes.

What happens if you don't refrigerate cookies before baking? ›

Popping your dough in the fridge allows the fats to cool. As a result, the cookies will expand more slowly, holding onto their texture. If you skip the chilling step, you're more likely to wind up with flat, sad disks instead of lovely, chewy cookies. Cookies made from chilled dough are also much more flavorful.

Do ricotta cookies go bad? ›

Storage: Baked Ricotta Cookies should be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week, although they are the freshest in the first 4-5 days.

What is the number one cookie in the world? ›

Oreo is the best-selling cookie in the world. It is now sold in over 100 countries. Oreo was first produced in 1912 by the National Biscuit Company, now known as Na-Bis-Co.

What is the #1 cookie in the United States? ›

The chocolate chip cookie is far and away America's favorite cookie This should come as no surprise to anyone who enjoys the tasty treat. More than 53% of American adults prefer the cookies over the next most popular kind, peanut butter.

What is the oldest known cookie in the world? ›

Pizzelles are the oldest known cookie and originated in the mid-section of Italy. They were made many years ago for the “Festival of the Snakes” also known as the “Feast Day of San Domenico”.

What do Italians use instead of ricotta? ›

Mascarpone: Another Italian cheese, mascarpone makes a great ricotta substitute. However, since mascarpone is more tart and flavorful, you should only use it in dishes with other strong flavors.

How do Italians eat ricotta? ›

Then, I head to an unmarked shop in the outskirts of town to buy some of Margherita Cavalera's exquisite ricotta. In Italy, ricotta is typically eaten as a filling for pasta or cannoli. Here in Racale, Margherita's ricotta is eaten by the spoonful — without even salt or olive oil.

Do Italians use ricotta? ›

It can also be eaten by itself, perhaps accompanied by honey or jam, or spread on fresh, warm bread. Made from the leftover curds from cheese making, ricotta is a prime example of the Italian tradition of never throwing anything away.

What are the disadvantages of ricotta cheese? ›

A 1-cup serving of whole milk ricotta cheese contains 428 calories and 32 grams of fat. The majority of that fat — 20 grams — comes from saturated fat, the type of fat that can wreak havoc with your blood cholesterol levels and lead to an increased risk of heart disease.

Is it OK to eat ricotta everyday? ›

Ricotta lovers will be happy to know that ricotta cheese is a healthy food and belongs to the dairy food group. It can be enjoyed every day as part of a balanced diet.

Why do people mix egg with ricotta? ›

For extra creamy ricotta, add in an extra egg, a handful of grated parmesan, and a quarter cup of shredded mozzarella. Eggs help prevent the ricotta from drying out and serve to bind the ricotta so it doesn't become runny.

Do ricotta pastries need to be refrigerated? ›

Fried food is always best eaten asap, if you have leftovers, be sure to refrigerate the pastry because of the ricotta filling.

Do cream cheese cookies need to be refrigerated? ›

Do they need to be refrigerated? This type of cookie can be stored in a sealed container at room temperature for two days. Things with lots of cream cheese like cheesecakes and baked goods with cream cheese frosting should definitely be refrigerated.

Should you refrigerate cookies or leave them out? ›

Information. Bakery or homemade cookies can be stored at room temperature two to three weeks or two months in the refrigerator. Cookies retain their quality when stored in the freezer for eight to 12 months. Moist bars, such as cheesecake and lemon bars, can be refrigerated for seven days.

How do you store stuffed cookies? ›

Depends on the type of cookies - dry cookies can be stored in a tin. Anything with filling in a container in a cool dry place and if you must, the fridge.

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