Let me first say that I found these cookies impossible to photograph. I just couldn’t make them look good, no matter how many times I tried. Still, I loved them way too much not to share them with you guys!
When I first saw Giada make these, I was skeptical. Ricotta in cookies? Weird. I’d looked up the recipe though and seen that the cookies were well liked by the reviewers. I’d also picked up a container of ricotta at the farmer’s market recently and was trying to find different uses for it. So I decided to halve the recipe and give the cookies a shot and wow, am I glad that I did! They’re delicious – great lemon flavor! The cookies are very cake-like and so tender and moist. I much prefer soft, chewy cookies to crispy ones, so these were perfect for me. Though the little specks of lemon zest in the glaze were pretty, I actually preferred the cookies plain.
By Tracey
Lemon Ricotta Cookies with Lemon Glaze
from Giada de Laurentiis via FoodNetwork.com
Ingredients:
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 (15-oz) container whole milk ricotta cheese
- 3 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 lemon, zested
Glaze:
- 1 1/2 cups confectioner’s sugar
- 3 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 lemon, zested
Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 F.
To Make the Cookies: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
In the large bowl, cream the butter and the sugar with an electric mixer until light about fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, beating until incorporated. Add the ricotta cheese, lemon juice, and lemon zest. Beat to combine. Stir in the dry ingredients.
Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Spoon the dough (about 2 tablespoons for each cookie) onto the baking sheets (leave a few inches in between the cookies – they do spread). Bake for 15 minutes, until slightly golden at the edges. Remove from the oven and let the cookies rest on the baking sheet for 20 minutes.
To Make the Glaze: Combine the confectioner’s sugar, lemon juice, and lemon zest in a small bowl and stir until smooth. Spoon about 1/2-teaspoon onto each cookie and use the back of the spoon to gently spread. Let the glaze harden for about 2 hours.
