Lemon Ricotta Cookies with Lemon Glaze

 

I have been longing for lemons for the last few months.  Lemon has been in everything.  I made Spaghetti al Limone which I still can not get enough of, I have garnished and squeezed lemon into every dish I can think of.  All that seems to be missing is dessert.  How about a lemon cookie?  Sound delicious, but one with my favorite cheese sounds even better.

Now, I know you ricotta haters out there are saying "can you make something without ricotta already?".  I won't mention any names. Well, I could...  But, I won't.  I love it and I have to say, although Mr. W is a ricotta hater convert he has thoroughly enjoyed all of my ricotta creations.  The Ricotta Ice Cream Cones were a HUGE hit with Mr. W, the Ricotta Pancakes with Banana-Pecan Syrup were thoroughly enjoyed, and I was looking for a triple when I made these Lemon Ricotta Cookies with Lemon Glaze.  Mr. W's exact words "These are ridiculously delicious".  Now coming from a mid-western meat and potatoes man, whose palette growth was stunted by processed foods, this is called 'coming a long way'.  These cookies are light, refreshing and "ridiculously delicious".  Buon Appetito!

Recipe from Giada De Laurentiis

Lemon Ricotta Cookies with Lemon Glaze

Cookies:

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (363g)

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 stick unsalted butter, softened

2 cups sugar

2 eggs

1 (15-ounce) container whole milk ricotta cheese

3 tablespoons lemon juice

1 lemon, zested

Glaze:

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

3 tablespoons lemon juice

1 lemon, zested

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

In a medium bowl combine the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside. 

In the large bowl combine the butter and the sugar. Using an electric mixer beat the butter and sugar until light and 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 using a 2 tablespoon scoop onto the baking sheets. 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. 

Glaze:

Combine the powdered 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. 

 

YIELD: 36 Cookies

Click here for a printable version of this recipe - The Slow Roasted Italian.com