Italian Ricotta Cookies - An Easy Christmas Cookies Recipe! (2024)

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Italian Ricotta Cookies are soft, cake-like little cookies with lovely flavor and a tasty icing on top! They are easy to make and perfect for any holiday – especially Christmas!

Looking for more Christmas cookie ideas? Try my buttery Spritz cookies recipe, these easy gingerbread cookies or these classic snowball cookies.

Italian Ricotta Cookies - An Easy Christmas Cookies Recipe! (2)

Table of Contents

  • Italian Ricotta Cookies
  • Ingredients in Italian Ricotta Cookies
  • How to make Italian Ricotta Cookies
  • Get the Recipe

Italian Ricotta Cookies

If you’ve never had Italian Ricotta Cookies before, it’s definitely a cookie you need to try. It’s funny because if you haven’t had one before, it’s hard to imagine what they would taste like. I mean, does it taste like cheese? Nope!

These cookies actually have a very light, yet wonderful flavor to them. They are very vanilla, but these also have a little lemon zest as well, giving them a wonderfully refreshing flavor. And then with their cake-like texture, it’s like eating tasty little pillows!

I seriously couldn’t stop eating these. They are far too addicting! It’s probably good the recipe makes quite a few. You’ll snag several before these even make it onto your cookie tray – and that will be ok!

Italian Ricotta Cookies - An Easy Christmas Cookies Recipe! (3)

Ingredients in Italian Ricotta Cookies

These cookies contain ingredients you should mostly have on hand with a couple exceptions.

  • All purpose flour
  • Baking soda – Some recipes use a combination of baking soda and baking powder, but I must prefer all baking soda. I generally prefer that in cookies and it definitely applies here. I find that it gives a more moist and tender cookie that stays softer for longer. I find that adding in baking powder makes them more dense, which I don’t prefer.
  • Salt, Vanilla extract – For Flavor.
  • Butter, Eggs, Sugar
  • Lemon Zest – While you could leave this out, the cookie flavor might be a little dull without it. The cookies taste ever so slightly of lemon. It’s not super obvious, but it’s there and very tasty!
  • Ricotta cheese – As I said before, these cookies don’t taste like cheese. But the ricotta does lend a light flavor to the cookies and adds to their texture, making them moist and soft.
Italian Ricotta Cookies - An Easy Christmas Cookies Recipe! (4)

How to make Italian Ricotta Cookies

These cookies are simple and straight forward to make, which is great during a busy holiday season!

  1. Cream your butter and sugar together. You want to do this for 3-4 minutes. You’ll actually notice the change in color and texture. This step helps add air to the cookie dough that’s important for your cookies to rise properly.
  2. Add your eggs one a time. Adding them one at a time helps them incorporate evenly.
  3. Time for the vanilla extract and Ricotta cheese. Mix them into the cookie dough until well combined.
  4. Dry ingredients. Add them to the mix and mix together just until combined. Don’t over mix or you could end up with tough cookies.
  5. Scoop out your cookies and bake them. You could refrigerate the dough if you want to make it ahead, but you don’t need to. The cookies bake great either way. Just be sure to scoop out balls that are no larger than one tablespoon or the cookies could end up spreading too much.
  6. Make the icing. It’s a simple combination of powdered sugar, milk, butter and vanilla extract. Just whisk it all together!
  7. Dip the cookies in the icing and add sprinkles! Turn the cookies upside down and dip them. Shake of the excess icing, then add sprinkles. The sprinkles do tend to bleed from the moisture of the icing after sitting overnight, so if you want them to look nicer I’d suggest icing and adding sprinkles shortly before serving.
Italian Ricotta Cookies - An Easy Christmas Cookies Recipe! (5)

These cookies are truly great for any time you feel like a cookie. While often popular at Christmas, they’d be great any time. You can swap out the sprinkles for any festive mix you like. You could even swap out the vanilla and lemon flavor of these for some almond or coconut extract. The options are endless and no matter how you make them, they are sure to be soft little cakey pillows of awesomeness. I hope you enjoy them!

[adthrive-in-post-video-player video-id=”OHvgnYoX” upload-date=”2019-12-09T10:00:00.000Z” name=”Italian-Ricotta-Cookies” description=”Italian Ricotta Cookies are soft, cake-like little cookies with lovely flavor and a tasty icing on top! They are easy to make and perfect for any holiday – especially Christmas!” ]

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Italian Ricotta Cookies - An Easy Christmas Cookies Recipe! (6)

Recipe

Italian Ricotta Cookies

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 4.8 from 4 reviews

  • Author: Lindsay
  • Prep Time: 1 hour
  • Cook Time: 36 minutes
  • Total Time: 1 hour 36 minutes
  • Yield: about 48 cookies
  • Category: Dessert
  • Method: Oven
  • Cuisine: American
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Description

Italian Ricotta Cookies are soft, cake-like little cookies with lovely flavor and a tasty icing on top! They are easy to make and perfect for any holiday – especially Christmas!

Ingredients

Cookies

  • 3 3/4 cups (488g) all-purpose flour
  • 2 tsp baking soda
  • 3/4 tsp salt
  • 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 3/4 cups (362g) granulated sugar
  • 1 tsp lemon zest
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 tbsp vanilla extract
  • 15 oz (1 3/4 cups) whole milk ricotta cheese

Icing

  • 2 cups (230g) powdered sugar
  • 45 tbsp milk
  • 3 tbsp butter, melted
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. Set aside.
2. Combine the flour, baking soda and salt in a medium sized bowl and set aside.
3. Cream the butter, sugar and lemon zest together in a large mixer bowl on medium speed for 3-4 minutes, until light in color and fluffy. You should be able to see the change in color and texture happen and know it’s ready.
4. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing until well combined between each addition.
5. Add the vanilla extract and ricotta and mix until well combined.
6. Slowly add the flour mixture and stir until just combined. Do not over mix.
7. If you’d like to chill the cookie dough (which makes it a easier to work with), cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for about 2 hours or up to two days. You don’t have to chill the dough though. It doesn’t really change the outcome.
8. Drop tablespoon sized balls (no larger or they will spread too much) of cookie dough onto the cookie sheet and gently shape into a ball shape.
9. Bake for 9-12 minutes or until the bottoms of the cookies are lightly golden.
10. Cool cookies on the cookie sheet for 2-3 minutes, then remove to a cooling rack to cool completely.
11. To make the icing, whisk the powdered sugar, milk, butter and vanilla extract together in a small bowl.
12. Turn the cookies upside down, one at a time, and dip the tops of them into the icing.
13. Turn the cookies over and add sprinkles. Allow to dry. The icing will crust over, but doesn’t dry hard.
14. Store the cookies in an airtight container. The sprinkles will likely bleed after sitting overnight, so if you want the presentation to be nice, I’d suggest adding the icing and sprinkles shortly before serving. The icing also starts to wrinkle after a day or two. Cookies are best for about 4-5 days.

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1 cookie
  • Calories: 143
  • Sugar: 12.3 g
  • Sodium: 100.5 mg
  • Fat: 6 g
  • Carbohydrates: 20.1 g
  • Protein: 2.3 g
  • Cholesterol: 24.4 mg

Categories

  • Christmas
  • Cookies
  • Holidays
  • Recipes
  • Recipes with video
  • Sweets and Treats
Italian Ricotta Cookies - An Easy Christmas Cookies Recipe! (2024)

FAQs

What does ricotta mean in Italian? ›

So, ricotta actually translates to recooked in Italian, and ricotta is what's called a "whey cheese." When you make cheese, you separate milk into two distinct things. You have the solids, called curds, which will be separated out and pressed to form cheese. And you have the liquid that is left behind, called whey.

What is the number one ricotta in Italy? ›

One of the most renowned ricotta in Italy is the sheep milk Ricotta Romana (D.O.P.), which has a protected designation of origin. This certifies that it is produced only in the region of Lazio and that strict requirements regarding its method of production are followed.

What is the difference between American and Italian ricotta? ›

In the United States, American ricotta is almost always made of cow's milk whey, as opposed to Italian ricotta which is typically made from the whey of sheep, cow, goat, or Italian water buffalo milk.

What do Italians eat ricotta with? ›

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.

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.

Where did ricotta cookies originate? ›

Ricotta cookies are a soft, almost fluffy drop cookie topped with a simple glaze. My understanding is they are Italian in origin, although I mostly think of ricotta cookies as something that's made around the holidays, like Thanksgiving and Christmas.

Is ricotta good or bad for you? ›

Compared to most cheeses, ricotta is a healthier choice because it contains less salt and fat - 10 per cent fat, of which 6 per cent is saturated. It's light and creamy with a slightly grainy texture and delicate flavour that can be used on its own or in sweet and savoury dishes.

Which brand of ricotta is the creamiest? ›

Galbani® Double Cream Ricotta has twice the cream of regular whole milk ricotta and all the delicious taste and texture you expect plus it is made with 4 simple ingredients.

What is the king of all Italian cheeses? ›

distinctive Parmigiano Reggiano marks. Known as the “King of Cheeses”, Parmesan, or Parmigiano Reggiano was first produced by Benedictine and Cistercian monks a thousand years ago.

What is the Mexican equivalent of ricotta? ›

Requesón is a soft cheese similar to ricotta or cottage cheese. This mild, non-salty cheese is often used as a filling for empanadas, enchiladas and gorditos, and can also be used as a spread.

What is Chicago style ricotta? ›

Our Original Chicago Style (Ricotta Cheese) is a soft, whey based cheese. It has higher moisture and lower fat content, as well as a coarser texture when compared to our Whole Milk Ricotta.

What Mexican cheese is closest to ricotta? ›

Soft, creamy requesón is similar in texture to Italian whole-milk ricotta, and like ricotta, is made with the whey from the cheese-making process. Try it in these Crispy Ricotta-Kale Tacos.

What to pair with ricotta? ›

You can smear ricotta on toast and then top it with almost anything for an easy meal. Try it with corn and scallions, or pesto and tomatoes, or a fried egg. You can also eat it for dessert: top with strawberries and honey or banana and nutella.

Does ricotta go on pizza before or after baking? ›

Does Ricotta Cheese Go on Pizza Before or After Cooking? While ricotta can technically be put on pizza before or after baking, if you want the ricotta to be warm and creamy, it is best to add it to pizza before baking.

Can you freeze ricotta? ›

Stored properly, fresh ricotta will last in the freezer for one to three months. Once you thaw your cheese, it is not recommended to refreeze it. Since freezing it just once already causes the cheese to degrade somewhat, you can imagine what constant thawing and refreezing would do.

Why is it called ricotta? ›

Rightly so, ricotta is considered one of the prime frugal peasant foods of Italy; its name means “re-cooked” – cotta being the past participle of cuocere, or “to cook” – referring to the reuse of leftover whey after milk has been separated.

Do Italians use ricotta in lasagna? ›

While ricotta is included in certain varieties of lasagna in Italy, the style that serves as the primary inspiration for American recipes is the one from the region of Emilia Romagna. There, it's traditionally layered with pasta, bolognese, and béchamel—with no ricotta to be found.

What is big girl in Italian? ›

en. big girl = ragazzona.

Is ricotta same as cottage cheese? ›

They are both soft, white, fresh cheeses, but there are several differences that make each type of cheese unique. Texture: Ricotta cheese is made from very fine curds, resulting in a smooth but slightly grainy texture. Cottage cheese, on the other hand, contains more liquid and is lumpier than ricotta.

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