I made Meyer Lemon Ricotta Cookies, and now I’m buying ricotta every week because these things made me totally rethink dessert, you have to see why.

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I’m obsessed with these Lemon Ricotta Cookies. I buy ricotta just to make more.

They’re pillowy, lemon-bright, and oddly tender without feeling cakey. I love that the ricotta keeps them soft and a little springy, and the lemon zest punches through like it means business.

Some call them Meyer Lemon Ricotta Cookies and they’d be right; swap lemons and you get a different sass. I keep dreaming about them between bites.

Best Ricotta Cookies? Maybe.

But mostly I just want another one, right now, with more whole milk ricotta and a shower of extra lemon zest and a cold coffee.

Ingredients

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All purpose flour: Gives structure and lightness, so the cookies aren’t too cakey.
Baking powder: Makes them pillowy and soft, kind of cloud-like in the middle.
Baking soda: Helps browning and a tiny bit of lift, keeps edges tender.
Fine salt: Balances sweetness and sharpens the lemon, you’ll notice it.
Unsalted butter: Adds richness and a gentle chew, not greasy at all.
Granulated sugar: Sweetness and slight crunch, those crystals caramelize just right.
Eggs: Bind everything and give a little lift, making them sturdy enough.
Ricotta: Basically creamy moisture and tang, makes cookies soft and almost cake-like.
Vanilla extract: Warms the flavor, smooths out the lemon zing.
Lemon zest: Bright citrus pop in every bite, super aromatic.
Fresh lemon juice: Adds real tartness, makes the lemon honest and lively.
Powdered sugar glaze: Sweet shiny finish, plus a little tang if you thin it.

Ingredient Quantities

1 1/2 cups (190 g) all purpose flour

1 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp fine salt

1/2 cup (115 g) unsalted butter, softened

1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar

2 large eggs, room temperature

1 cup (250 g) whole milk ricotta, well drained and at room temp

1 tsp vanilla extract

zest of 2 lemons, about 2 tbsp

2 tbsp fresh lemon juice, plus more if you like it tangy

1 cup (120 g) powdered sugar for glaze

1 to 2 tbsp milk or extra lemon juice to thin glaze as needed

How to Make this

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1. Preheat oven to 350 F (175 C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or spray lightly with nonstick spray.

2. Drain ricotta well by placing it in a fine mesh sieve or cheesecloth over a bowl for 20 to 30 minutes, then press gently and bring to room temp. You want about 1 cup (250 g) finished.

3. Whisk together dry ingredients: 1 1/2 cups (190 g) all purpose flour, 1 tsp baking powder, 1/4 tsp baking soda, and 1/4 tsp fine salt. Set aside.

4. In a large bowl, cream 1/2 cup (115 g) softened unsalted butter with 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar until light and fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes. Don’t under-cream, but don’t overdo it either.

5. Add 2 large room temp eggs one at a time, beating well after each. Stir in the drained ricotta, 1 tsp vanilla extract, zest of 2 lemons (about 2 tbsp) and 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice. The batter will be soft and a little shaggy, that’s okay.

6. Fold the dry ingredients into the wet with a spatula until just combined. Do not overmix or batter will get tough. If it’s very loose, chill for 20 minutes; if not, go ahead.

7. Use a
1.5 tbsp or medium cookie scoop to portion dough onto prepared sheets, spacing about 2 inches apart. Gently flatten each mound a bit with wet fingers or the bottom of a glass because they don’t spread much.

8. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, rotating pans once if needed, until edges are set and tops have tiny cracks. They will be pale and soft. Let cookies cool on the sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

9. Make the glaze by whisking 1 cup (120 g) powdered sugar with 1 to 2 tbsp milk or extra lemon juice until smooth and drizzle-able. Start with 1 tbsp and add more to thin. If you want it tangy, use lemon juice.

10. Drizzle or spread glaze over cooled cookies, let set about 20 minutes. Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days, or freeze unglazed dough balls for later baking.

Equipment Needed

1. Oven (preheated to 350 F / 175 C)
2. Two baking sheets lined with parchment paper or nonstick spray
3. Fine mesh sieve or cheesecloth for draining ricotta
4. Large mixing bowl and a medium bowl for dry ingredients
5. Electric mixer or sturdy whisk (for creaming butter and sugar)
6. Spatula for folding batter and scraping bowls
7. 1.5 tbsp scoop or medium cookie scoop (or a tablespoon) to portion dough
8. Zester or fine grater and a small bowl for lemon juice and zest
9. Wire cooling rack for letting cookies cool and setting the glaze

FAQ

Q: My ricotta seemed watery. Will that mess up the cookies? A: Yes, extra water makes the dough too loose and the cookies spread flat. Drain ricotta well by pressing it in a fine mesh sieve or cheesecloth for 15 to 30 minutes, or stir it into a bowl and let it sit in the fridge with a paper towel on top. You want thick, slightly dense ricotta, not wet cottage-cheese stuff.

Q: The centers were gummy, what did I do wrong? A: Probably underbaked or the ricotta was too wet. Bake until edges are set and tops are lightly golden, then cool on the sheet 5 minutes before moving to a rack. If your oven runs cool, add 3 to 5 minutes. Also dont overmix the batter or you'll get tough cookies.

Q: Can I use low fat ricotta or Greek yogurt instead? A: You can, but texture changes. Low fat ricotta makes cookies less tender and slightly drier, yogurt yields a different tang and looser batter so reduce other liquids. Whole milk ricotta gives the best soft, pillowy result.

Q: How do I get a shiny, not too sweet glaze? A: Start with 1 tablespoon lemon juice plus 1 tablespoon milk and whisk into the powdered sugar. Add more liquid by a few drops if needed until it coats a spoon. For less sweet, use more lemon and skip some milk. Spread or drizzle while cookies are fully cooled so glaze sets pretty.

Q: Can I make the dough ahead or freeze cookies? A: Yes. Dough keeps in the fridge up to 48 hours, tightly wrapped. You can also freeze baked cookies in a single layer then bag them for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temp, then re-glaze if you like. If freezing unbaked dough, scoop onto a tray, freeze until firm and transfer to a bag; add a few minutes to baking time.

Q: My cookies spread too much. How do I stop that? A: Check butter temp. If butter is too soft or melted, they spread. Chill scooped dough 15 minutes before baking. Also make sure you measured flour correctly get a spoon and level method rather than packing the cup. Finally, dont overcrowd the pan so air circulates well.

Lemon Ricotta Cookies (Biscotti Alla Ricotta Morbidi) Recipe Substitutions and Variations

All purpose flour: swap with cake flour 1:1 for a lighter, more tender cookie, or use whole wheat pastry flour 1:1 for nuttier flavor but the cookies will be a bit denser and chewier.
Whole milk ricotta: if you don’t have ricotta, pulse small curd cottage cheese in a blender until smooth and use 1:1, or use mascarpone 1:1 for a richer, creamier result; strained full-fat Greek yogurt also works 1:1 but may make them slightly tangier.
Unsalted butter: solid coconut oil works 1:1 (use refined if you don’t want coconut flavor), or use room temp vegetable shortening 1:1 if you need more stability in heat.
Powdered sugar for glaze: if you’re out of confectioners sugar, blend granulated sugar with 1 to 2 teaspoons cornstarch until very fine and use the same weight, or make a thin honey-lemon drizzle (less sweet, more tang) using about 2 tbsp honey plus lemon juice to thin as needed.

Pro Tips

1. Drain the ricotta well, then press it a bit with the back of a spoon so there isnt extra water in the batter. Too wet ricotta = flat, gummy cookies. If you forgot to start draining early, pop it in a cheesecloth and squeeze gently, it helps faster.

2. Bring eggs, butter and ricotta to room temp before mixing. Cold ingredients make the batter seize up and the cookies wont get that tender cakey crumb. If youre in a hurry, set eggs in a bowl of warm water for 5 minutes.

3. Don’t overmix once you add the flour. Fold until you barely see streaks of flour. Overworking develops the gluten and gives chewy dense cookies instead of light, slightly cakey ones.

4. If the dough seems too loose for scooping, chill it 15 to 30 minutes. It firms up without drying out the flavors. Also, wet your fingers or the bottom of a glass when flattening the mounds so they dont stick and you get those pretty cracks on top.

5. For the glaze, start with milk to get smooth coverage then add a splash of lemon juice for brightness if you want tang. Powdered sugar draws moisture from the air, so glaze on cooled cookies and store in an airtight container with a sheet of parchment between layers to keep them from sticking.

Lemon Ricotta Cookies (Biscotti Alla Ricotta Morbidi) Recipe

Recipe by Louise Nightin

0.0 from 0 votes

I made Meyer Lemon Ricotta Cookies, and now I'm buying ricotta every week because these things made me totally rethink dessert, you have to see why.

Servings

servings

Calories

417

kcal

Equipment: 1. Oven (preheated to 350 F / 175 C)
2. Two baking sheets lined with parchment paper or nonstick spray
3. Fine mesh sieve or cheesecloth for draining ricotta
4. Large mixing bowl and a medium bowl for dry ingredients
5. Electric mixer or sturdy whisk (for creaming butter and sugar)
6. Spatula for folding batter and scraping bowls
7. 1.5 tbsp scoop or medium cookie scoop (or a tablespoon) to portion dough
8. Zester or fine grater and a small bowl for lemon juice and zest
9. Wire cooling rack for letting cookies cool and setting the glaze

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups (190 g) all purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp fine salt
1/2 cup (115 g) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
2 large eggs, room temperature
1 cup (250 g) whole milk ricotta, well drained and at room temp
1 tsp vanilla extract
zest of 2 lemons, about 2 tbsp
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice, plus more if you like it tangy
1 cup (120 g) powdered sugar for glaze
1 to 2 tbsp milk or extra lemon juice to thin glaze as needed

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 F (175 C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or spray lightly with nonstick spray.
Drain ricotta well by placing it in a fine mesh sieve or cheesecloth over a bowl for 20 to 30 minutes, then press gently and bring to room temp. You want about 1 cup (250 g) finished.
Whisk together dry ingredients: 1 1/2 cups (190 g) all purpose flour, 1 tsp baking powder, 1/4 tsp baking soda, and 1/4 tsp fine salt. Set aside.
In a large bowl, cream 1/2 cup (115 g) softened unsalted butter with 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar until light and fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes. Don’t under-cream, but don’t overdo it either.
Add 2 large room temp eggs one at a time, beating well after each. Stir in the drained ricotta, 1 tsp vanilla extract, zest of 2 lemons (about 2 tbsp) and 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice. The batter will be soft and a little shaggy, that’s okay.
Fold the dry ingredients into the wet with a spatula until just combined. Do not overmix or batter will get tough. If it's very loose, chill for 20 minutes; if not, go ahead.
Use a
5 tbsp or medium cookie scoop to portion dough onto prepared sheets, spacing about 2 inches apart. Gently flatten each mound a bit with wet fingers or the bottom of a glass because they don’t spread much.
Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, rotating pans once if needed, until edges are set and tops have tiny cracks. They will be pale and soft. Let cookies cool on the sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Make the glaze by whisking 1 cup (120 g) powdered sugar with 1 to 2 tbsp milk or extra lemon juice until smooth and drizzle-able. Start with 1 tbsp and add more to thin. If you want it tangy, use lemon juice.
Drizzle or spread glaze over cooled cookies, let set about 20 minutes. Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days, or freeze unglazed dough balls for later baking.

Notes

Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.