Buttery Lemon Ricotta Cookies Recipe Tastes Like Summer (8 Ingredients, 35 Minutes) Cookies Desserts Snacks Holidays Italian Low Sodium

Lemon lovers, have I got a cookie recipe for you! Leave it to celebrity chef Giada De Laurentiis to come up with this delicious lemon cookie recipe that captures the essence of summer. If you like lemon Girl Scout cookies, I hope you'll like these so much more. These buttery lemon ricotta cookies taste like summer!

The butter and ricotta cheese in these cookies help make them moist and tender without being overly sweet, and the optional lemon glaze adds a wonderful finish to this delicious dessert recipe. Plus, check out the health benefits of ricotta cheese, which is considered one of the healthiest cheeses. 

To make these luscious lemon ricotta cookies, here are the ingredients you'll need: flour (all-purpose or gluten-free), baking powder, salt, butter, granulated sugar, eggs, ricotta cheese and a lemon. For the optional glaze, you'll need powdered sugar and another lemon. These low-sodium lemon cookies are baked until moist and tender. Then, if you like, you can top them with the simple two-ingredient lemon glaze. 

Serve these quick, easy and delicious cookies any time you need a refreshing summer snack. They're perfect for warm weather holidays, or any time you need a sweet lemon dessert. 

Cuisine: Italian
Prep Time: 15 minutes plus time to cool and set
Cook Time: 15 to 20 minutes
Total Time: 30 to 35 minutes plus time to cool and set
Servings: 48 

Ingredients

Cookies

• 2 1/2 cups flour (all-purpose or gluten-free flour)
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened (if you have salted butter, just omit the salt above)
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 2 eggs
• 15 ounces (1 container) whole milk ricotta cheese
• 1 large lemon, juiced and zested

Optional Glaze

• 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
• 1 large lemon, juiced and zested

Here's how to make it: 

1. In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside. (To make these cookies gluten-free, use gluten-free flour.)
2. Combine the butter and granulated sugar in a large bowl. Use an electric mixer to beat the butter and sugar until combined, about 2 minutes.
3. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating until smooth.
4. Add the ricotta cheese, juice from the lemon and lemon zest. Beat to combine.
5. Mix in the dry ingredients.
6. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper. Spoon the dough onto the baking sheets. (The number of cookies depends on the size of the spoonfuls you form.)
7. Bake in an oven that's been preheated to 375 degrees F for about 15 to 20 minutes, or until slightly golden at the edges. Remove from the oven and let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for about 20 minutes.
8. To make the optional glaze, combine the powdered sugar and juice and zest from a large lemon in a small mixing bowl. Stir until smooth.
9. After the cookies cool completely, spoon a bit of glaze onto each cookie and gently spread. Let the glaze harden for about 30 minutes before serving.
    
10. Store leftover cookies in an airtight container.

Recipe cooking times, nutritional information and servings are approximate and provided for your convenience. However, 30Seconds is not responsible for the outcome of any recipe, nor may you have the same results because of variations in ingredients, temperatures, altitude, errors, omissions or cooking/baking abilities. Any nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and it is up to the individual to ascertain accuracy. To ensure image quality, we may occasionally use stock photography.

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