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Perfect Lemon Ricotta Cookies: Easy Melt-in-Your-Mouth Recipe

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These soft, pillowy lemon ricotta cookies are melt-in-your-mouth delicious with a bright, crackly glaze. Made with simple ingredients and no chilling required, they’re perfect for any occasion.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 ½ cups (300g) all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ cup (1 stick, 113g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
  • 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs, room temperature
  • 1 cup (250g) whole milk ricotta cheese, drained
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lemon zest
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 ½ cups (180g) powdered sugar
  • 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (for glaze)
  • 1 teaspoon lemon zest (for garnish)
  • 1–2 tablespoons milk (for glaze, if needed)

Instructions

  1. Prep the ricotta: Line a fine-mesh strainer with a paper towel or clean kitchen towel. Place over a bowl and spoon in the ricotta. Let drain for 30 minutes.
  2. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
  3. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
  4. In a large mixing bowl, beat softened butter and granulated sugar together until light and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes on medium speed.
  5. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each. Mix in vanilla, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Mixture may look curdled; this is normal.
  6. Gently fold in drained ricotta with a rubber spatula until just combined.
  7. Add dry ingredients to wet mixture in two additions, mixing on low speed until just incorporated. Dough will be soft and slightly sticky.
  8. Using a cookie scoop or two spoons, drop rounded tablespoons of dough onto prepared baking sheets, spacing 2 inches apart.
  9. Bake for 12-14 minutes, until edges are barely golden and tops look set. Rotate pans halfway through. Centers should still look soft and slightly puffed.
  10. Let cookies cool on baking sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before glazing.
  11. Make the glaze: Whisk together powdered sugar and 2 tablespoons lemon juice. Add more lemon juice or a splash of milk if too thick. Stir in a pinch of lemon zest.
  12. Once cookies are completely cool, dip tops into glaze or drizzle with a spoon. Sprinkle with extra lemon zest while glaze is wet. Let set for 20 minutes before serving.

Notes

Don’t skip draining the ricotta—it prevents soggy cookies. Use room temperature ingredients for best results. Underbake slightly rather than overbaking. Cool completely before glazing. Cookies can be frozen unglazed for up to 3 months or glazed for up to 2 months. Flavors improve after a day.

Nutrition

Keywords: lemon ricotta cookies, soft cookies, Italian cookies, lemon cookies, ricotta cookies, easy cookie recipe, melt-in-your-mouth cookies

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