The ricotta makes them moist, not dry and with a little frosting the perfect sweetness,
Mom made these often, even though they were a traditional Easter cookie.
These lemon ricotta cookies were my dad's favorite cookie.
If you love these cookies you may also like Pistachio Ricotta Cookies, those are another family favorite mom always made for Christmas because of the green color!
These are the perfect cookies to change the sprinkles to a colorful holiday theme at any time of the year and these ricotta cookies are so easy to make.
Dad just loved lemon-flavored cookies. We enjoy these lemon cookies all year long.
Scroll down to print off this simple Italian cookie recipe.
Mom's Cookie Recipe
Mom's recipe for these lemon ricotta cookies is a basic delicious Italian cookie.
They are pretty full-proof even for the newest bakers out there.
An Italian cookie that is so versatile as you can add any flavoring you like!
Whether you love orange, just vanilla, or even anisette flavoring, these are always a moist and tender delicious cookie.
Ingredients You Will Need
- baking soda
- sugar
- eggs
- flour
- whole milk ricotta cheese
- grated lemon peel
- pure vanilla extract
- lemon extract
- pinch of salt
- butter softened
- powdered sugar
- any colored sprinkles for garnish you like
Tips
- Great for Italian wedding tray cookies
- These travel well
- Do not overbake them
- These freeze perfectly unfrosted for up to 6 months
- Use colorful sprinkles to match the holiday theme
Perfect for Holiday Baking Gifts
I made blue for baby boy showers, pink for a girl, and even yellow if you aren't sure of the gender to reveal.
Just get creative and match any color theme for parties and events.
I even did red white and blue glitter sugars for the 4th of July and other patriotic holidays.
These are perfect holiday gift-giving they hold up great for mailing packages and stay fresh.
Other Flavors To Use
- Almond
- Orange
- Anisette
- Maple
- Cherry
- Add Chopped Nuts to the batter and chocolate chips
- Add Raisins, nuts, and cinnamon
- Add Craisins and Pistachios with coconut
Here are More Italian Cookie Recipes We Love
Sesame Seed Cookies
Grandma's Chocolate Spice
Biscotti
Mom's Lemon Ricotta Cookies Pin for later
Thanks, Mom
A lemony flavored cookie that is light and airy not dense.
I thank mom in my prayers every day for teaching me her talents in cooking and hope you enjoy these as much as our family does.
Mom's lemon ricotta cookies remain a family favorite for all our holiday baking and the many family get-togethers we have, these are the most asked for a cookie.

Mom's Lemon Ricotta Cookies
Yield: 29
Prep time: 9 MCook time: 12 MTotal time: 21 M
Lemon ricotta cookies are light with a lemony flavor. The ricotta makes them moist, not dry and with a little frosting the perfect sweetness,
Ingredients:
- (This recipe can be doubled):
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup ( 8 oz.) of whole milk ricotta cheese
- 1 teaspoon grated lemon peel
- 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon lemon extract (I like more than the recipe called for so I add a little more) I have also made them with anisette or rum-flavored both delicious.
- pinch of salt
- 1/2 cup butter softened (1 stick)
- (see frosting garnish below)
- any colored sprinkles for garnish you like
Instructions:
- Cream the butter and sugar together for around 2 minutes.
- Add the ricotta, mix to blend.
- Add the eggs and stir till smooth.
- This is all done by hand no mixer.
- Add the flour, flavorings, and baking soda last folding in the peel.
- Heat oven to 350 degrees, I place these 2 inches apart dropped with a teaspoon on parchment paper.
- Bake until bottoms and edges begin to brown around 12 to 15 minutes.
- Icing:
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- drops of hot water to make a thin frosting
- grated lemon peel optional
- Mix the water a little at a time until the frosting runs a small stream, add peel if using around 1/2 teaspoon.
- Dip hot cookies into the frosting and sprinkle with colored candies.
Calories
79
79
Fat (grams)
9
9
Sat. Fat (grams)
3
3
Carbs (grams)
22
22
Net carbs
11
11
Sugar (grams)
13
13
Mom's Lemon Ricotta Cookies Pin for later
Don't Miss My Other Favorite Cookie Recipes:
Best Cowboy Cookies
Reindeer Peanut Butter Cookies
Holiday Italian Fudge Roll Cookies
Almond Paste Crescent Cookies
I see these all over the web around the holidays. I need to add these to my baking list!!
ReplyDeleteI love ricotta in anything. I'm sure these are delicious with the lemon flavor!
ReplyDeleteLemon sweets are so special. Your cookies sounds delicious!
ReplyDeleteThese look so pretty. I can't wait to make these. I'm loving the icing over..
ReplyDeleteThese cookies do sound tasty!
ReplyDeleteMy grandmother used to make the best lemon ricotta cookies! But I have never tried to make them myself! These looks so delicious and I can't wait to try them!
ReplyDeleteI love a lemon dessert and these are just the perfect little bites. Not too big and not too small. I love these so much!!
ReplyDeleteThese are so good! My son loved lemon cookies and said they were the best.
ReplyDelete