Lemon Ricotta Cookies are the light and flavorful answer to your craving for a sweet treat.  The ricotta gives them a moist and soft result, while the brightness of lemon keeps them from feeling too heavy.  One bite is never enough with this favorite cookie recipe. 

Love the flavor of ricotta? Be sure to try this Ricotta Toast with Pears!

Lemon Ricotta Cookies

If you’ve never tried a ricotta cookie recipe, then this is definitely the one to begin your soon to be love of ricotta cookies.  The addition of lemon, and a light glaze on top, make these feel “fancy” without being time consuming or difficult to make. 

My Italian ricotta cookies are soft and chewy and always a big hit for cookie exchanges. This new recipe with a hint of lemon flavor is also a good choice for a cookie swap or dessert for a party any time of year. 

If lemon is your favorite flavor, you’ll love my lemon thumbprint cookies as another sweet treat idea!

How Does Ricotta Make A Moist Cookie?

Ricotta cheese is one of the mildest options in the dairy family.  That alone makes it ideal for baking or adding into other recipes. It doesn’t have a strong flavor, so it will take on the flavors around it instead.  

The moisture in the ricotta will help keep your cookie dough moist while cooking.  It is also a great binder that can, in some recipes, replace the egg if needed. For this recipe, it’s all about adding a thickness and moisture to the cookie dough. 

Do I Have To Use Fresh Lemon Juice?

There is a time and a place when using processed juice works, this recipe is not that time or place.  For the best flavor, you really need that real fresh lime juice and zest. Without it, the cookies will have a different lemon flavor that isn’t nearly as appealing. 

Have extra lemons and want to use them up?  You can make these cut out cookies and add a bit of juice in them for a brighter flavor. Another favorite you can add a bit of lemon to are the Mexican wedding cookies. 

Do I Need A Glaze On This Ricotta Cookies Recipe?

While I prefer to add a simple lemon and powdered sugar glaze to these cookies, you don’t have to add that.  They are absolutely delicious without the glaze. It just adds a little extra lemon flavor. 

If you do decide to use my glaze recipe for the cookies, you won’t be disappointed.  I do recommend you put the glaze on the cookies and let it dry just a bit before stacking them onto a tray or in a carrier to share.  Otherwise, the cookies will stick to each other and be a bit messy. 

Can Lemon Ricotta Cookies Be Frozen?

Yes!  This recipe makes a large batch, and that sometimes means they won’t be eaten before they get stale. In my house, that wouldn’t be a problem as they disappear almost as fast as they are baked!

If you know you can’t eat them all, you can definitely freeze the dough or the baked cookie.  I prefer freezing the dough and then baking when I am ready for more cookies. 

To freeze the dough, make your cookie balls, and flash freeze them on a baking sheet for about 1 hour.  Then, you can remove them from the baking sheet and drop them into a freezer storage bag you have labeled and dated.  This keeps them from sticking to each other, and makes it very easy to grab just a few at a time to bake for a treat. 

If you want to freeze already baked cookies, just put them into a labeled and dated freezer storage bag and lay flat in your freezer so they don’t get broken. 

MORE LEMON DESSERTS

Love lemon treats? Be sure to check out these recipes too!

• Lemon Thumbprint Cookies – with lemon curd for the perfect balance of sweet and tart.
• Italian Lemon Ricotta Cake – a traditional Italian cake that you can make at home.
• Low Carb Lemon Tartlets – coconut shells with a sugar free lemon curd. Great for entertaining.
• Keto Lemon Bars – rich and flavorful lemon bars with a gluten free crust.