These easy-to-make Italian ricotta cookies bake up cake-like, light and moist. They’re always a favorite with adults because they’re not too sweet, and the limoncello adds plenty of lemony tang without any pronounced alcohol flavor.
Ricotta cookies taste great with a cup of espresso and they make a nice, light dessert after a heavy meal.
PrintLimoncello-Glazed Ricotta Cookies
These light, cake-like ricotta cookies are made are flavored with a bit of limoncello liqueur and are an all-time favorite for the holidays.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 5 minutes
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: about 3 dozen
- Category: Baking
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2–1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup butter, softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 egg, beaten
- 1 cup ricotta cheese
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon lemon extract
- 1 tablespoon limoncello liqueur
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
Glaze:
- 3/4 cup confectioners’ sugar
- 2 tablespoons limoncello liqueur
- Grated lemon zest (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt and set aside.
- In large mixing bowl, cream together the butter and sugar. Add the egg and beat until the mixture become light and fluffy. Beat in the ricotta, vanilla extract, lemon extract, limoncello liqueur and lemon zest.
- Add in the flour mixture and beat until well combined. Don’t overmix.
- Drop the dough using a tablespoon sized cookie scoop onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake for 12 to 13 minutes until cookies appear set and edges turn a pale golden brown. Let cool for 2 minutes on the baking sheet, then transfer to a wire rack. Allow to cool completely before glazing.
- In small bowl, mix the confectioners’ sugar with 1 tablespoon of the limoncello. Slowly add up to 1 more tablespoon of the liqueur until the glaze reaches a spreading consistency. You may need to add a drop of water. Spread the glaze on the cookies using a butter knife. If desired, sprinkle with a bit of lemon zest while the glaze is still moist. Arrange in a single layer and allow the glaze to dry completely before covering.
- Store in refrigerator and bring to room temperature before serving.
Notes
Recipe Notes:
For easiest handling, chill the dough for 30 to 45 minutes before dropping. If you plan to freeze these cookies, don’t glaze them. It’s also best place a sheet of waxed paper between the layers.
Recipe Variations:
Use orange extract, orange zest and triple sec in place of the lemon extract, lemon zest and limoncello or ~ use almond extract, finely crushed almonds and amaretto.
For a non-alcoholic version:
Increase the lemon extract to 1 teaspoon and add 2 teaspoons of milk for the dough, and substitute milk for the limoncello in the glaze as well.
Lina Yacan says
Hi, I love lemon cake, and thinking to bake lemon cookie too. I usually bake crispy and chewy hard cookies, but I’ve never baked any drop cookies before, could you pls tell me how the dough texture should be? should it be wet (very sticky) and soft like ganache? How can I understand I dont overmix the dough? Thanks
Lynne Webb says
Hi Lina,
Your first thoughts are correct – the dough for these cookies is definitely rather wet and sticky. Regarding overmixing, all I mean is to stop beating once the ingredients are thoroughly combined so the texture of the finished cookie stays light, moist and cakelike. Hope I’ve answered your concerns!
Maja says
This looks so yummy 🙂
Gaetana says
They look delicious and simple to make. How do I calculate the calories per serving? If I want to substitute butter with light olive oil, would that work?
Thanks
Lynne Webb says
Hi ~
I would not recommend substituting olive oil for the butter. Butter not only adds flavor, it affects the texture of baked goods. As far as the calorie count goes, you would have to enter the ingredients and number of cookies into diet management software or try to calculate from a site like NutritionData.com. Hope this helps.
Erika Pitera says
The crushed almonds would take the place of the lemon zest in this variation, so 1 teaspoon.
Barbara says
i just made the cookies with the limoncello and they were outstanding. i would like to try the almond version but you don’t say how much almonds
Susan from Food Blogga says
Hey Lynne! Just wanted you to know I included your delicious cookie in my latest article at Foodie View. Happy Holidays!
shibani says
These cookies look divine.Limoncello and ricotta sounds awesome.I love the liqueur and it must be tasting superb.
Lynne Webb says
Thanks to everyone for such nice comments. These cookies have been a big hit in our family for quite a few years. If you decide to give them a try, I hope you enjoy them.
Karen says
I think lemon is a nice change for a Christmas cookie… there’s always so much ginger, cloves, cinnamon, etc., involved in most Christmas coookies. These look delicious – and would be delicious in the middle of summer, too! I can picture these at a bridal shower 🙂
The Duo Dishes says
I’ve always wanted to try these after seeing a similar recipe from Giada De Laurentiis. Now I have to try them!
Jennifer says
These cookies look so good! Yum, I can’t wait to try them out for.
chef E says
I had to come back and take another look…lemony mounds of goodness!
Heather says
WOW!
I mean WOW! Not only do these look YUMMERS they give me yet another reason to make a batch of limoncello very very soon.
Rachel 'Tha Pizza Cutta' Joyce says
Oh my, my. my. Every year I make a slew of holiday cookies and you can bet your begonias that these will be the star this year. Grazie! Ciao! Mangia!
elra says
These cookies are very unusual, they truly unique. Ricotta and limoncello, finally cookie for adult.That is really mighty delicious.
Cheers,
Elra
Susan from Food Blogga says
These look just like my mom’s egg biscuits. I love soft, cakey cookies like these. And I guarantee you as soon as my dad sees these in the round-up, he’s gonna ask my mom to bake them. Limoncello and ricotta in a cookie? That’s positively heavenly.