These Italian Ricotta Cookies are my new favorite Christmas cookies!! These soft cookies are flavored with almond and vanilla and are topped with a quick glaze and festive sprinkles. The secret ingredient to these super soft cookies is ricotta cheese! These are great for gifting and are perfect for a Christmas cookie tray. No chill and a quick bake make these great for the holidays!
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Italian ricotta cookies are so light and soft that they practically melt in your mouth. The sweet icing and festive sprinkles on top of that thick cake-like cookie are the stuff sweet dreams are made of!
I’m sure you’ve seen ricotta cookies before and you’ve probably even eaten them. They’re a staple part of many holiday dessert trays, among classics like strawberry jam cookies, candy cane cookies, and cream cheese sugar cookies. They’ve also been known to make appearances at wedding showers, birthday parties, and even Easter!
However, you wouldn’t be the first person to be surprised that they are as good as they are because they’re made with ricotta cheese.
Yes, the stuff you add to your lasagna can also be used in baking! It’s a mild soft cheese that adds moisture and soft textures to everything from cookies, cakes, and creamy fillings!
This easy, one-bowl recipe makes 30 of these traditional Italian ricotta cookies in just 30 minutes, making them a quick and easy dessert for all kinds of occasions including your yearly cookie exchange.
I make mine with aromatic flavors of vanilla and almond, but you can switch up the flavors to make a different kind each time.
Why you’ll love Italian Ricotta Cookies
- The texture – The soft tender crumbs of these thick delicate cookies are unmistakable. The sweet icing with the crunchy sprinkles is a nice balance.
- No chill dough – These Italian ricotta cookies come together with just a handful of baking staples, one bowl, and 30 minutes.
- Make ahead and freezer-friendly – These can be made a couple of days in advance or frozen for months to enjoy later.
Ingredients
Ingredient Notes
- Softened butter – Bring it to room temperature early so that it is soft enough to cream by the time you need it.
- Extracts – We are using both almond extract and vanilla extract to give these ricotta cookies their signature flavor. This is the part that you can play around with next time, depending on what kind you want to make.
- Ricotta cheese – Don’t skip this. It’s what makes these ricotta cookies. If you didn’t know better, you’d never know they were an ingredient.
How to Make ricotta cookies
These Italian ricotta cookies couldn’t be easier to make! Once you make them for Christmas and realize how good they are, you’ll be able to make them again and again for other occasions!
1 – Make the ricotta cookie dough
Begin by preheating the oven to 350 degrees and lining a baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a mixing bowl with a stand mixer or a hand mixer, cream together butter and sugar until they reach a light and creamy consistency.
Next mix in the vanilla, ricotta, almond extract, and egg until all the ingredients are mixed together and smooth.
With the mixer on low speed, add in the dry ingredients flour, baking powder, and salt. Mix until all the ingredients are all combined.
2 – Bake the ricotta cookies
After all the ingredients have been mixed together, form little balls of dough.
Use a 1 1/2 tablespoon cookie scoop to measure out each ball. Or just eyeball it and place each ball of dough onto the prepared baking sheet. Make sure to separate each ball of dough out about two inches apart.
Place the baking sheet into the preheated oven and bake the cookies for about 15 minutes or until the bottom of the cookies are a light golden color.
3 – Make the Glaze
To make the glaze, whisk together the powdered sugar, water, and almond extract until all the ingredients are mixed together and a smooth consistency. If the glaze feels too thick add a teaspoon of water at a time until it’s a consistency you prefer.
4 – decorate the christmas ricotta cookeis
Once the cookies are finished baking, let them cool on a baking sheet for a few minutes then drizzle the glaze over the cookies and immediately top each cookie with the sprinkles so the sprinkles will stick to the glaze!
Enjoy the cookies immediately or store in an airtight container for up to five days. These would be perfect in a cookie box or tin with one of these Christmas gift tags!
Tips & tricks
- If the glaze is too thick add a teaspoon more water at a time until your desired consistency. If it gets too thin, add a bit more powdered sugar.
- Drain your ricotta in a fine mesh sieve if it’s got a lot of excess water. If it has too much liquid, your Italian ricotta cookies will be too moist.
- Don’t skimp on the baking time. Some cookies can come out of the oven underdone or soft in the middle, but these will need to be baked fully. The soft textures are prone to crumbling if not baked completely.
- For easy cleanup, glaze the cookies on a cooling rack over top of parchment paper so it catches any excess drips.
Recipe FAQs
Can I freeze ricotta cookies?
These Italian ricotta cookies freeze well for up to 3 months. I suggest freezing them without the glaze since it’s something you can whip up in seconds when you’re ready. Store the cookies in a freezer bag or an airtight container. Layer them with parchment paper so they don’t stick together.
How long do Italian cookies stay fresh?
If you’re lucky enough to still have some at the end of the day, keep them stored in an airtight container for up to 5 days. No need to refrigerate them, but be sure to keep the lid on otherwise they’ll dry out.
Why are my ricotta cookies flat?
This could be because your dough is too warm before going into the oven. If you feel this is the case, pop them into the fridge to chill for a bit.
Also, be sure to line your baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat to prevent spreading.
How long does the glaze take to set?
It could take up to 1 hour for the glaze to set, so keep this in mind when you are storing them. The thicker glaze will take a little longer.
More Christmas Cookies
These tasty Christmas cookies would go perfectly with these Italian ricotta cookies!
- Orange sugar cookies – A hint of citrus makes these classic sugar cookies even better! Top them with sprinkles and add them to your cookie tray this year.
- Chocolate crinkle cookies – these dark chocolate cookies are a delicious and decadent Christmas treat!
- Christmas sugar cookie bars – Fun and festive cookie bars are thick and topped with frosting and festive sprinkles!
- Ginger molasses cookies – The taste and aroma of soft, chewy, molasses cookies coated in sugar is what the holidays are all about.
- White chocolate cranberry cookies – Slightly crispy edges, a soft chewy center, and loads of cranberries and white chocolate chips for a tart and sweet combination.
Italian Ricotta Cookies
Ingredients
- ¼ cup butter softened
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 8 oz ricotta cheese
- ½ tsp almond extract
- 1 egg
- 2 cups flour
- 1 ½ tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp Kosher salt
Glaze
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 Tbsp water
- ¼ tsp almond extract
- sprinkles
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees then lining a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a mixing bowl with a stand mixer or a hand mixer, cream together butter and sugar.1/4 cup butter, 1 cup sugar
- Mix in the vanilla, ricotta, almond extract, and egg until all the ingredients are mixed together and smooth.1 tsp vanilla extract, 8 oz ricotta cheese, 1/2 tsp almond extract, 1 egg
- With the mixer on low speed, add in the dry ingredients flour, baking powder, and salt. Mix until all the ingredients are all combined.2 cups flour, 1 1/2 tsp baking powder, 1/2 tsp Kosher salt
- Use a 1 1/2 tablespoon cookie scoop to measure out each ball of dough. Place each ball of dough onto the prepared baking sheet. Separate each ball of dough out about 2 inches apart.
- Place the baking sheet into the preheated oven and bake the cookies for about 15 minutes or until the bottom of the cookies are a light golden color.
- To make the glaze, whisk together the powdered sugar, water, and almond extract until all the ingredients are mixed together and a smooth consistency.1 cup powdered sugar, 1 Tbsp water, 1/4 tsp almond extract
- Once the cookies are finished baking, drizzle the glaze over the cookies then quickly top each cookie with the sprinkles.sprinkles
Tips & Notes:
- If the glaze is too thick add a teaspoon more water at a time until your desired consistency. If it gets too thin, add a bit more powdered sugar.
- Drain your ricotta in a fine mesh sieve if it’s got a lot of excess water. If it has too much liquid, your Italian ricotta cookies will be too moist.
- Don’t skimp on the baking time. Some cookies can come out of the oven underdone or soft in the middle, but these will need to be baked fully. The soft textures are prone to crumbling if not baked completely.
- For easy cleanup, glaze the cookies on a cooling rack over top of parchment paper so it catches any excess drips.
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