Lemon Ricotta Cookies -Without Eggs or Butter

They may look a little different without the glaze, but these lemon ricotta cookies still deliver that soft and cake-like texture everyone anticipates and loves.

This easy cookie recipe just became even easier and so much quicker to make by replacing the lemon icing with a little glitter. They also require no eggs or butter, making them a healthier version of everyone’s favorite Italian Christmas cookie, perfect for your holiday cookie tray or any other festive occasion.

Traditional ricotta cookies have a soft, tender and cake-light crumb with a simple glaze, usually lemon icing, and garnished with lots of colorful sprinkles. They are most often served at Christmas as part of an Italian cookie platter.

In this updated version, the first thing you will notice is the sparkly sanding sugar. These cookies are lightly sweetened, so this additional sweetness found in the glitter is actually less sweet than the traditional lemon icing. 

The second thing you will notice is the absence of butter or eggs in the list of ingredients. This is not an omission. But don’t worry, you will still get a great-tasting, fluffy and moist cookie thanks to another wonderful ingredient, ricotta. To make them extra flavorful, try making them with your own homemade ricotta cheese.

Like these Italian lemon cookies or my mom’s anginetti cookies, you and your family will love these Italian cookies so much that you will want to make them throughout the year!

Allow me to introduce you to your next family favorite cookie.

How to make ricotta cheese cookies

In a small bowl, combine 120 grams of sugar with the lemon zest of 1 organic lemon. Using your fingertips, rub them together for a couple of minutes. You will immediately anticipate the bright lemon flavor as the oils from the lemon permeate the sugar and release a wonderful aroma.

In a medium bowl, combine this lemon sugar with the rest of the dry ingredients. More specifically, whisk together with 180 grams of all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon of baking powder and a pinch of salt.

Add 250 grams of whole milk ricotta cheese and 1 tablespoon of fresh lemon juice to the flour mixture. Begin combining the ingredients with a rubber spatula, then use your hands to gently “knead” together for 1-2 minutes (take a look at the video to see how quickly the dough comes together).

Cover the ball of dough with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 60 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 325℉ (160 C) towards the end of your chill time. Position oven rack to the middle.

Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or silicone mats. Place ⅓ cup of sanding sugar in a shallow dish. 

Use a small scoop (about 1½ inches in diameter) and divide the dough into 20 equal pieces (approximately 25 grams each). Place them on the parchment paper about 2 inches apart; if you don’t have a cookie scoop, portion out 1 tablespoon of cookie dough.

Then, roll out each scoop of cookie dough between the palms of your hands and roll the top of the cookie in the sanding sugar.

Place on the parchment paper with the glittery sugar facing upward.

Bake for 20-25 minutes or until the bottoms are golden brown. This is a pale-looking cookie. 

For best results, allow to cool slightly, then transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.

Tips

• Don’t skip the step to infuse the sugar with the oils of the lemon zest. You can really taste the difference. 
• If using commercial brand ricotta cheese, make sure to drain the liquid.
• Refrigerating the dough for a minimum of 1 hour prevents it from spreading out too thinly.

FAQ

Can these cookies be glazed?

Yes, in fact, it is the more traditional method. To make the glaze, whisk 2 cups of powdered sugar, 1-2 teaspoons milk, and juice of one organic lemon. Adjust “thickness” of glaze according to personal taste. Dip the tops of the room temperature cookies in this glaze and set them on the cooling rack for the icing to firm up. If desired, top with colorful sprinkles. 

How to store

Once completely cool, store them in an air-tight container for up to 3 days at room temperature. Separate the layers of cookies with either wax or parchment paper to prevent them from sticking together. 

Can these cookies be frozen?

Yes, you can conveniently freeze baked ricotta cookies by placing them in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Separate the layers of cookies with either wax or parchment paper to prevent them from sticking together. Thaw at room temperature and enjoy.

Ricotta Recipes

If you are looking for additional recipes for baked goods made with ricotta cheese, be sure to look at these ricotta muffins. They are the perfect way to start the day, along with these lemon ricotta pancakes. 

Recipe inspiration

Pinterest.

Some days I love it (inspirational, beautiful, breath-taking pictures!), some days, well … it’s like a good book – once you start, tough to stop.

But some good has definitely come from my Pinterest-ing: this recipe for Italian ricotta cookies, for example!

A few years ago, I was browsing some cookie boards when this recipe caught my eye.

Immediately I went through a mental checklist:

• Pictures: Amazing, beautiful, appetizing.
• Recipe: Reasonable, not too sweet or rich (my inner dietitian was pleased!)
• And my excitement level: Amazingly, the recipe incorporated some flavors and ingredients that I cannot get enough of (ricotta cheese…. swoon).

An immediate hit!!!

I should not have been surprised. This recipe comes from chef Luca Montersino, after all. Chef Luca creates and adopts most of his pastry recipes to have a healthy spin. These ricotta cookies, for instance, have no eggs, no butter, minimal sweetness. Perfect!

I’ve always loved ricotta cookies… I have a niece who makes a delicious recipe; they are always part of her Christmas cookie platter and are always one of the first cookies to disappear. So I couldn’t pass a healthier version of this recipe up when I happened upon it!

This recipe was first posted back in 2016. I am finally updating this post to reflect the changes I have made to the recipe during the last couple of years. 

I hope you like it! 

THANKS SO MUCH for following and being part of the She Loves Biscotti community where you will find Simple & Tasty Family-Friendly Recipes with an Italian Twist.

If you haven’t already joined, here is the link where you can sign up for my weekly e-mail newsletter. This way, you won’t miss any of my new recipes and it’s absolutely free! 

Ciao for now,

Maria 

★★★★★ If you have made this recipe for ricotta cookies, I would love to hear about it in the comments below and be sure to rate the recipe!

This post was originally published on July 3, 2016 and republished on July 26, 2021 with updated content, photos and a video. Thanks for sharing!