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.
Use your fingertips to rub the sugar and the lemon zest together for a couple of minutes.
In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the lemon sugar, flour, baking powder and salt.
Add the ricotta and lemon juice. Begin combining the ingredients together with a rubber spatula then use your hands to gently "knead" together for 1-2 minutes.
Cover and refrigerate for 60 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 325°F/165°C towards the end of your chill time. Position rack to middle.
Line baking sheet with parchment paper or silicone mats.
Use a medium cookie 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.
Roll out each scoop of cookie dough between the palms of your hands and roll the tops in the sanding sugar.
Place on the parchment paper with the sprinkles facing upward.
Bake for 20-25 minutes or until bottoms are lightly browned.
Allow to cool slightly then transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.
Video
Notes
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.
Ensure the cookie is evenly coated by rolling it thoroughly in the sanding sugar.
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 2 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.Please keep in mind that the nutritional information provided below is just a rough estimate and variations can occur depending on the specific ingredients used. *recipe adapted from Luca Montersino