Lemon Ricotta Cookies

"Oh, innocent victims of cupid, remember this terse little verse: To let a fool kiss you is stupid, to let a kiss fool you is worse."

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-Edgar Yipsel Harburg, American song lyricist

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Valentines day is just a few days away. I think it's a sweet little holiday. Candy, treats, and pretty little heart shaped everything abound. Pink is my favorite color, and I love everything pretty, so it's fun for me. Plus who doesn't like getting presents from their significant other?

These cookies aren't pink or very Valentine's day looking but I assure you, if your significant other enjoys lemon in any way, they will LOVE these cookies. I just yelled the word love, not something I do often, yell on the Internet, so you can tell I mean it.

You could also dress them up a bit to make them look Valentines day-ish by sprinkling some pink or red Valentines day sprinkles on the final product, if that's what you are going for.
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My sister has been making these lemon ricotta cookies for years, she's the one who turned me onto them, which was also years ago. They remain one of my very favorite cookies of all time.
They are a moist, delightful little cake, more so than a cookie. Bright with lemon flavor.

My sister found the recipe on what used to be Recipezaar which is now Food.com. It's only recently I found out the original recipe came from Giada De Laurentiis. Thank you Giada for an amazing lemon cookie recipe!


With Spring around the corner, these lemon cookies would be a great addition to any Easter celebration. Or make them for your Valentine, they will love you for it!



Lemon Ricotta Cookies 

recipe adapted from Giada De Laurentiis at Food Network

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Ingredients

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for the cookies

2 3/4 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 stick, 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1 - 15 oz container of whole milk ricotta cheese or make your own
3 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
the zest of two lemons
2 tsp. pure lemon extract, OR 10-15 drops of pure lemon essential oil (make sure it's food grade) (both of these ingredients are optional, but they do help boost the lemon flavor of the cookie.)

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Glaze

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5 cups powdered sugar
9 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
zest of two lemons


Directions 

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 In a large bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt, set aside.

In a large bowl cream together the butter and sugar till light and fluffy using an elecrtic mixer, or do it in a standing mixer, (about 3 minutes.) Add the eggs one at a time, mixing until incorporated. Add the ricotta cheese, lemon juice, lemon zest and extract or essential oil (if using.) Beat to combine, add the dry ingredients and beat just until blended.

Refrigerate dough covered for 2 hours.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahenheit, (190 in Celsius.)

Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or use a Silpat liner.

Using a cookie scoop (mine measured 1 1/2 tablespoon size) or a spoon, drop the dough onto cookie sheets. Dough will be sticky. Gently pat the mounds down slightly so they don't bake in a dome shape. They don't spread out very much. Bake for 12 minutes in the preheated oven. Let the cookies cool on the cookie sheet for 10 minutes then transfer to wire racks to cool completely.

While the cookies are cooling down, make the glaze by combining all of the ingredients in a bowl and stir until it becomes a glaze, if it seems too thick add a little more lemon juice, or too thin, add more sugar. But you do want the glaze to be quite thick so you can get a nice thick coat.

When cookies are completely cool glaze the cookies. Place cookies on a wire rack with a cookie sheet underneath to catch the glaze drips. Dip the tops of the cookies into the glaze, or spread the glaze onto the cookies. I prefer to dip them, but make sure the glaze covers the entire top of cookie.

Let the glaze set on the cookies and dry for at least 2 hours.

Store cookies in an airtight container. These only last a few days. They are best eaten the day of being made or the next day.


This recipe makes about 35 cookies.