Lemon Ricotta Cookies Lemon Glaze

My neighbor Maria showed up at my door one spring morning with a tin of these lemon ricotta cookies, still warm from her kitchen, and I bit into one expecting something ordinary. The texture was so impossibly soft—almost cloud-like—and then that brightness hit, like biting into sunshine. She laughed at my face and said her nonna made them every Easter, but she'd started baking them year-round because life was too short to wait for holidays. That single cookie changed how I think about what a cookie can be.

I made these for a small spring dinner party and watched my friends' expressions shift from polite interest to genuine delight the moment they tasted the glaze. Someone asked if I'd bought them from a bakery, which felt like the highest compliment. Now whenever I need something that feels special but doesn't require hours in the kitchen, these are what I reach for.

Ingredients

• All-purpose flour (2 cups): This is your structure, so don't skip sifting or at least aerate it by whisking; compressed flour will make the cookies denser than you want.
• Baking powder and baking soda (1 teaspoon and ½ teaspoon): Together these create lift and that tender, pillowy crumb that makes these special—don't mix them up or reduce them thinking it won't matter.
• Salt (½ teaspoon): Balances the sweetness and brings out the lemon flavor in a way that feels essential once you taste it.
• Unsalted butter (½ cup, softened): Room temperature butter creams better and incorporates air, which is what gives these cookies their signature soft texture.
• Granulated sugar (1 cup): This sweetens the dough and helps create that tender crumb when creamed with butter.
• Large egg: Binds everything together and adds richness without making them heavy.
• Whole milk ricotta cheese (1 cup): This is the magic ingredient—it adds moisture and that impossibly soft, almost velvety texture that people can't quite identify but absolutely love.
• Fresh lemon juice and zest (2 tablespoons juice and from 2 lemons): Use real lemons, never the bottled juice; the zest especially makes all the difference in how bright these taste.
• Vanilla extract (1 teaspoon): Rounds out the flavor and makes the lemon taste even more pronounced.
• Powdered sugar (1 cup, sifted): For the glaze, sifting removes lumps so it's silky smooth.

Instructions

Get everything ready:

Preheat your oven to 350°F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Having everything prepped means you won't scramble halfway through and accidentally overbake.

Whisk the dry ingredients:

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. This distributes the leavening evenly so every cookie rises the same way.

Cream the butter and sugar:

In a large bowl, beat softened butter and sugar together for 2 to 3 minutes until the mixture is light, pale, and fluffy. This step incorporates air and is worth the time—it's what makes the final cookie tender.

Add the wet ingredients:

Add the egg, ricotta, lemon juice, lemon zest, and vanilla. Mix until everything is combined and you don't see streaks of ricotta anymore. The dough should feel thick and slightly creamy.

Bring it together gently:

On low speed, gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, mixing just until combined. This is important: overmixing develops gluten and makes cookies tough, so stop as soon as you don't see streaks of flour.

Scoop and space them:

Drop rounded tablespoons of dough onto your prepared baking sheets about 2 inches apart. They spread just a little, and the space prevents them from baking into each other.

Bake until just golden:

Bake for 13 to 15 minutes—you're looking for the edges to turn a pale golden while the centers stay soft and slightly underbaked looking. This is the trick to keeping them tender; they'll continue cooking slightly on the hot pan.

Cool with patience:

Let them rest on the baking sheet for 5 minutes so they set up enough to move, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before glazing. Rushing this step or glazing warm cookies will make the glaze slide right off.

Make the glaze:

Whisk together powdered sugar, lemon juice (start with 2 tablespoons and add more if you want it thinner), and lemon zest until smooth. The consistency should be pourable but not runny.

Glaze and set:

Once cookies are completely cool, spoon or drizzle the glaze over the top of each one. Let it set for 15 minutes before serving so it firms up and doesn't smudge.

Save

The moment when a friend took a second cookie without asking felt like the ultimate win, and I realized these aren't just dessert—they're the kind of thing that makes people slow down and enjoy a moment. That's when baking feels less like following instructions and more like giving someone a small gift.

Why Fresh Lemon Makes All the Difference

Bottled lemon juice has a harsh, metallic undertone that you won't notice in a lemon bar but becomes obvious in something this delicate and simple. Fresh lemon tastes almost like the fruit itself—floral, bright, and clean. The zest is where the real magic lives; those oils from the peel are more flavorful and aromatic than the juice alone, and there's no way to fake it.

The Ricotta Secret

Most cookies rely on butter and eggs for moisture and richness, but ricotta adds a completely different quality—a soft, almost velvety crumb that doesn't taste like regular cheese at all. It's like someone figured out how to bake a cloud. The mild flavor doesn't compete with the lemon; instead, it lets the lemon shine while making sure every bite stays tender and moist even after a couple of days of storage.

Storage, Variations, and When to Make Them

These cookies keep beautifully in an airtight container for up to three days, though honestly they rarely last that long in my house. You can make them ahead and glaze them the morning of a gathering, which takes the pressure off. They're perfect for spring dinners, Easter baskets, or just a random Tuesday when you want something bright and a little fancy without the fuss of a layer cake.

• For a crispier texture, bake them 1 to 2 minutes longer, but watch carefully because they can go from tender to hard quickly.
• Orange zest and juice make a beautiful substitution if you want to ring the changes while keeping everything else the same.
• Pair them with Earl Grey tea or sparkling Moscato to turn an afternoon snack into something that feels like a celebration.

Save

These cookies feel like spring in bite form, and once you've made them once, you'll understand why my neighbor Maria bakes them year-round. They're the kind of thing that tastes homemade and special but doesn't require any mysterious techniques or hard-to-find ingredients.

Recipe FAQs

→ Can I freeze the cookie dough?

Yes, scoop the dough balls onto a baking sheet and freeze until solid. Transfer them to a freezer bag and store for up to 3 months. Bake from frozen, adding a few extra minutes.

→ How should I store these treats?

Keep them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. Placing a slice of bread in the container helps maintain their soft texture.

→ Can I use orange instead of lemon?

Absolutely. Substitute the lemon juice and zest with fresh orange juice and zest for a bright, citrusy variation that tastes just as delicious.

→ Why is my dough sticky?

The high moisture content from the ricotta and fresh lemon juice makes the dough naturally sticky. Chilling it for 30 minutes before scooping makes it easier to handle.

→ Can I use low-fat ricotta?

While full-fat ricotta provides the richest texture and best flavor, you can use part-skim ricotta if preferred, though the result may be slightly less tender.