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Lemon Ricotta Cookies
Ingredients
- 3 cups AP Flour
- 1 ⅓ cup sugar
- 2-3 envelopes paneangeli vanillina or you can use 2 tbs of vanilla extract
- ½ envelope lievito panidegliangeli (aka italian baking powder)
- 2 eggs
- 1 stick + 2 ½ tbsp salted butter room temp
- 1 cup ricotta
- 1 zest of lemon add as much or as little as you like for a more lemon flavor
- splash of almond extract
Glaze
- powdered sugar
- splash of milk
- ½ juice of lemon optional for a more stronger lemon flavor
- sprinkles optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°
- Cream butter and sugar with mixer.
- Add egg, ricotta, lemon zest, and almond extract.
- Combine dry ingredients in a separate bowl by mixing flour, vanillina, and panedeangli. Then add to the mixer.
- Scrape bowl, and mix again to ensure well combined.
- Roll dough into little balls and align on a parchment lined baking sheet.
- Bake for 16-20 minutes rotating half way until bottoms are a light golden brown.
- After letting the cookies cool, add powdered sugar to a bowl. Gradually add in lemon juice(if prefer a lemony taste) and milk to create a glaze. Glaze should not be too runny. Use the glaze with either a back of a spoon or your fingers to coat each cookie and add your choice of sprinkles.
Video
Nostalgia
When I was younger, my grandmother always had cookies in the extra freezer in the basement. In this freezer we could find about five different variations of cookies. But my go-to’s were always the sprinkle cookie and the rainbow cookie. The sprinkle cookie always defrosted fast enough once dipped in a little coffee- and yes, I was drinking coffee as a kid. The only thing that I didn’t love about the sprinkle cookies was my grandmothers heavy handed pour of anisette. It was such a strong flavor! So as an adult, I made the same recipe but replaced the anisette with lemon. Literally easy-peasy-lemon-squeezy. And it is just as good!
The best thing about this cookie is that you can decorate it for any season/holiday. All you need is to buy the sprinkles that fit the occasion. Gender Reveal – blue or pink sprinkles. Easter – egg and bunny sprinkles. Christmas – Green and Red. Halloween – Black, orange and purple. You get the hint!
I will say if you decide to freeze them, it is best to freeze them without any sugar coating. Freeze them plain in layers of wax paper inside of a container. For a little added security from freezer shenanigans, I then wrap the container in saran wrap. I don’t know if that is the LEGIT way to do it, but I do and haven’t had an issue yet.
Every Italian-American family has they’re own version of ricotta cookies. Even in my family, I think there is about four different variations of these cookies. As I mentioned, my nonna puts anise, my aunt uses almond, and I think some use vanilla. It really all depends on how soft, sweet, or flavored you prefer. Either way, whether you use this recipe, somebody’s nonnas recipe, or one you concoct yourself, I hope you bake your little heart away.
