Italian Ricotta Cookies

These Italian Ricotta Cookies are super soft and absolutely delicious. They are sure to become a favorite!

Hi friends! I'm participating in the Food Blogger Cookie Swap again this year! In exchange for mailing out cookies to 3 other bloggers, I got 3 kinds of cookies from other bloggers! How fun is that?

If the sound of putting ricotta cheese in cookies is bizarre to you, let me assure you that they do not taste like cheese! :) These cookies are like sugar cookies! They're easy to make and absolutely delicious to eat!

I will tell you - do not mail these cookies. Sure, you can include them on a cookie tray or take them next door to share with a neighbor, or take them to an office party - but don't ship them. I learned it the hard way. The glaze does not holdup well - it becomes an ooey gooey mess. I saw the cookies I mailed to one of my recipients on Instagram and I was soooo disappointed that they didn't look as pretty as when I mailed them out. I was afraid it would happen, but hoped for the best. Learn from my mistake. I'm so sorry ladies! Next year, my cookies will be unglazed for sure!

I received some really delicious and awesome cookies this year - Pistachio Cranberry Shortbreads, Spiced Shortbread Cookies, and Brown Butter Snickerdoodles with Orange and Cardamom. I left the Snickerdoodle on the counter while I took care of a few things around the house .... and my kiddos devoured them before I had the chance to take a picture or taste one for myself!

Italian Ricotta Cookies

by Jamie @ Love Bakes Good Cakes

Yield: 50 cookies

Ingredients

For the cookies:

2 stick (½ pound) butter, softened
1¾ cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 container (15 oz.) ricotta cheese
2 tbsp. vanilla extract
4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda

For the glaze:

4-5 tbsp. milk
1½ cups powdered suagr
1 tsp. almond extract
Sprinkles

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.

2. In a medium bowl, cream the butter and sugar. Add the eggs, ricotta cheese, and vanilla extract; mix until well combined. In a separate medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, and baking soda. Add the flour mixture to the ricotta mixture; mix well. Roll or scoop the dough into teaspoon-sized balls. Place on an ungreased cookie sheet about 2-inches apart.

3. Bake 8-10 minutes or until lightly browned. Allow cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 3 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

4. In a medium bowl, beat the milk, powdered sugar, and almond extract until smooth. Dip the tops of the cookies into the glaze and set upright back on the wire rack. Immediately top with sprinkles. Repeat for remaining cookies.