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Photo Credit: Elizabeth Newman

Giada's New & Improved Lemon Ricotta Cookies

by Giada
★★★★★
★★★★★
(12 reviews)
Prep Time
15 minutes
Cook Time
30 minutes
Serves
45
Beginner
Photo Credit: Elizabeth Newman

Giada's New & Improved Lemon Ricotta Cookies

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Giada's classic cookies get a makeover, and dare we say it, they're even better than the original. The trick lies in the type of ricotta used, resulting in an even lighter, fluffier, cookie. Go ahead, give 'em a try!
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Giada's New & Improved Lemon Ricotta Cookies

Category

Dessert

Prep Time

15 minutes

Cook Time

30 minutes

Calories

99

Author:

Giada De Laurentiis

Image of Giada's New & Improved Lemon Ricotta Cookies

Ingredients

    For the cookies:

  • 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, or cookie flour from Petra
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 stick unsalted butter (softened)
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 2 eggs (at room temperature)
  • 1 15-ounce container whole milk ricotta cheese, such as Galbani
  • 3 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 1 lemon (zested)
  • For the glaze:

  • 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
  • 3 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 1 lemon (zested)

Instructions

  1. In a medium bowl combine the flour, baking powder, and salt. In the bowl of an electric mixer combine the butter and the sugar. Beat the butter and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, mixing between additions until well incorporated. Add the ricotta cheese, lemon juice, and lemon zest. Beat to combine. Fold in the dry ingredients. Tightly cover the dough with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
  2. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
  3. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Scoop the dough (about 1 1/2 tablespoons for each cookie) onto the baking sheets. Bake for 15 minutes, until cooked through but still pale. Remove from the oven and let the cookies rest on the baking sheet for 15 minutes. Continue with the remaining dough.
  4. For the glaze, combine the powdered sugar, lemon juice, and lemon zest in a small bowl and stir until smooth. Spoon about 1/2-teaspoon onto each cooled cookie and use the back of the spoon to gently spread. Let the glaze harden for about 2 hours.

Nutrition

Nutrition

per serving
Calories
99
Amount/Serving % Daily Value
Carbs
19 grams
Protein
2 grams
Fat
4 grams
Saturated Fat
2 grams
Cholesterol
17 milligrams
Sodium
72 milligrams
Fiber
1 grams
Sugar
9 grams
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nut free
vegetarian

24 reviews & comments

  • Author's avatar image
    Janet Arno - Dec 27

    I’ve made these cookies for several years in pursuit of my father’s Cousin Kitty’s Lemon Cookies (from outside of Messina in Sicily). The New and Improved recipe really is better. For me, the dough was much easier to work with. Chilling gave the cookies a rounder prettier look and bite. I chilled the dough overnight and thinned the frosting to a glaze (also didn’t notice much of a difference chilling the cookie sheet too, but a good practice nonetheless) One of my cousins ended up having Cousin Kitty’s recipe and sent it to me. The recipes are reminiscent of one another, but they are totally different cookies.* Last night I made them side by side, making the traditional (for our family) ball cookie for Cousin Kitty, slightly thicker icing with nonpareils sprinkled on top. Both are delicious. I guess the point is, if you have personal tastes on sweetness and cake-ness, you can fix them to your tastes.

    *(OK, haha so in Giada’s cookie, almost a pound of ricotta, butter instead of shortening and an extra cup and a half of sugar are kind of a big differences, but cut me some slack on that) :)

  • Author's avatar image
    Sharon - Dec 27

    I have made these lemon ricotta cookies every year but this year tried the new and improved recipe. They came out very flat. Anyone else have this problem? They’re usually more cake like. They still taste delicious.

  • Author's avatar image
    KATINA ANTAHADES - Jun 09

    a stick of butter is 8 tablespoones, or 4 oz, or 1/2 cup

  • Author's avatar image
    KATINA ANTAHADES - Jun 09

    really yummy. made recipe as written except used blood oranges instead of lemons. for the question about butter- a stick of butter is 8 tablespoons or 1/2 cup, or 4 oz. hope that helps

  • Author's avatar image
    Susie V Kaufman - Jun 09

    Hello! I'm an ethical vegan, and plan to convert this enticing recipe into a full vegan one, after hearing raves from a friend who'd made them and also posted your photo on Facebook. HOWEVER… I have a highly important question that needs an answer before I can make this attractive dessert (one for which I have all the ingredients ready and lined up to go, except for one): Can you please give me/us a number — say, in Tablespoons — for what a STICK OF BUTTER is??? I purchase my delicious vegan butter in tubs, so haven't the foggiest idea what a stick of butter would equal in a common measurement. I'm certainly not about to run to a store and buy a package of butter sticks just to get a standard measurement (which would go against my veganism), so am completely at your mercy to give me a true measurement. I do recall, many decades ago, that tablespoons were printed along one side of each stick of margarine (good idea!), but again, my vegan "butter" comes solely in tubs. I thought I'd be ready to make this dessert today/tomorrow, but now I'm going to be on hold 'til you can respond to my most urgent question. Thank you in advance.

  • Author's avatar image
    Glenys Meredith - Jun 09

    what weight is a stick of butter?

  • Author's avatar image
    Mike Jones - Jun 09

    ok recipe ,lil doughy not enough lemon

  • Author's avatar image
    Yolanda Gruseke - Jun 09

    Wonderful cake like clouds!! Chilling the dough sufficiently makes all the difference. Thank you Giada! This is a winner!

  • Author's avatar image
    Marion Westervelt - Jun 09

    These were easy to make and absolutely delicious. It w as hard to keep my family from eating them. I made them to give to friends. Next time I will make a double batch

  • Author's avatar image
    Luisa Mambro - Jun 09

    Very good cookies but I suggest to cut a little on sugar. I love you recipes, thank you.

  • Author's avatar image
    Kelly Gillam - Jun 09

    Love, love, love them! My (Italian) Mom used to make these. I haven't had them since she passed. I talked about how much I miss them now so often that a friend made them for me as a Christmas gift! They bring back so many fond memories…. best gift this year!

  • Author's avatar image
    Thomas White - Jun 09

    Cookies ha, should be labled mini cakes. Delicious

  • Author's avatar image
    pilar jimene - Jun 09

    la masa es muy aguada?

  • Author's avatar image
    Joanne Wischerth - Jun 09

    Can anisette be added to these cookies? Or is that a different recipe altogether? Thanks!

  • Author's avatar image
    lili G - Jun 09

    is not 375ºC, is 375º Fahrenheit (190ºC approximately)

  • Author's avatar image
    Jill Eby - Jun 09

    Right? I did the cookie sheet both ways and didn’t notice a difference.

  • Author's avatar image
    Jill Eby - Jun 09

    Ooh, I think that would be just the kick they need.

  • Author's avatar image
    Jill Eby - Jun 09

    The sugar to fat ratio is correct when you account for the ricotta. I did adjust my oven temperature to 350. The cookies were good, if a little bland.

  • Author's avatar image
    Pamella Radwan - Jun 09

    First of all, I love Giada & watching her cook. With this recipe however, I have had several issues. They are incredibly sweet-in my opinion, the granulated sugar could have been cut in half easily as it’s FAR too much sugar (2 CUPS!) to 1 stick of butter. The oven temperature of 375°C is way too high and my cookies were burnt from the bottom (yes my rack was in the centre). Lastly, 3 tablespoons of lemon juice to 1 1/2 cups of icing sugar? Really? I added some alcohol as it wouldn’t mix beyond a tiny ball of paste. I’m disappointed because this recipe was time consuming to create and these are in-edible unfortunately. Cut the sugar or add more butter and most definitely, DECREASE the temperature. Sorry. But I’m not thrilled And I really don’t understand the positive comments below raving about these cookies if the recipe was followed exactly

  • Author's avatar image
    Carol P - Jun 09

    So is one of the secrets a chilled cookie sheet? Or chilled dough?

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