Lemon Ricotta Cookies: Sunshine from the Italian Kitchen

There’s something beautifully simple about Lemon Ricotta Cookies. They don’t need fancy ingredients or decoration to shine. Soft, tender, and full of bright lemon flavor, these cookies bring the feeling of a warm Italian afternoon where the air smells of sugar, zest, and love.

Lemon Ricotta Cookies originated in southern Italy, where lemons and ricotta are staples of daily cooking. In areas like Campania and Sicily, the air is fragrant with lemon trees, and ricotta a silky, mildly sweet cheese made from leftover whey is used in everything from savory dishes to sweet treats.

Local bakers used what they had. A bit of ricotta left from cheesemaking? Add it to sugar, flour, eggs, and fresh lemon. The result was something soft and comforting, a cookie that’s part cake, part cloud, and full of personality.

From Italy to America

When Italian families moved abroad, they carried their recipes with them. Lemon Ricotta Cookies quickly became a favorite in Italian-American homes and bakeries. They appeared at holidays, family gatherings, and Sunday dinners moments when sweetness was shared as an expression of love.

Every baker added their own touch. Some used a light lemon glaze. Others added vanilla or extra zest. But no matter how they changed, the spirit of the cookie stayed the same: warm, simple, and full of sunshine.

A Sweet Italian Tradition

What makes these cookies special is their texture. They’re soft, melt-in-your-mouth, and slightly creamy, the kind that stays moist for days thanks to the ricotta. The lemon adds brightness and balance, keeping each bite light and refreshing.

They’re perfect for quiet weekends or cozy afternoons. A cup of coffee, a few cookies, and suddenly the world feels a little softer.

Every bite of a Lemon Ricotta Cookie tells a story of Nonna’s baking with care, of families gathered around wooden tables, of sunshine streaming through open windows. They capture what Italian baking is all about: simplicity, balance, and love.

Italian Lemon Ricotta Cookies
These Lemon Ricotta Cookies are soft, tender, and wonderfully fresh, almost like little clouds with a hint of sunshine. The ricotta keeps them moist and creamy, while the bright lemon zest adds a lively, fragrant touch that makes every bite feel light and joyful. Each cookie hits the perfect balance of sweet, tangy, and aromatic.
The dough comes together in minutes using everyday ingredients: flour, sugar, eggs, ricotta, butter, and fresh lemons. Finish them with a drizzle of lemon glaze, and you get a glossy, citrusy touch that makes these treats irresistible.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 14 minutes
Cooling & Glazing Time 20 minutes
Total Time 54 minutes
Servings: 36 cookies
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Cookies
  • 2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • ½ cup (1 stick / 115 g) unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 cup (240 g) whole-milk ricotta cheese
  • Zest of 2 lemons
  • 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
  • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
Lemon Glaze
  • 1 ½ cups (180 g) powdered sugar
  • 3 ½ tbsp fresh lemon juice
  • 1 tsp lemon zest (optional)

Instructions
 

  1. Preheat the Oven
    Set your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
  2. Mix Dry Ingredients
    In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
  3. Cream Butter and Sugar
    In a large bowl, beat the softened butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
  4. Add Wet Ingredients
    Beat in the eggs one at a time, then add the ricotta, lemon zest, lemon juice, and vanilla. Mix until smooth and creamy.
  5. Combine
    Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture. Stir until just combined — the dough will be soft and slightly sticky.
  6. Scoop and Bake
    Drop rounded tablespoons of dough onto the prepared baking sheets, leaving space between cookies.
    Bake for 12–14 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden and the centers are set.
  7. Cool
    Let cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
  8. Glaze
    In a small bowl, whisk together powdered sugar, lemon juice, and zest until smooth. Drizzle or spoon the glaze over the cooled cookies. Let set for about 15 minutes.

Notes

Use whole-milk ricotta: It gives the cookies their rich, creamy texture. Low-fat ricotta can make them drier. If your ricotta seems watery, drain it for 10–15 minutes in a fine sieve before using.
Fresh lemons make all the difference: Don’t skip the zest — it’s where most of the lemon flavor lives. One large lemon usually gives about a tablespoon of zest.
Don’t overmix the dough: Mix just until the flour disappears. Overmixing can make the cookies dense instead of light and tender.
Scoop evenly: Use a small cookie scoop or rounded tablespoon so the cookies bake evenly.
Let them cool completely before glazing: Warm cookies can melt the glaze and make it runny. Patience pays off here!
Adjust the glaze consistency: Add more lemon juice for a thinner drizzle or a bit more powdered sugar for a thicker coating.
Little Italian Touches

Want to make your cookies extra special? Add a few drops of pure lemon extract or a splash of limoncello to the glaze for a bright, authentic Italian flavor. Prefer something simple? Skip the glaze and dust the cooled cookies with powdered sugar, light, rustic, and just as lovely.

Serving

Serve Lemon Ricotta Cookies with espresso, cappuccino, or a cup of tea. They’re lovely on a holiday dessert tray or alongside Italian classics like biscotti and amaretti.

For special occasions, place them on a white platter and drizzle a little extra glaze just before serving, they’ll sparkle under the light. You can even sandwich two cookies with a bit of lemon curd or mascarpone cream for an elegant twist. These cookies also make a thoughtful homemade gift. Wrap them in parchment and tie them with twine or ribbon.

Storage

Room Temperature: Store in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Place parchment paper between layers to keep the glaze intact.
Refrigerator: For longer freshness, refrigerate for up to 7 days. Bring to room temperature before serving for the best flavor.
Freezer: Freeze baked (unglazed) cookies for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature, then glaze before serving.