italian dessert recipes

Ricotta Cheese Cookies

"Cheesecake flavor - moist and dense in texture"




ricotta cheese cookies These ricotta cheese cookies are on the top 5 most viewed recipes of my site - and they are a part of my ricotta cheese recipes collection.

Most Italian cookie recipes are crispy in texture, but THESE AREN'T. (Thank God! I hated the dry crunchy cookies I was served growing up!) The texture of this cookie is cake-like and they are very moist from the ricotta cheese.

Most ricotta cheese cookies aren't a secret recipe that some grandma keeps locked in a vault. You can find most recipes on the internet without much variation.

The only twist I give is the lemon icing. And it's optional. I like it. My kids don't. That's why I only glaze half the batch. (It's that mom thing, trying to keep everyone happy.)

There are a few substitutions and FAQs listed below. And if this isn't exactly what you were looking for see the ricotta cheese recipes I have or cruise thru my homepage - Italian Dessert Recipes.

And thanks for stopping by!

Lisa


Ricotta Cheese Cookies

YIELD: 6 Dozen

I cut this recipe in half!

Ingredients

* 2 cups sugar

* 1 cup (2 sticks) margarine or butter, softened ( but really, no margarine UNLESS YOU HAVE TO!)

* 1 container ( or 15-ounces if you buy the big ones) of ricotta cheese

* 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

* 2 large eggs

* 4 cups all-purpose flour

* 2 tablespoons baking powder

* 1 teaspoon salt

Glaze Ingredients

1 1/2 cups of confectioner's sugar

1 1/2 tablespoons of fresh lemon juice

Procedure

 * Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

* In large bowl beat sugar and margarine or butter until blended.

* After the ingredients are blended - beat until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes.

* Add ricotta, vanilla, and eggs until well combined at a medium speed.

* Add flour, baking powder, and salt. Beat until dough forms.

* Drop dough by level tablespoons, about 2 inches apart, onto ungreased large cookie sheet.

* Bake about 15 minutes or until cookies are very lightly golden (cookies will be soft and cake like).






What about, cinnamon, nutmeg, or almond flavoring?

Even though this appears to be a bland by glancing at ingredients, I remained a purist to traditional Italian cookie recipes. I'm sure the above mentioned would taste just fine - but I'm remaining true to the authentic Italian cookie!


Can I add nuts?

You *can*. BUT this cookie is very much like a cake in texture. If I were to add nuts, I'd suggest chopping them real fine and add them as a topping on the icing. Frost and dip.

NOTE: The ricotta cheese in these cookies keeps them moist. You can freeze them and they will keep well.

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Other Italian Cookie Recipes




Lisa Gianotti Superbowl Sunday is coming up! The best Italian Dessert Recipes for a party like this are ones that are:

FAST

Finger Foodish (not big hunky sticky globs of gooey-ness that get on your furniture)

And freeze-aheads

A couple of my favs for this are Cappucino Cookies (lots like choc chips but with a twist)

Anisette Cookies (Always on the top 5)

Rum Balls (Gingersnaps and Rum)

Let's not for get the drinks to go with the beer that will be present! Check out my Italian drinks section for that.

Lisa


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Recipes on this site are from family cookbooks, family traditions, or intentional adaptations from traditional recipes to add an Italian flair. If a recipe was adapted or used from another cook - it is mentioned on the recipe page and the recipe author is given credit.