Day 2 of lemon week reveals my most favorite cookie ever. I’ve made these cookies probably a dozen times or more. The first time was last summer when I brought them to my annual family reunion. Everybody raved about them so I knew I was on to something.
If you like the fresh flavor of lemon then these are right up your alley. The cookie itself is incredibly moist because of the ricotta cheese; and the glaze, made of pure sugar and lemon, is sweet and lemony. Both the cookie and the glaze have lemon zest, which boosts the lemon flavor up a notch. I usually bake cookies only around Christmas time, but these are an exception. I make these for several occasions throughout the year.
Note: Giada’s original recipe says to scoop 2-tablespoon size balls, but I always go smaller. If you go with 1-tablespoon size balls you’ll get approximately 4 dozen cookies.
Here's what you'll need
Start by measuring your flour
Add 1 teaspoon baking powder
And 1 teaspoon salt
Whisk this all together; set aside
Now cream together your butter and sugar
Add 2 eggs, 1 at a time
Dump in the ricotta cheese
You'll need the zest of 1 lemon
Throw that in
Also squeeze 3 tablespoons or so of lemon juice.
Pour that in
Now slowly stir in your dry ingredients
I scoop them pretty small
You want to bake them until they're just barely golden around the edges
Now for the glaze. Add zest to 3 cups confectioners' sugar
Add some lemon juice. I don't measure-I just add till I reach the consistency I want
Mix this all together. Yum!
Dip each cookie in and let the excess glaze drip off
Best. Cookies. Ever.
Ingredients
Yield: 4 dozen cookies
For the cookies:
2½ cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 stick unsalted butter, softened
2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1 (15-ounce) container whole milk ricotta cheese
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1 lemon, zested
For the glaze:
1½ cups confectioners’ sugar
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1 lemon, zested
Directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. In a medium bowl combine flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the butter and the sugar. Beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, beating until incorporated. Add the ricotta cheese, lemon juice, and lemon zest. Beat to combine. Stir in the dry ingredients.
Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Spoon the dough (about 1 tablespoon for each cookie) onto the baking sheets. Bake for 12-15 minutes, until slightly golden at the edges. Remove from the oven and let the cookies rest on the baking sheet for 20 minutes.
To make the glaze, combine the confectioners’ sugar, lemon juice, and lemon zest in a small bowl and stir until smooth. If it is too thick gradually add more lemon juice. Dip each cookie into the glaze, letting the excess drip off. Let the glaze harden for about 2 hours before serving.
Source: adapted from Giada De Laurentiis
