Active time: 45 min. Total time: 2 hours
Yield: Makes 4 dozen
Our Lemon-Ricotta Cookies are soft, light, chewy, and cake-like with a hint of lemon and a sweet-tart icing. Adding ricotta to the batter gives the cookies their cloud-like texture and subtle richness. There’s a touch of lemon in the cookie itself, but the glaze adds a touch of tartness that rounds everything out. The toasted almonds provide some crunch that breaks up the texture of the glazed cookie and also just tastes delicious. And best of all, they’re much easier than they look Since these cookies are nearly bite-sized, they’ll disappear quickly among kids and adults alike. Try not to over-glaze the cookies, which will make them look messy, and be sure to garnish immediately after dipping—the glaze will begin to set up and the almonds won’t stick otherwise. Serve with milk, tea, or coffee as an afternoon treat.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup (4 oz.) unsalted butter, softened
- 2large eggs
- 1(15-oz.) container whole-milk ricotta cheese (about 1 1/2 cups)
- 1 tablespoon grated lemon zest, plus 6 Tbsp. fresh juice (from 2 lemons), divided
- 2 1/2 cups (about 10 5/8 oz.) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon table salt
- 1 1/2 cups (about 6 oz.) unsifted powdered sugar
- Toasted sliced almonds
How to Make It
Step 1
Preheat oven to 350°F with racks in upper third and lower third positions. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper; set aside. Beat granulated sugar and butter with a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment on medium speed until light and fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating until just incorporated, about 1 minute. Beat in ricotta, lemon zest, and 3 tablespoons of the lemon juice until well combined, about 2 minutes, stopping to scrape down sides as needed.
Step 2
Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. Reduce mixer speed to low; gradually add flour mixture to granulated sugar mixture, beating until well combined, about 2 minutes.
Step 3
Using a 1 1/2-inch cookie scoop (about 2 tablespoons), scoop 8 rounded dough scoops 3 inches apart onto each prepared baking sheet. Place remaining dough in bowl in refrigerator until ready to bake.
Step 4
Bake in preheated oven just until cookie edges begin to brown, 15 to 18 minutes, rotating baking sheets between top and bottom racks halfway through bake time. Remove from oven; let cool on baking sheets 5 minutes. Transfer cookies to a wire rack; let cool completely, about 30 minutes. Meanwhile, repeat procedure twice with remaining dough. (You’ll have 48 cookies total.)
Step 5
Whisk together powdered sugar and remaining 3 tablespoons lemon juice in a small bowl. Dip top of each cookie into glaze, and immediately garnish with sliced almonds. Let cookies stand until glaze sets, about 5 minutes. Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature up to 3 days.
Source: Read Full Article