Recipe

Soft Ricotta Cookies with Lemon Glaze

Pillowy, cake-like ricotta cookies with a zesty lemon glaze that sets glossy and sweet. Simple ingredients, clear steps, and reliably soft results.

By Matt Campbell

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4.8

A platter of soft ricotta cookies topped with shiny lemon glaze on a light kitchen table with a small bowl of lemon zest nearby

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Ricotta cookies are the quiet overachievers of the cookie world. They look humble, then you bite in and realize they are basically tiny frosted cakes: soft, tender, and politely sweet. The ricotta does the heavy lifting here, keeping the crumb plush without making anything taste like cheese. Add a lemony glaze that sets on top, and now we are in that dangerous territory where you keep “testing one more” until half the tray is gone.

This is a classic Italian American style ricotta cookie: drop-cookie easy, holiday-friendly, and genuinely great with coffee. No fancy ingredients, no weird techniques. Just good butter, good citrus, and one very important rule: do not overbake. Pale tops are the goal.

A home kitchen counter with bowls of flour, sugar, ricotta, butter, eggs, lemons, baking powder, and vanilla arranged for baking

Why It Works

Stays soft longer: Ricotta adds moisture and a tender, cakey texture that tends to keep these cookies softer than many drop cookies.
Bright flavor without fuss: Lemon zest in the dough plus lemon juice in the glaze makes the whole cookie taste awake.
Beginner-friendly: Simple creaming method, no rolling, no chilling required.
Easy to customize: Swap citrus, add sprinkles, or go almond-vanilla for a bakery vibe.

Pairs Well With

Storage Tips

How to Store Ricotta Cookies

Room temperature: Store glazed cookies in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Place parchment between layers so the glaze stays pretty.

Refrigerator: If your kitchen runs warm or humid, refrigerate up to 5 to 6 days, but they are best within 4 to 5 days. If the glaze weeps a lot or anything smells off, toss them.

Freeze (best method): Freeze the un-glazed cookies in a freezer-safe container for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temp, then glaze fresh.

Freezing glazed cookies: You can, but the glaze may sweat or get a little sticky after thawing. Still tasty, just less “holiday tray perfect.”

Common Questions

Do ricotta cookies taste like cheese?

No. Ricotta is mild and mostly brings moisture and tenderness. With vanilla and lemon in the mix, they taste like sweet, bright cookies, not savory.

What kind of ricotta should I use?

Use whole milk ricotta for the best texture. If your ricotta looks watery, spoon it into a fine mesh strainer for 10 to 15 minutes so your dough does not get too loose.

Why did my cookies spread too much?

Most common reasons: butter was too warm, ricotta was watery, or your baking powder is past its prime. If the dough feels very soft, chill it for 20 to 30 minutes before scooping.

Why are my cookies dry?

They were likely overbaked. Ricotta cookies should come out when the tops look set but still pale, and the bottoms are just barely golden.

Can I make the dough ahead?

Yes. Cover and refrigerate for up to 24 hours. The cookies may bake up just a touch less fluffy after a long chill (normal). Let the dough sit at room temperature for 10 to 15 minutes so it scoops easily, then bake and glaze.

Can I add sprinkles?

Absolutely. Add sprinkles right after glazing so they stick before the glaze sets.

My glaze is too thin or too thick. Help?

Too thin: whisk in more powdered sugar 1 tablespoon at a time. Too thick: whisk in lemon juice (or a tiny splash of milk) 1 teaspoon at a time until it ribbons off the whisk.

Matt Campbell

I have always had a huge passion for the culinary arts, people, working as a team, and so on. I wanted to pursue my love for cooking initially at Virginia Commonwealth University with a culinary arts degree; however, I instead decided to apply myself and acquire more practical skills. My end goal is to eventually open my own restaurant or similar establishment.

Kitchen Essentials

Stand mixer or hand mixer
Large mixing bowl
Microplane or fine grater (for lemon zest)
Measuring cups and spoons
Rubber spatula
Sheet pans
Parchment paper
Cookie scoop (about 1.5 tablespoons) or two spoons
Wire rack (for glazing)
Small bowl and whisk (for glaze)

I love recipes like this because they are low drama but feel like you actually tried. Ricotta cookies were one of the first “holiday cookies” I made that did not involve rolling dough, flour everywhere, and me silently promising I would never bake again. The payoff is immediate: soft little clouds with that lemon glaze snap on top. They are the kind of cookie you bring to a gathering and someone asks, very casually, if you can text them the recipe. You can. You should. You will also keep a few back for yourself, because you are only human.