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Hey there, holiday lovers!
Is it even Christmas without cookies? I don’t think so!
Today, I’m excited to share a festive treat: Christmas cookies made with ricotta cheese.
These cookies are soft, flavorful, and oh-so-festive! Plus, they’re super easy to whip up.
Gather your ingredients, and let’s spread some cheer with these delicious bites!
| Preparation Time | 20-30 minutes |
| Cooking Time | 9-12 minutes |
| Total Time | 29-42 minutes (excluding chilling time) |
| Level of Difficulty | Medium |
Ingredients
- 3 3/4 cups (488g) plain flour
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1 3/4 cups (362g) white sugar
- 1 teaspoon grated lemon peel
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tablespoon vanilla essence
- 15 ounces (1 3/4 cups) ricotta cheese (whole milk)
- 2 cups (230g) icing sugar
- 4-5 tablespoons milk
- 3 tablespoons butter, melted
- 1 teaspoon vanilla essence
Step 1: Preheat Oven and Prepare Baking Sheets
Preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C).
Line your baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
Set the prepared sheets aside for later use.
Step 2: Combine Dry Ingredients
In a medium-sized bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, and salt.
Mix these dry ingredients together and set the bowl aside.
Step 3: Cream Butter and Sugar
In a large mixer bowl, cream together the butter, sugar, and lemon zest on medium speed for 3-4 minutes until the mixture is light in color and fluffy.
You should notice a change in color and texture, indicating that it’s ready.
Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well between each addition.
Then, add the vanilla extract and ricotta, continuing to mix until everything is well combined.
Step 4: Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients
Slowly add the flour mixture from Step 2 into the wet mixture.
Stir until just combined; be careful not to over-mix the dough.
If desired, cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for about 2 hours or up to two days to make the dough easier to work with.
Chilling is optional and doesn’t change the final outcome significantly.
Step 5: Shape and Bake the Cookies
Drop tablespoon-sized balls of cookie dough (no larger, as they may spread too much) onto the prepared baking sheets.
Gently shape each dough portion into a ball.
Bake in the preheated oven for 9-12 minutes or until the bottoms of the cookies are lightly golden.
Let the cookies cool on the sheet for 2-3 minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack to cool completely.
Step 6: Prepare and Apply Icing
To make the icing, whisk together powdered sugar, milk, butter, and vanilla extract in a small bowl.
Turn each cookie upside down, dip the top into the icing, then turn the cookie right side up and add sprinkles.
Allow the icing to dry; it will crust over but won’t become hard.
Store the cookies in an airtight container.
Note that the sprinkles may bleed after sitting overnight, so for the best presentation, add the icing and sprinkles shortly before serving.
The icing also starts to wrinkle after a day or two.
Cookies are best enjoyed within 4-5 days.
