{this post was originally published May 2013 and updated July 2025}

Ricotta Cookies are on Every Italian communion table…you need to make a batch today! They’re easy, soft and pillowy and everyone will think you’re the best baker ever!!

Let’s get one thing out of the way: If you think cheese doesn’t belong in cookies, we need to talk.

Because once you taste pillowy, tender Italian Ricotta Cookies, you’ll understand why Nonna knew best all along. These cookies are soft, subtly sweet, and melt in your mouth with a hint of vanilla and lemon. They’re the kind of treat that doesn’t try to impress you with chocolate chips or fancy fillings — they just show up, do their job, and leave you wondering where they’ve been your whole life. Like a good handyman or your favorite episode of The Golden Girls.

And a special shout out to my pal Maria who introduced these delights to me years ago when we used to teach cooking classes together!! She’s a wealth of “Italian baking information” so I knew I hit the jackpot when she shared this recipe!!

So grab your apron (bonus points if it’s inherited), preheat that oven, and let’s ricotta-roll.

What Are Ricotta Cookies, Anyway?

Italian Ricotta Cookies are an old-school bakery staple made with — you guessed it — ricotta cheese, which gives them a cake-like texture that’s tender and moist without being overly rich. Think of them as the hybrid lovechild of a soft sugar cookie and a lemon loaf, with less sugar and more personality.

They’re often served around Christmas, Easter, or any family gathering where there are more people than chairs and someone always insists on bringing just one more tray of cookies.

Ingredients List (a.k.a. What You’ll Need Before You Even Think About Turning On the Mixer)

This recipe makes about 3 dozen ricotta cookies, depending on how generous you are with your scoops. No judgment here — cookie math is emotional.

For the Cookies:

• all-purpose flour
• baking soda
• baking powder
• salt
• unsalted butter
• granulated sugar
• large egg
• ricotta cheese (full-fat, please — this isn’t the time to go rogue)
• vanilla extract
• lemon zest (optional, but recommended for that little zing)

How to Make Ricotta Cookies (Step-by-Step, Like a Cooking Show But Without the Awkward Banter)

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a couple of baking sheets with parchment paper — because we’re adults now and we don’t like scrubbing cookie residue.
2. Whisk together your dry ingredients in a bowl: flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Set that aside like a little floury security blanket.
3. In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. This usually takes about 2-3 minutes with an electric mixer. (If you’re doing this by hand, bless your triceps.)
4. Add the egg, ricotta, vanilla, and lemon zest to the butter-sugar mixture. Mix until smooth and slightly glossy — like your best Instagram filter.
5. Slowly add the dry ingredients into the wet, mixing until just combined. Don’t overmix unless you like chewy bread discs. (Spoiler: you don’t.)
6. Scoop the dough onto the baking sheets using a small cookie scoop or spoon. Leave about 2 inches of space between them. The dough will be sticky and soft — just like your toddler nephew.
7. Bake for 12–14 minutes, or until the bottoms are lightly golden. The tops should remain pale and slightly domed, not browned. Let them cool completely on a wire rack before glazing.
8. While the cookies cool, whisk up your glaze. Drizzle or dip the tops, then immediately hit them with sprinkles if you’re using them (they set quickly, much like your patience on a Monday).

Storing & Freezing (Because 36 Cookies Is a Lot… Or Is It?)

Let’s be honest: These ricotta cookies are best within the first two days — that’s when they’re softest, brightest, and at their peak “ooh, what is that delightful flavor?” moment.

To Store:

Keep these ricotta cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4–5 days. Layer them between sheets of wax or parchment paper to avoid glaze stickage — that’s a technical term, by the way.

To Freeze (Unglazed is Best):

• You can freeze the unglazed cookies in an airtight container or freezer bag for up to 2 months.
• Want to freeze the dough instead? Absolutely. Scoop the dough onto a tray, freeze until firm, then transfer to a bag. Bake from frozen — just add a minute or two to the time (all the instructions on how to freeze cookies is in this post!!)

Ingredient Substitutions (Because Sometimes You Realize You’re Out of Butter After You Start Mixing

Let’s troubleshoot like the cookie whisperer you are:

• Ricotta Cheese: Full-fat is best, but in a pinch, part-skim works. Cottage cheese can be used if you blend it smooth — but you’ll get a slightly different texture. (Still delicious though. Let’s not fight.)
• Butter: You can use margarine, but you’ll miss out on that rich, buttery flavor. If you’re dairy-free, try a good plant-based stick butter.
• Flour: A 1:1 gluten-free flour blend works well here, thanks to the moistness from the ricotta.
• Zest: Orange zest or almond extract can be swapped in for a different flavor profile. Almond + sprinkles? That’s basically Italian wedding cookie cosplay.
• Make them a Scone: If you cut them open and add whipped cream and berry preserve, you’ll swear you’re eating a scone!!

One Last Thought Before You Preheat That Oven.

Ricotta cookies are like that friend who doesn’t post much on social media but always shows up with a warm hug and a perfectly timed compliment. They’re humble, soft, and unexpectedly fabulous. The kind of treat you want to keep around for life’s cozy moments — or just a rainy Tuesday with too much tea and not enough serotonin.

So the next time you’re faced with yet another chocolate chip recipe or a fancy French macaron, remember the soft, tangy comfort of ricotta. And make a batch for someone who deserves a little homemade happiness (including you — yes, you).

Choose Your CTA (Cookie Talk Action)

Soft & Sweet:
If this post made you smile (or hungry), don’t forget to bookmark it and leave a comment — I read them all with a cookie in hand!

Persuasive:
Bake a batch of these and then tell me ricotta doesn’t belong in cookies. Tag me in your creations — I’ll be over here, loudly applauding in my kitchen.

Urgent:
Preheat your oven, grab the ricotta, and make these right now. Your taste buds deserve it. You deserve it.

Maria’s Italian Ricotta Cookies

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Ingredients

  

• 1 cup butter room temperature
• 2 cups sugar
• 3 eggs
• 1 carton 15 oz ricotta cheese
• 2 tsp vanilla
• 4 cups all purpose flour
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp baking soda

Instructions

 

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
• In a bowl, cream butter and sugar until fluffy.
• Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in ricotta and vanilla.
• In a separate bowl, combine flour, salt and baking soda; gradually add to the creamed mixture.
• Drop by rounded teaspoons 2 inches apart onto a greased (or parchment or Silpat lined) baking sheet.
• Bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes

Video

Notes

This makes a lot of cookies!!
You can bake a few off at a time and freeze the rest (as mentions above). They freeze beautifully and are best eaten hot out of the oven!!!