Does anyone else get the urge to bake in the summer? I got back from an amazing trip to Nashville with my Chicago girls for a Mountain Mama II trip and we had some delicious cookies courtesy of my friend Julia. And ever since I’ve been back, I’ve been in the mood for more cookies.
I decided to try to make this recipe because my friend Lenna made me some lemon ricotta pancakes one morning when I stayed at her house after a concert and they were AMAZING. I am the absolute worst at making pancakes, but I can usually bake a pretty mean cookie and since I was craving cookies (thanks a lot, Julia) these babies were born. The secret ingredient, Lenna taught me this, is the nutmeg! These are super moist and dense, which I like in a cookie. I also like to sit in front of the oven and watch them bake so I can take them out at EXACTLY the right time. You don’t want to risk over baking them, they won’t be as soft and moist if you do. Also let’s face it, the closer I sit to the oven, the quicker I can get a cookie in my mouth. Right?
Soft Lemon Cookies Recipe:
*makes about 36 cookies
1 stick unsalted butter – room temperature
1 & 1/2 cups white sugar
Zest from one lemon
15 oz. container whole milk ricotta
2 large eggs – room temperature
1 teaspoon lemon extract
1 Tablespoon lemon juice
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 & 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 teaspoon grated nutmeg
Powdered sugar for coating
Pre-heat your oven to 350-degrees. In one dish, whisk together your flour, baking powder and salt and set aside.
In your mixing bowl, add your butter, lemon zest, and 1-1/2 cups white sugar. Mix on medium high for about 4 minutes, until it’s light and fluffy.
Add in your eggs one at a time, with your mixer on low speed. Once the eggs are combined, add your lemon juice, lemon extract and ricotta cheese. Mix until combined.
Now, add your flour mixture about 1/3 cup at a time with the speed still on low. Continue adding the flour mixture and mixing until it’s all incorporated you have a sticky dough.
When I say sticky, I mean it’s going to be sticky, but don’t worry! You refrigerate it and it comes together.
Refrigerate your dough for at least 30 minutes before the next step. It’s easier to roll the cookies if they’re cold. Truth be told, I got really busy the day I made the dough and I didn’t make mine for over 24 hours and the dough held up just fine. It was really easy to work with!
After 30 minutes (or a full day if you’re me,) you can start shaping your cookies! Get a plate with about 1 cup of powdered sugar for rolling your cookies.
I make mine with a heaping cookie scoop of dough for each cookie.
Grab a chunk of dough and drop it right into the powdered sugar. I don’t roll mine before the sugar coating because 1. it’s sticky and 2. more powdered sugar can get into those nooks and crannies. Give it a little roll in the powdered sugar, it will turn into more of a ball, but that’s fine!
Place each round ball on a parchment-lined cookie sheet an inch apart.
Bake for 10-12 minutes. While they’re baking, the parts not covered in powdered sugar will look a little wet. When they look “dry” they’re done baking. You don’t want them to brown and you want them to stay soft, so just keep an eye on how wet or dry they look. It works!
Store them in a zip top bag to keep them moist. I made a pretty big batch and sent them to work with my husband and he came home and said they were pretty much a hit. I love to hear that! Feel free to share yours too. Or don’t. I won’t judge you.
- 1 stick unsalted butter – room temperature
- 1-1/2 cup white sugar
- Zest from one lemon
- 15 oz. container whole milk ricotta
- 2 large eggs – room temperature
- 1 teaspoon lemon extract
- 1 Tablespoon lemon juice
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1-1/2 tsp. baking powder
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- Powdered sugar for coating
- Pre-heat your oven to 350-degrees.
- In one dish, whisk together your flour, baking powder and salt and set aside.
- In your mixing bowl, add your butter, lemon zest, and 1-1/2 cups white sugar. Mix on medium high for 4 minutes.
- Add in your eggs one at a time, with your mixer on low speed.
- Add your lemon juice, lemon extract and ricotta cheese. Mix until combined.
- Add your flour mixture about 1/3 cup at a time with the speed still on low.
- Continue adding the flour mixture and mixing until it’s all incorporated you have a sticky dough.
- Refrigerate your dough for at least 30 minutes (up to 24 hours).
- Pour 1 cup powdered sugar onto a plate.
- Scoop heaping cookie scoops of dough into the powdered sugar and roll until coated.
- Place coated dough balls on parchment-lined cookie sheet, 1 inch apart.
- Bake at 350-degrees for 10-12 minutes, just until the top of the cookie looks dry.
