Giada's New & Improved Lemon Ricotta Cookies (2024)

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Photo Credit: Elizabeth Newman

Giada's New & Improved Lemon Ricotta Cookies

15 MINPrep Time

30 MINCook Time

45Servings

(16)

by Giada De Laurentiis

Beginner

Photo Credit: Elizabeth Newman

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Giada's classic cookies get a makeover, and dare we say it, they're even better than the original. The trick lies in the type of ricotta used, resulting in an even lighter, fluffier, cookie. Go ahead, give 'em a try!

Giada's New & Improved Lemon Ricotta Cookies

Dessert

Prep Time

15 minutes

30 minutes

Calories

Giada De Laurentiis

Ingredients

For the cookies:

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, or cookie flour from Petra
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 stick unsalted butter (softened)
2 cups sugar
2 eggs (at room temperature)
1 15-ounce container whole milk ricotta cheese, such as Galbani
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1 lemon (zested)

For the glaze:

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1 lemon (zested)

Instructions

In a medium bowl combine the flour, baking powder, and salt. In the bowl of an electric mixer combine the butter and the sugar. Beat the butter and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, mixing between additions until well incorporated. Add the ricotta cheese, lemon juice, and lemon zest. Beat to combine. Fold in the dry ingredients. Tightly cover the dough with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Scoop the dough (about 1 1/2 tablespoons for each cookie) onto the baking sheets. Bake for 15 minutes, until cooked through but still pale. Remove from the oven and let the cookies rest on the baking sheet for 15 minutes. Continue with the remaining dough.
For the glaze, combine the powdered sugar, lemon juice, and lemon zest in a small bowl and stir until smooth. Spoon about 1/2-teaspoon onto each cooled cookie and use the back of the spoon to gently spread. Let the glaze harden for about 2 hours.

Nutrition

per serving: Calories; 99

Amount/Serving % Daily Value

Organic Type 0 Baking Flour

Regular Price $6.00

Discount Price / Member $3.99

Unit Price: /per

(1.1 lbs)

Organic Type 0 Baking Flour

Regular Price $6.00

Discount Price / Member $3.99

Unit Price: /per

(1.1 lbs)

35 reviews & comments

JANET - Apr 17

★★★★★

★★★★★

I’ve made both the original and improved recipe, liked both. I feel like the original were less flat. But both were delicious. Love the soft texture.
Irina - Jan 31

★★★★★

★★★★★

I’ve eaten these cookies dozens of times as my friend makes them often but yesterday decided to make them myself. Full disclosure, I used more lemon juice (probably 4 TBSP) because that’s how much each of my lemons gave off… And it was perfect. I also used the old recipe because that’s what I had but after reading the comments realize it’s pretty much this recipe. Recipe made about 22 cookies. These are my favorite cookies BECAUSE they are more cake like than cookie like. I also decided to mix some blueberry preserve into the glaze for the last 4 cookies to try that and I’m not sure I’ll ever make them a different way. Lolol… Blueberry Lemon Ricotta was absolutely delicious!
Questions: How long will they stay good? Do they need to be Refrigerated? Can these be frozen? I can’t eat the entire batch I made and would hate to toss them.

Giadzy - Jan 31
Hi Irina! The cookies look AMAZING, great job!
You can totally freeze them! Sometimes they can “sweat” a little when they’re thawing so they may not look as perfect but they still will taste amazing!
They also can be refrigerated! When refrigerated, keep the cookies in a closed container!
At room temperature these cookies will stay fresh for about 4-5 days!
Hope this was helpful!!
Marisa - Jan 08

★★★★★

★★★★★

I followed the recipe exactly as written and the cookies came out very flat. What a disappointment.

Giadzy - Jan 08
Hi! This can happen if the dough isn’t refrigerated for long enough or if the ricotta has too much moisture! We recommend trying to drain out as much moisture from the ricotta as possible! If they keep flattening out try adding an extra tablespoon or two of flour! Hope this helps :)
Teresa - Jan 18

★★★★★

★★★★★

See Also
Christmas Sweet Mince Pies - Culinary Ginger

Took them to work and everyone loved them and wanted the recipe. For me, however, these are just ok: not very lemony and they turned out rather flat.

Giadzy - Jan 18
We are so glad they liked them!
This can happen if the dough isn’t refrigerated for long enough or if the ricotta had too much moisture! We recommend trying to drain out as much moisture from the ricotta as possible! If the cookies continue to flatten, add an extra tablespoon or two of flour :)
Jeff - Jan 18

★★★★★

★★★★★

What a mess. First time with the refrigerated batter. Yes mine are flatter, non chilled batter had more rise. To portion out the cookies was my problem. Dough/batter is very sticky
Tried portion scoop, that didn’t work.
Tried 2 spoons, that didn’t work. They were not uniform.
Finally pulled out the pastry bag and piped mounds like would for cream puffs. Perfect.
Cookies taste good. Not glazed yet.

Giadzy - Jan 18
For the dough, it helps if the dough is refrigerated for a longer amount of time! As well, make sure that the ricotta is completely drained of any moisture! If the dough is still not cooperating try adding an extra tablespoon of flour!
Mona - Jan 08

★★★★★

★★★★★

Terrible cookie. Flattened out completely. Too sweet. Don’t waste your time.

Giadzy - Jan 08
Hi Mona! The cookie tends to flatten out if the dough is not refrigerated for long enough or if the ricotta has too much moisture! Try draining any remaining moisture from the ricotta! If this does not work, try adding an extra tablespoon or two of flour!
Janet Arno - Dec 27

★★★★★

★★★★★

I’ve made these cookies for several years in pursuit of my father’s Cousin Kitty’s Lemon Cookies (from outside of Messina in Sicily). The New and Improved recipe really is better. For me, the dough was much easier to work with. Chilling gave the cookies a rounder prettier look and bite. I chilled the dough overnight and thinned the frosting to a glaze (also didn’t notice much of a difference chilling the cookie sheet too, but a good practice nonetheless) One of my cousins ended up having Cousin Kitty’s recipe and sent it to me. The recipes are reminiscent of one another, but they are totally different cookies.* Last night I made them side by side, making the traditional (for our family) ball cookie for Cousin Kitty, slightly thicker icing with nonpareils sprinkled on top. Both are delicious. I guess the point is, if you have personal tastes on sweetness and cake-ness, you can fix them to your tastes.
*(OK, haha so in Giada’s cookie, almost a pound of ricotta, butter instead of shortening and an extra cup and a half of sugar are kind of a big differences, but cut me some slack on that) :)
Sharon - Dec 27

★★★★★

★★★★★

I have made these lemon ricotta cookies every year but this year tried the new and improved recipe. They came out very flat. Anyone else have this problem? They’re usually more cake like. They still taste delicious.
KATINA ANTAHADES - Jun 09

★★★★★

★★★★★

a stick of butter is 8 tablespoones, or 4 oz, or 1/2 cup
KATINA ANTAHADES - Jun 09

★★★★★

★★★★★

really yummy. made recipe as written except used blood oranges instead of lemons. for the question about butter- a stick of butter is 8 tablespoons or 1/2 cup, or 4 oz. hope that helps
Susie V Kaufman - Jun 09

★★★★★

★★★★★

Hello! I'm an ethical vegan, and plan to convert this enticing recipe into a full vegan one, after hearing raves from a friend who'd made them and also posted your photo on Facebook. HOWEVER… I have a highly important question that needs an answer before I can make this attractive dessert (one for which I have all the ingredients ready and lined up to go, except for one): Can you please give me/us a number — say, in Tablespoons — for what a STICK OF BUTTER is??? I purchase my delicious vegan butter in tubs, so haven't the foggiest idea what a stick of butter would equal in a common measurement. I'm certainly not about to run to a store and buy a package of butter sticks just to get a standard measurement (which would go against my veganism), so am completely at your mercy to give me a true measurement. I do recall, many decades ago, that tablespoons were printed along one side of each stick of margarine (good idea!), but again, my vegan "butter" comes solely in tubs. I thought I'd be ready to make this dessert today/tomorrow, but now I'm going to be on hold 'til you can respond to my most urgent question. Thank you in advance.
Glenys Meredith - Jun 09

★★★★★

★★★★★

what weight is a stick of butter?
Mike Jones - Jun 09

★★★★★

★★★★★

ok recipe ,lil doughy not enough lemon
Yolanda Gruseke - Jun 09

★★★★★

★★★★★

Wonderful cake like clouds!! Chilling the dough sufficiently makes all the difference. Thank you Giada! This is a winner!
Marion Westervelt - Jun 09

★★★★★

★★★★★

These were easy to make and absolutely delicious. It w as hard to keep my family from eating them. I made them to give to friends. Next time I will make a double batch