Lemon Ricotta Cookies with Lemon Glaze

Y'all know my lemon tree is still full of lemons and it's a constant challenge to think of what do with them, besides the usual vinaigrettes, lemon-butter-caper sauce for fish, a wedge for my vodka and clubsoda ;-) etc, etc.

Last week, Cat who writes the wonderful blog, The Whimsical Gardener, suggested lemon cookies.  Well that got me thinking and researching.  I found this wonderful recipe and tried it yesterday.  These cookies are delicious and easy!  (My friend Cheryl called them scrumptious!)  I'm a good cook but I'm not much of a baker.  Cookies scare me actually.  But these are easy and they turned out great.  I hope you give them a try.

Lemon Ricotta Cookies with Lemon Glaze
Recipe courtesy of Giada DeLaurentiis

2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 stick unsalted butter, softened
2 cups sugar
2 eggs at room temperature
1 15 ounce container whole milk ricotta cheese
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
l lemon, zested

Little braggin' here:  Look at this lemon!  This is pretty much what all my lemons have looked like!  Very little seeds, maybe 1 or 2, and so much juice.  I get almost 1/4 cup of juice out of each lemon. And look at all the flavor-filled zest from just one lemon...Love it love it :)

 
Ok...Back to cookies ;-}

Glaze
1 cup powdered sugar
3 tablespoons lemon juick
1 lemon, zested

Preheat the oven to 375F

Cookies:
In a medium bowl, combine the flower, baking powder and salt.  Set aside.

In a medium bowl, combine the butter and sugar.  Using an electric mixer, beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.  Add the eggs, one at a time, beating each until incorporated.

 
Add the ricotta cheese, lemon juice and lemon zest.  Beat to combine.  Stir in the dry ingredients.

Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.  Spoon the dough, about 1 tablespoon for each cookie, onto the baking sheets.  Bake for about 15 minutes, until slightly golden at the edges.  Remove from the oven and let the cookies rest on the baking sheet for 20 minutes.

 

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 cookie and use the back of the spoon to gently spread.  Let the glaze harden for about 2 hours.  Store in refrigerator for about 3 days.

Thanks for the suggestion Cat!

Buon Appetito!