Soft Lemon Ricotta Cookies with Fluffy Buttercream Frosting

Baked goods are forbidden fruit at our house. My husband is training for a 24-hour mountain bike race this Fall and finds sweets too tempting. I’m Armenian and my people practically live on pastry. Plus, we love to entertain and I like to have something on hand for last-minute guests.  So, this is what we do. He leaves town for a few days for work and that’s when I get to do some baking. Daisy and I will be doing some serious recipe testing. We need to crack down on Lemon Ricotta Cookies to surprise Daddy when he comes home. I love baking with Daisy, it’s such a great way for us to bond and spend some special time together. I’ve been thinking about doing some online baking classes india with her since I know that she wants to open her own bakery when she’s older. She’ll need to learn how to make lots of different cakes, not just cookies!

The dough for these Lemon Ricotta Cookies can be made up to a week ahead and kept chilled in the fridge until ready for baking. That makes it ideal for the busy holidays,  celebrations or when those wicked little cravings strike. It also yields plenty for sharing with your neighbours and sending home with your guests. 

Makes: 3 dozen
Prep: 15 mins
Bake: 10 minsSoft lemony cookies made with creamy ricotta cheese, crowned with fluffy buttercream frosting and a dainty candied rose petal.COOKIES
1 stick butter, @ room temp
2 1/2 cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 3/4 cups sugar
15 oz ricotta cheese
1 lemon, zest only
2 free-range eggsFROSTING
1/2 stick butter, @ room temp
1 1/4 cups powdered sugar
2 Tb lemon juice
1 tsp lemon zest
1/2 tsp rosewater (optional)
pinch saltInstructions

Take butter out of the fridge for it to warm to room temp.
If you’re in a hurry, grate it so it softens right away.

Combine flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside. These are your dry ingredients.
Cream butter and sugar until fluffy.
Blend ricotta and lemon zest into butter + sugar.
Add eggs one at a time.

Scrape the sides of the bowl every now and then.
Slowly incorporate dry ingredients and mix until just combined.
The dough can be stored in an airtight container for as long as a week.

 

Line baking sheets with parchment papers.
Using a small cookie scoop or tablespoon, roll dough into balls.

 

Arrange them 2″ apart on the baking sheets.
Transfer the baking sheet to the fridge and chill the batter balls for at least 15 minutes.

 

While the batter is chilling, make the frosting.
Cream butter, powdered sugar, lemon zest + juice, rosewater and salt until smooth.
Cover and store in the fridge until ready to dress the cookies.

 

Preheat oven to 350*F.
Bake about 10 minutes.
Remove baking sheet from oven and allow the cookies to cool at room temp on the cookie sheet for 5 minutes.
Transfer them gently to a metal rack to finish cooling.
Once the cookies are completely cooled, frost and decorate with candied rose petals.

 

Old fashioned food makes me think of grandmothers with delicate hardworking hands, a humble gold band around the left ring finger. There is a lot of kindness in those hands. Over time, whether they loved cooking or not, most ladies take on the nurturing role of caring for their families. Food is at the heart of that love. These Lemon Ricotta Cookies are the sort of thing that comes from an Italian Nonna’s kitchen. Tender, sweet with just the right amount of lemon, they will take you back to sunny Capri with the first bite.