Description
These Soft Ricotta Italian Christmas Cookies are tender, moist, and lightly sweetened, featuring the creamy richness of ricotta cheese. Topped with a smooth almond glaze and festive red and green sprinkles, they make a perfect holiday treat that blends traditional Italian flavors with a delightful almond finish.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
Wet Ingredients
- 1 large egg
- 1 cup whole milk ricotta cheese
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp almond extract
Glaze Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 2 tbsp milk
- 1/2 tsp almond extract
Decoration
- Red and green sprinkles for decoration
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare Baking Sheet: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper to prevent sticking and ensure easy cleanup.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt. Set this mixture aside for later use.
- Cream Butter and Sugar: In a large bowl, beat the softened unsalted butter and granulated sugar together until the mixture is light and fluffy, about 3 to 5 minutes. This step is crucial for your cookies’ light texture.
- Add Wet Ingredients: Beat in the egg, whole milk ricotta cheese, vanilla extract, and almond extract to the creamed butter and sugar until well incorporated.
- Combine Dry and Wet Mixtures: Gradually add the dry flour mixture to the wet ingredients, stirring gently until just combined. Avoid overmixing to keep the cookies tender.
- Form Cookies: Use a spoon or cookie scoop to drop tablespoon-sized portions of dough onto the prepared baking sheet. Leave about 2 inches of space between each cookie to allow for spreading.
- Bake Cookies: Bake in the preheated oven for 12 to 15 minutes, or until the cookie edges turn lightly golden. Once baked, remove the cookies and let them cool completely on a wire rack.
- Prepare Almond Glaze: In a medium bowl, whisk powdered sugar, milk, and almond extract together until the glaze is smooth and creamy.
- Glaze Cookies: Once the cookies have cooled, dip the top of each cookie into the almond glaze, letting any excess drip off. Place the cookies upright on the wire rack to set.
- Decorate: While the glaze is still wet, sprinkle red and green sprinkles over the cookies for a festive finish.
- Set Glaze and Serve: Allow the glaze to set at room temperature before serving. Enjoy your classic Italian Ricotta Christmas Cookies!
Notes
- Make sure the butter is softened to room temperature for easier creaming and better texture.
- Do not overmix the dough once the dry ingredients are added to keep the cookies tender.
- Allow cookies to cool completely before glazing to prevent melting the glaze.
- The almond glaze can be adjusted in thickness by adding more milk or powdered sugar as needed.
- These cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
