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Ricotta Cookies are one of those classic Italian cookie recipes that never go out of style. Soft, tender, and almost cake-like, they’re made with creamy ricotta cheese for a texture that’s completely different from traditional butter cookies. Each cookie is finished with a sweet almond glaze and festive sprinkles, making them just as perfect for holiday cookie trays as they are for year-round baking.
What makes these cookies so special is how incredibly soft they stay. The ricotta adds moisture and richness without making the cookies heavy, while the simple glaze adds the perfect touch of sweetness. They’re easy to make, freeze beautifully, and always disappear fast whenever I set them out.
If you love classic Italian cookies, be sure to try my Lemon Ricotta Cookies, Italian Christmas Cookies, and Italian Wedding Cookies. For even more holiday baking inspiration, browse my full Christmas Cookie Recipes collection.
Before You Begin
✨ These stay soft for days. Thanks to the ricotta cheese, these cookies maintain their tender, cake-like texture longer than many traditional cookies, making them a great make-ahead holiday dessert.
✨ Use whole milk ricotta. Whole milk ricotta gives these cookies their rich flavor and signature soft texture. Part-skim ricotta can work, but the cookies won’t be quite as tender.
✨ Bring refrigerated ingredients to room temperature. Room-temperature eggs, butter, and ricotta blend more smoothly into the dough and help create an even texture.
✨ Don’t overbake. These cookies should remain pale with just the slightest hint of color around the edges. Overbaking can make them dry instead of soft and cake-like.
✨ Let excess moisture drain from watery ricotta. If your ricotta seems particularly wet, let it sit in a fine-mesh strainer for 15–20 minutes before using.
✨ Glaze while slightly warm. The first layer of glaze adheres best when the cookies are still slightly warm from the oven.
✨ Allow the glaze to fully set before storing. This helps prevent sticking and keeps the sprinkles looking their best.
✨ Food Safety: Because these cookies contain dairy, store them in the refrigerator after the glaze has set. For more information on safe food handling, visit the USDA Food Safety website.
What Makes Italian Ricotta Cookies Different?
Italian Ricotta Cookies are known for their incredibly soft, tender texture and delicate sweetness. Unlike traditional butter cookies, ricotta cheese adds moisture and richness to the dough, creating cookies that are light, cake-like, and stay soft for days.
They’re traditionally finished with a simple glaze and colorful sprinkles, making them a staple on Italian holiday cookie trays, Christmas dessert platters, and family celebrations. While there are many variations, the combination of ricotta, almond glaze, and festive decorations is what gives these cookies their classic Italian bakery appeal.
Whether you grew up enjoying them during the holidays or are trying them for the first time, Ricotta Cookies are one of those timeless recipes that never go out of style.
Ingredients + Key Notes
All-Purpose Flour – Provides the structure for the cookies while still keeping them soft and tender.
Baking Powder + Baking Soda – Work together to help the cookies rise and create their light, cake-like texture.
Unsalted Butter – Adds richness and flavor. Let it soften before mixing for the smoothest dough.
Granulated Sugar – Sweetens the cookies while helping create a soft crumb.
Eggs – Bind the ingredients together and add moisture. Room-temperature eggs blend more evenly into the dough.
Whole Milk Ricotta Cheese – The star ingredient. Ricotta gives these cookies their signature soft, tender texture and subtle richness.
Vanilla Extract – Adds warm, classic flavor that complements both the cookies and the glaze.
Whole Milk – Helps create a smooth, pourable glaze.
Confectioners’ Sugar – Creates the sweet glaze that gives these cookies their bakery-style finish.
Almond Extract – Adds the traditional flavor often found in Italian bakery cookies. A little goes a long way.
Candy Sprinkles, Jimmies, or Colored Sugar – Add festive color and a bit of crunch while giving the cookies their classic appearance.
🥣 How to Make Ricotta Cookies
Prepare the oven and dry ingredients. Preheat your oven to 350°F and line baking sheets with parchment paper. In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and baking soda; set aside.
Mix the wet ingredients. In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter, sugar, eggs, ricotta, and vanilla until smooth and creamy. The mixture may look slightly textured from the ricotta, which is perfectly normal.
Finish the dough. Gradually add the flour mixture to the ricotta mixture, mixing just until combined. Avoid overmixing to keep the cookies light and tender.
Scoop and bake. Using a small cookie scoop, portion the dough and roll into balls. Arrange them about 1 inch apart on the prepared baking sheets. Bake for 8–10 minutes, or until the cookies are set and the bottoms are lightly golden. The tops should remain pale.
Make the glaze. While the cookies bake, whisk together the milk, confectioners’ sugar, and almond extract until smooth and pourable.
Glaze and decorate. Dip the warm cookies into the glaze and place them on a wire rack. Once completely cool, dip them a second time for a thicker bakery-style coating, then decorate with sprinkles, jimmies, or colored sugar.
Let the glaze set. Allow the glaze to dry completely before serving, storing, or stacking the cookies.
See the full recipe card below for detailed measurements and instructions.
⭐ Pro Tips
⭐ Double-glaze for the best bakery-style finish. The first coat seals the cookie, while the second creates that classic sweet glaze found on Italian bakery cookies.
⭐ Use a cookie scoop for uniform baking. Evenly sized cookies bake more consistently and create a prettier finished tray.
⭐ Don’t wait too long to apply the first glaze. Slightly warm cookies absorb the glaze beautifully and develop a more flavorful finish.
⭐ Keep the glaze moving. If it begins to thicken while you work, whisk in a teaspoon of milk at a time until smooth again.
⭐ Let the glaze fully dry before storing. This prevents sticking and helps keep the decorations looking neat.
⭐ For holiday cookie trays, decorate immediately after the second glaze. The sprinkles adhere best while the glaze is still wet.
Storing + Freezing + Make-Ahead
Refrigerate: Store glazed cookies in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. I actually think they taste even better after chilling because the glaze firms up beautifully.
Freeze: Once the glaze has completely dried, place the cookies in a freezer-safe container, separating layers with parchment or wax paper if needed. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before serving.
Make Ahead: The cookie dough can be prepared up to 2 days in advance and stored covered in the refrigerator. You can also freeze the dough for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before baking as directed.
Serve: These cookies are delicious served chilled, at room temperature, or alongside coffee, tea, or a holiday dessert spread.
FAQs About Ricotta Cookies
◆ Why are ricotta cookies so soft?
Ricotta cheese adds moisture and richness to the dough, creating a soft, tender, almost cake-like texture that stays fresh longer than traditional butter cookies.
◆ Do ricotta cookies need to be refrigerated?
Yes. Because the glaze contains milk, it’s best to store these cookies in an airtight container in the refrigerator. They’ll stay fresh for up to a week.
◆ Can I freeze ricotta cookies?
Absolutely. Once the glaze has fully set, place the cookies in an airtight container or freezer-safe bag and freeze for up to 3 months. For best results, separate layers with parchment or wax paper.
◆ Can I make ricotta cookie dough ahead of time?
Yes. The dough can be covered and refrigerated for up to 2 days before baking. You can also freeze the dough for up to 3 months and thaw overnight in the refrigerator before using.
◆ Why didn’t my glaze set properly?
A glaze that’s too thin may take much longer to dry. If needed, whisk in a little more confectioners’ sugar until the glaze reaches a thick but pourable consistency. Humid weather can also slow drying time.
◆ Can I use part-skim ricotta cheese?
You can, but whole milk ricotta produces the softest texture and richest flavor. Part-skim ricotta may result in slightly less tender cookies.
Still have questions? Drop them in the comments — I love helping you cook with confidence! 💗
More Classic Italian Cookie Recipes
Amaretti Cookies – Crisp on the outside, chewy in the center, and packed with rich almond flavor. These traditional Italian cookies are naturally gluten-free and always a crowd favorite.
Italian Rainbow Cookies – Beautiful layers of almond cake, fruity jam, and chocolate make these bakery-style cookies as impressive as they are delicious.
Anise Cookies – Soft, old-fashioned cookies finished with a sweet glaze and classic anise flavor that has been loved for generations.
Pignoli Cookies – Tender almond cookies covered in pine nuts with a chewy center and irresistible nutty flavor.
Chocolate Biscotti – Crunchy, chocolatey Italian cookies that are perfect for dipping into coffee, espresso, or hot cocoa.
Tried This Recipe?
If you make these Ricotta Cookies, I’d love to hear how they turned out! Leave a comment and ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ star rating below to let me know what you think.
And if you snapped a photo, share it on Instagram and tag @gonna_want_seconds so I can see your beautiful cookies!
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Thanks for stopping by my kitchen today — happy baking, friends! ❤️ Kathleen
Ricotta Cookies
Ingredients
- 4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 cup unsalted butter
- 1 3/4 cups granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 15 ounces whole milk ricotta cheese
- 2 tablespoons vanilla extract
- 3/4 cup whole milk
- 4 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
- 1 tablespoon almond extract
- candy sprinkles, jimmies, colored sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350ºF (177ºC).
- In a small bowl, whisk together flour (4 cups), baking powder (1 teaspoon), and baking soda (1 teaspoon); set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, using a handheld electric mixer on medium speed, beat butter (1 cup), sugar (1 3/4 cups), eggs (2), ricotta (15 ounces), and vanilla extract (2 tablespoons). Gradually beat in the flour mixture.
- Using a small cookie scoop, scoop the dough and then roll to form balls. Arrange on prepared baking sheets 1 inch apart.
- Bake in the preheated oven for about 8-10 minutes or until lightly golden.
- Meanwhile, while cookies are baking, whisk together milk (3/4 cup), confectioners' sugar (4 1/2 cups), and almond extract (1 tablespoon) until smooth.
- Dip the cookies in glaze while they're still warm. Set on a wire rack and cool completely. Dip the cookies in glaze a second time and decorate with candy sprinkles, jimmies, or colored sugar. Set on a wire rack and let glaze set.
It’s so gooood, it’s so creamy. Just perfect.
Yaaay! Thanks, Marian 🙂