Italian Ricotta Cookies

Steps

1. Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl.
2. In a large bowl, beat the butter and granulated sugar with a mixer on medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in the eggs one at a time.
3. Beat in the ricotta, vanilla and lemon zest until well combined. It will look a little lumpy from the ricotta, and that is fine.
4. On low speed, add the flour mixture and mix just until no dry flour shows. The dough will be soft and sticky, so cover the bowl and chill it for 1 hour.
5. Heat the oven to 350°F and line large baking sheets with parchment paper. Scoop the cold dough into rounded tablespoons and space them 2 inches apart on the pans.
6. Bake one pan at a time for 12 to 15 minutes, until the bottoms are light golden and the tops spring back when touched. The tops should stay pale.
7. Let the cookies sit on the pan for 5 minutes, then move them to a wire rack until completely cool.
8. For the glaze, whisk the powdered sugar, lemon juice and 2 tablespoons milk until smooth. It should be thick but easy to dip into, so add more milk a teaspoon at a time if needed.
9. Dip the top of each cooled cookie in the glaze, let the extra drip off, and set it back on the rack. Add sprinkles right away, before the glaze sets.
10. Let the glaze dry until firm to the touch, about 1 hour, before stacking or packing the cookies.

Good to know

• If your ricotta looks wet, drain it in a fine-mesh sieve for 15 minutes before you start, so the cookies hold their shape.
• Layer glazed cookies between sheets of wax paper in a covered container. They keep at room temperature for up to 3 days or in the fridge for up to 1 week.
• Freeze unglazed cookies for up to 3 months. Thaw them at room temperature, then glaze.
• For a vanilla or almond glaze, use all milk instead of lemon juice and stir in 1/2 teaspoon vanilla or almond extract.