Italian Ricotta Cookies

RICOTTA COOKIES
- 1 cup salted butter softened
- 2 cups granulated white sugar
- 15 ounces ricotta cheese
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 4 ½ cups all-purpose flour
COOKIE GLAZE
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- ½ teaspoon vanilla
- ½ teaspoon almond extract
- 2 to 4 tablespoons milk or heavy cream
- 5 ounces sprinkles
Italian Cookies
- In a large bowl beat softened butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy.
- Add the eggs one at a time mixing well in between.
- Add ricotta cheese, vanilla, and almond extract and beat until smooth.
- Add the baking powder and baking soda and mix until
incorporated. - Add the flour and mix just until the flour is combined.
- Place the dough into the
refrigerator for 1 hour. - Preheat the oven 350⁰F.
Form cookie balls using about 2 teaspoons of dough. - Place cookie balls into the
refrigerator for 10 minutes. - Place the cookie balls onto a cookie sheet and bake in the preheated oven for 8 to 10
minutes or until the bottoms of the cookie begin to just brown. - Remove the cookies from the oven and allow them to cool on the cookie sheet for 1 minute and remove to a cooling rack to finish cooling.
Italian Cookie Icing
- While cookies are cooling combine the glaze ingredients and mix until smooth.
- When cookies are cooled, spoon glaze over the cookies and sprinkle with nonpareils before the glaze begins to harden.
- Alternatively, cookie tops can be dipped into the glaze, allow the excess glaze to drip off the cookies and then placed onto a rack to finish hardening.
- Cookies can be stored
uncovered or uncovered at room temperature or in the
refrigerator for up to 4 days before they start becoming soggy.