Lemon Ricotta Cookies

The lemon ricotta cookies from Giada de Laurentiis are soft and delicious. They have an excellent lemon flavor and a perfectly light texture from the ricotta. Giada describes the cookies as being similar to muffin tops, and she's exactly right. The original recipe includes a glaze for the top, but I thought these were plenty sweet enough without it. But if you'd like a slightly dressier, sweeter cookie, go for it by all means (just whisk together some confectioner's sugar with enough lemon juice to make a drizzling consistency). These will keep for a few days, but I think they're best the day they're made. I used Meyer lemons, but I think regular lemons would work just as well.

Lemon Ricotta Cookies (from Giada's Kitchen: New Italian Favorites by Giada de Laurentiis)

2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 cups granulated sugar
2 eggs
15-ounce container whole-milk ricotta cheese
Zest of 1-2 lemons (depending how lemony you like your cookies)
3 T freshly-squeezed lemon juice

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

2. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.

3. In a large bowl, beat together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, beating until incorporated. Add the ricotta cheese, lemon zest, and lemon juice and beat to combine. Stir in the dry ingredients.

4. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Spoon the dough onto the baking sheets using about 2 T for each cookie. Bake for 15 minutes, until slightly golden at the edges.