Lemon Ricotta Cookies – easy slice-and-bake butter cookies full of lemon flavor with just a fraction of fat content. Can be made in advanced and stored in freezer.
I remember my grandmother and my mom making cookies they called “Machine Cookies”. They had a special attachment for meat grinding machine that was used for making cookies. They made wonderful butter cookie dough with lots of lemon zest, pressed it through the machine and got several pounds of cookies of various shapes. Those cookies were so addictive, you couldn’t eat just one or two, you simply ate until there was no more.
Why am I telling you this? Because these Lemon Ricotta Cookies have almost the same flavor, with just a fraction of fat content. Ricotta cheese provides moisture without a need to add too much butter. Also, you don’t need any special equipment to make these simple slice-and-bake shortbread cookies. They can even be prepared in advanced and stored in freezer.
I’m very pleased with my Lemon Ricotta Cookies and hope you will be, too.
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter room temperature, 1 stick + 2 tsp; 125 g
- 1/2 cup ricotta cheese 125 g
- 1 1/4 cup powdered sugar 180 g
- 1/4 tsp baking soda
- 1 egg
- zest of 1 lemon
- 1 Tbsp lemon juice
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 3 cups all-purpose flour 430 g
- 2/3 cup dessicated coconut
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Mix butter and ricotta cheese with a mixer for 1 minute. Add powdered sugar and baking soda and continue beating until creamy.
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Add the egg, finely grated lemon zest, lemon juice and vanilla extract and mix shortly.
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Add flour, mix with a spoon, transfer the mixture to a floured surface and knead briefly until you get smooth dough.
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Divide the dough in two parts and shape each part into a log about 8" (20 cm) long.
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Sprinkle half of the dessicated coconut on a cling film, put one log on top of it, roll it so that coconut adheres to the surface of the log. Wrap in cling film and put in refrigerator for at least 2 hours. Do the same with another half of the dough and coconut.
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Preheat oven to 375 F (175 C). Line baking tray with baking paper.
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Cut cookie dough logs into thin slices and place them on a baking sheet.
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Bake for 8-10 minutes. Cookies should still remain light in color.
