Almond ricotta cookies are less cookie and more cake with a soft, crumbly texture that tastes divine. Divine. Perfect for morning tea or a nice light after-dinner dessert, everyone will love these cookies for Christmas!
These Christmas ricotta cookies with almond extract are soft and almost cake-like! They are little moist glazed cookies full of almond flavor that are irresistible with delicious creamy ricotta.
The recipe for these ricotta almond cookies is very straightforward. The only kind of recipe you want for the holidays because you’re already cooking too much. From the old to the young, I promise, everyone will love them!
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Why You’ll Love This Recipe
A wonderful make-ahead recipe.
Easy to bake and fabulous for holiday gifting.
They look absolutely festive with red, green, and gold sprinkles!
They have a lovely cake-like texture that goes so well with a cup of coffee or tea!
Ricotta Almond Cookies Ingredients
Flour: We are using all-purpose flour and almond flour for these Christmas almond cookies. All-purpose flour makes the cookies soft and tender. The almond flour is lovely and nutty—equal parts subtle and delicious. You can use store-bought or make it at home.
Ricotta: Homemade or store-bought; both versions work like a charm. The only condition is not to skip the ricotta cheese, as it is essential. It gives structure and texture to the cookies.
Butter has to be softened. If you use unsalted butter, add ¼ teaspoon of salt to the cookie dough.
Extracts: I added homemade vanilla extract and pure almond extract. The latter is optional in the dough, but don’t skip it in the glaze.
Sugar: You’ll need powdered sugar for the dough and icing sugar for the almond glaze.
Milk: Almond milk was my choice (hello lactose intolerance) for the glaze. You can use any milk you prefer.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Variations
Eggless: I haven't tried making these almond flour ricotta cookies without eggs. But I am sure they can be made eggless with a flax egg. Mix 1 tablespoon of ground flaxseed with 3 tablespoons of water. Set aside for at least 15 minutes, till it’s goopy and thick. Continue with the rest of the recipe.
Flavors: In case you don’t have almond extract or don’t fancy it too much, replace it with lemon zest to make Italian ricotta cookies. The original Italian ricotta cookie recipe has lemon in it. You can even try orange zest. Add it to the dough to give the cookies brightness and use it as a garnish.
How To Make Almond Ricotta Cookies?
Step 1: Mix almond flour, all-purpose flour, and baking powder.
Step 2: Separately, beat butter with powdered sugar till it’s nice and light, and fluffy.
Step 3: Toss eggs, almond extract, and vanilla extract into the beaten mixture.
Step 4: Then add the ricotta cheese and combine thoroughly.
Step 5: Fold the dry ingredients into the wet. With a spatula, bring them together into a dough.
Step 6: Refrigerate the dough of almond ricotta cookies.
Baking The Ricotta Cookies
Step 7: Scoop out the dough using a tablespoon or ice cream scoop, and then roll it between your palms.
Step 8: Place each rolled ball on a Silpat-lined tray, leaving ample space between them.
Step 9: Bake for 12 to 14 minutes, till they’re very pale yellow and just firm to the touch.
Optional step: Cool and glaze.
Final step: Serve and savor!
Pro Tips
- The dough of these almond ricotta cookies is soft and sticks to your hands. I recommend refrigerating it for half an hour to one hour till it’s easy to handle.
- These cookies bake fast. So, after 12 minutes, keep an eye. Don’t worry if they seem too soft. They’ll harden as they cool.
How to serve
We’re making these ricotta cookies for Christmas, so why not make them extra special? While the cookies cool, go ahead and make a thick almond glaze.
- Mix the icing sugar with almond milk and almond extract.
- Drizzle the glossy glaze on each cookie.
- Immediately dust sprinkles on top because the glaze sets rather quickly, and after that, the sprinkles won’t stick.
Serving Italian ricotta cookies with almond glaze is a completely optional step. By no means do you have to decorate them. Once baked and cooled, they’re pretty enough to serve as-is or with powdered sugar like I did with my Mexican wedding cookies.
Almond Ricotta Cookies FAQs
Absolutely, make them a few weeks in advance. They store well in an airtight container. I do suggest not glazing them beforehand. Add the icing and sprinkles right before you’re serving, as the colors of the sprinkles tend to bleed.
It makes a decently sized batch of 24. You can, of course, double it to share with friends and family during the season. Or halve it.
Yes, you can, but keep these things in mind. Cottage cheese is chunkier. Ricotta is creamy. So, you’ll have to blend the cottage cheese until smooth before adding it to the ricotta almond flour cookie dough. Cottage cheese is also runnier. It has more moisture than ricotta. Drain that excess using a sieve or cheesecloth.
📖 Recipe
Almond Ricotta Cookies
Ingredients
- 1.5 cup All-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup Almond flour
- 1 1/4 tsp Baking powder
- 1/4 tsp Salt Please omit if using salted butter
- 1/2 cup Butter, softened
- 3/4 cup Powdered sugar
- 1 Egg
- 3/4 cup Ricotta cheese
- 1 tsp Vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp Pure almond extract ( optional)
Almond Glaze
- 1/3 cup Icing sugar
- 2-3 tbsp Almond milk You can use any milk you prefer
- 1/4 tsp Almond extract
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 180C. Line a cookie tray with Silpat or parchment paper.
- Sift together the all-purpose flour, almond flour, baking powder, and salt ( if using) in a bowl.
- In another bowl, beat together butter and sugar until pale and fluffy.
- Add the egg. Beat well.
- Now add in the ricotta, vanilla extract, and almond extract. Mix until well combined.
- If the dough seems too soft, cover and refrigerate for 20-30 minutes until firm.
- Scoop out the dough, using a tablespoon. Roll the dough balls and place on the tray.
- Bake at 180 C for 12-14 minutes until very light golden in color.
- Transfer to a cooling rack, let the cookies cool completely. Serve as is or glaze the cookies with almond glaze and add sprinkles.
- Allow the glaze to set, about 5-10 minutes.
Almond Glaze
- Combine almond milk, almond extract, and icing sugar until smooth and thick.
Notes
- The dough of these almond ricotta cookies is soft and sticky. I recommend refrigerating it for half an hour to one hour till it’s easy to handle.
- These cookies bake fast. So, after 12 minutes, keep an eye. Don’t worry if they seem too soft. They’ll harden as they cool.
Aarti Aneja Pathak says
Hii Tasha thanks so much for sharing your whole world of baking knowledge with all of us. Really truly appreciate 🤗
One quick question please. Any substitute for eggs in all the cookies with eggs ? Would be so happy to replace the same. Thanksss in advance ❤️ much love and lots more power and success to you ❤️
Natasha Minocha says
Hi Aarti, thank you so much for your wonderful and kind wishes. I am so grateful.🙏🏻
As to replacing eggs in all cookies is a bit tricky. I usually would recommend flax egg, that is, 1 egg = 1 tbsp flaxseed powder + 3 tbsp water. This, however may not work in all cookies. It would work in most. In some cookies, I have added yogurt instead of egg. Please do read the ingredient substitutes given in the blog. They are mentioned in most of the blogs. Hope this helps.Happy baking! xoxo
Lauren says
Can these be made with all almond flour?
Natasha Minocha says
Hi Lauren, I think almond flour could work here though I haven't tried it myself. xx
Pina says
In the recipe it mentions 1.5 cup of flour does this means 1 and 1/2 cups
Natasha Minocha says
Hello Pina, yes, its 1 and 1/2 cups of flour. 🙂
Priya says
Cookies look bomb.. Loving it totally Natasha 🙂
Natasha Minocha says
Thank you so much, Priya! Really appreciate it. xx