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Italian Orange Ricotta Drop Cookies

Cookiee Club
These Italian Orange Ricotta Drop cookies taste like a mini scone that melts in your mouth after one bite. They are buttery, creamy and packed full of fresh orange juice and zest. I love pairing them with coffee or tea in the morning. They also make the perfect treat for a book club gathering or small event.
5 from 2 votes
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Servings 24 cookies

Equipment

  • 2 Mixing bowl
  • 1 Rubber Spatula
  • 1 Whisk
  • 1 Cookie Scoop
  • 1-3 Baking Sheet
  • Parchment Paper
  • 1-2 Cookie Cooling Rack
  • 1 Cookie Spatula

Ingredients
  

Cookie Dough

  • ½ cup softened butter unsalted
  • ¾ cup organic granulated sugar
  • 1 tablespoon orange zest or 1 lemon zest
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • ¼ teaspoon pure almond extract optional
  • 2 tablespoon fresh orange juice or fresh lemon juice
  • ¾ cup room temperature ricotta cheese full fat
  • 1 egg room temperature
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon sea salt use 1/4 teaspoon if using salted butter
  • 2 cup all purpose unbleached flour

Frosting

  • 1 ¼ cup powdered sugar
  • ½ tablespoon melted butter
  • ¼ cup fresh orange juice or fresh lemon
  • 1 teaspoon orange zest lemon zest

Instructions
 

  • Start by preheating the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
  • Then line two standard baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
  • In a large mixing bowl begin adding softened butter and sugar.
  • Mix the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy using a hand mixer or wooden spoon for about 2-3 min.
  • Crack in the egg, room temperature ricotta cheese, orange zest, orange juice, vanilla extract and almond extract and mix until combined.
  • In another bowl add flour, baking soda, and salt and mix with a fork.
  • Next pour the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and fold the two into each by using a rubber spatula.
  • Do not over mix the cookie dough. Once the flour dissolves into the dough stop stirring.
  • Now with a 1.5 tablespoon cookie scoop, scoop the dough and place no more than 6-8 cookies on a baking tray at a time, bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 9-12 min or until the bottom of the cookies are golden brown and centers are puffy and light.
  • Continue the previous step until all the cookies are baked.
  • While the cookies are cooling prepare the citrus glaze.
  • First grab a large mixing bowl and add powdered sugar, melted butter, orange juice and or lemon juice or orange zest and or lemon zest.
  • With a whisk, whisk the frosting until smooth and silky.
  • Grab a cooled cookie and dunk the top into the glaze and then place onto a cooling rack. I like to place a baking sheet under the cooling rack to avoid a huge mess on the counter top.
  • Finish Icing all the cookies and let the glaze set. Then serve and enjoy!
  • Store leftovers in an airtight container on the counter, out of the sun for 1-2 days for maximum freshness.