These unassuming little gluten free ricotta cookies with a simple icing and sprinkles might just become your new favorite! They’re so soft and addictive, I dare you to stop at just one.
I found this recipe last year and decided to try them for my Christmas cookie trays, alongside my cutout sugar cookies. They seemed very simple and quick to make, and I’m a sucker for anything with sprinkles on top. I finished the cookie trays and delivered them to all my friends and family. Lo and behold, everyone who tasted these little babies fell in love with them!
These cookies are usually flavored with lemon zest, but I really like an almond cookie so I substituted the zest for almond extract and they’re just perfect. If you’re not a fan of almond, though, feel free to use lemon zest.
What You’ll Need to Make These Cookies.
Most of these ingredients are probably already in your kitchen:
Kim’s All-Purpose Gluten Free Flour Blend — if you don’t have a container of this already made, no worries. You can use Cup4Cup or any other high-quality gluten free flour blend with xanthan gum.
Ricotta Cheese — no time to skimp on the fat here. Use whole milk ricotta.
Butter — ’cause butter makes everything better!
Eggs — as a binder and also to help the cookies rise.
Baking soda — to help the cookies rise.
Salt — flavor booster.
Sugar — all cookies need some sweetness.
Almond extract — a little goes a long way. For non-almond lovers, substitute with vanilla extract and lemon zest.
Powdered sugar — for the icing.
Milk — just a little to thin the icing.
Sprinkles — use any Christmas sprinkles you have. Just make sure they’re gluten free (Wilton are made in a facility that processes wheat)
How to Make Gluten Free Ricotta Cookies
These cookies couldn’t be simpler, so they’re perfect to throw together for preppers OR last minute bakers.
Cream butter and sugar together until fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.
Add ricotta cheese followed by eggs, one at a time, beating well after each. Add almond extract.
In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt.
On low speed, slowly add flour mixture and beat just until combined. Don’t overmix.
Chill dough for 1-2 hours, or up to 2 days.
When ready to bake, scoop with small scoop and roll into balls, about 1 tbsp each.
Bake on lined baking sheets for 12-14 minutes or until puffed and barely golden. They won’t get as much color on the top of the cookies, but the bottoms will be brown. Let cookies cool.
Whisk together icing ingredients and dip cookies into icing. Immediately add sprinkles before icing sets.
Can the Cookies Be Made Ahead of Time?
Yep, they certainly can! They can be baked, cooled, and frozen without the icing. Freeze in one layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet. When solid, place cookies in large ziptop bag. When ready to serve, remove the bag from the freezer, leaving the cookies in the bag, and thaw on the counter for a few hours. Dip them in the icing and add the sprinkles on top.
To freeze unbaked cookies, scoop dough onto lined baking sheets and freeze until solid. Place unbaked scoops into a large ziptop bag and seal. When ready to bake, remove from freezer, place frozen cookies onto lined baking sheets and bake, adding 5-8 more minutes of baking time. Proceed with cooling and icing as directed.
Add these perfect gluten free ricotta cookies to your Christmas cookie trays this season and everyone will love you for it!
Perfect Gluten Free Ricotta Cookies
Kim
These unassuming little gluten free ricotta cookies with a simple icing and sprinkles might just become your new favorite! They're so soft and addictive, I dare you to stop at just one.
In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
In the bowl of a stand mixer (or in a bowl with a handheld mixer), cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add ricotta cheese, followed by eggs one at a time. Add almond extract.
Reduce speed to low and slowly add flour mixture. Mix just until combined.
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and chill in refrigerator for at least 2 hours, but up to 2 days.
Preheat oven to 350° F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
Remove from refrigerator and using a small (1 tbsp) scoop, scoop cookie dough and roll into a smooth ball. Place on baking sheets 2 inches apart.
Bake for 12-14 minutes, or until puffed and slightly golden. They will be a very pale golden color when done.
Cool on baking sheets for a few minutes and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Combine icing ingredients in medium bowl and whisk until smooth. Dip tops of cookies into icing and decorate with sprinkles as desired.
Cookies will keep in a sealed container at room temperature for about 3-5 days.
Notes
*To freeze unbaked cookies, scoop dough and roll into balls. Place on lined baking sheets and put in the freezer until dough is solid. Place frozen dough balls in large ziptop bag. When ready to bake, remove from freezer, place on lined baking sheet, and bake as directed, adding about 5-8 minutes to the baking time. Frost as instructed. **To freeze baked cookies, do NOT ice cookies. Allow cookies to cool completely. Place on lined baking sheet and freeze until solid. Place frozen cookies in large ziptop bags. When ready to serve, remove bag from freezer and allow cookies to come to room temperature still in bag. You can also remove as many cookies as you want, wrap them in plastic wrap and allow them to come to room temperature. Dip in icing and decorate with sprinkles as desired.
13 thoughts on “Perfect Gluten Free Ricotta Cookies”
These cookies are amazing! So light and lovely. I made them for a Xmas party and they were a hit. Easy to decorate. Even easier to eat. I made them with only vanilla extract but will add the lemon zest next time. Thanks, Kim, for another fantastic recipe!
Made these for Christmas and everyone loved them! They also stay pretty fresh for a couple days in the fridge. I do think I personally might like them better with lemon flavoring next time, but everyone else loved the almond. Either way, they’re a great cookie going into our regular cookie favorites!
Delicious! I made a batch for my wheat-allergic BFF. Next I’m making a batch for us and non-gf friends. Perhaps one of the best cookies I’ve tried in a very long time. Thank you!
These cookies are A DREAM! I can’t believe how moist and fluffy they are what the hell!!! Amazing, delicious, showstopping! I made some very minimal changes: lowered sugar to 250gs and added raisins (we like our cookies a lil less sweet and we love raisins soo hahaha) and they were just perfect. We might or might now eat them all by the time I send this message. Next time might add walnuts to try, the sky is the limit when the base recipe is so great. Thank you soooo much!!! <3
I have made these a bunch of times now and they always come out perfect! Everyone is so impressed by them (myself included). They come out very moist and cake-like…the way a ricotta cookie should! Thank you for this recipe.
Oh no! Maybe your ricotta was too soft and runny? I don’t think you’d be able to salvage the rest of the dough. Did you use my flour blend or a store bought one?
I am looking to try this recipe but would want to do the vanilla extract with lemon zest instead as my sister is allergic to almonds. Do you have the substitute measurements for that?
Did you make these cookies? Snap a photo and tag @letthemeatglutenfreecake on Instagram!
Adapted from Cooking Classy’s Italian Ricotta Cookies
These cookies are amazing! So light and lovely. I made them for a Xmas party and they were a hit. Easy to decorate. Even easier to eat. I made them with only vanilla extract but will add the lemon zest next time. Thanks, Kim, for another fantastic recipe!
So glad you liked them, Drina! They are a family favorite.
Made these for Christmas and everyone loved them! They also stay pretty fresh for a couple days in the fridge. I do think I personally might like them better with lemon flavoring next time, but everyone else loved the almond. Either way, they’re a great cookie going into our regular cookie favorites!
These were wonderful, soft and cake like. My whole family loved them
Delicious! I made a batch for my wheat-allergic BFF. Next I’m making a batch for us and non-gf friends. Perhaps one of the best cookies I’ve tried in a very long time. Thank you!
These cookies are A DREAM! I can’t believe how moist and fluffy they are what the hell!!! Amazing, delicious, showstopping! I made some very minimal changes: lowered sugar to 250gs and added raisins (we like our cookies a lil less sweet and we love raisins soo hahaha) and they were just perfect. We might or might now eat them all by the time I send this message. Next time might add walnuts to try, the sky is the limit when the base recipe is so great. Thank you soooo much!!! <3
So glad you liked them!!
I have made these a bunch of times now and they always come out perfect! Everyone is so impressed by them (myself included). They come out very moist and cake-like…the way a ricotta cookie should! Thank you for this recipe.
Awe, thanks so much Kimberly! These are one of my all-time favorite cookies ever 😍
The cookies are amazing but mine came out super flat and not puffy at all…is there anyway to salvage the rest of the dough
Oh no! Maybe your ricotta was too soft and runny? I don’t think you’d be able to salvage the rest of the dough. Did you use my flour blend or a store bought one?
I am looking to try this recipe but would want to do the vanilla extract with lemon zest instead as my sister is allergic to almonds. Do you have the substitute measurements for that?
i think you could just add the zest of one lemon 🙂