Italian Ricotta Cookies


Ingredients:
  • 3 1/2 cups all purpose flour
  • 2 1/2 tsp baking powder 
  • 3/4 tsp salt
  • 1 cup 1 tbsp unsalted butter
  • 1 3/4 cup white sugar
  • 1 tsp lemon zest
  • 2 tbsp lemon juice
  • 15 oz ricotta
  • 1 tbsp 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 2 eggs
  • 3 1/2 cups powdered sugar
  • 5 tbsp milk
  • Parchment paper

Special Tools: Hand mixer

Instructions:
  1. Grate 1 tsp lemon zest
  2. In a mixing bowl, whisk together 3 1/2 cups all purpose flour, 2 1/2 tsp baking powder, and 3/4 tsp salt
  3. In a separate bowl, whip together 1 cup unsalted butter, 1 3/4 cups white sugar, and 1 tsp lemon zest until pale and fuffy. Scrape down sides and bottom of bowl occasionally while mixing
  4. Mix in 15 oz ricotta, 1 tbsp vanilla extract, and 2 eggs, one at a time
  5. Set mixer on low and slowly add in the flour mixture just until combined
  6. Cover bowl with seran wrap and chill in fridge for 2 hours, up to 2 days
  7. Preheat oven to 350 F
  8. For icing, in a separate bowl, mix together 1 tbsp melted butter, 3 1/2 cups powdered sugar, 2 tbsp lemon juice, 1 tsp vanilla extract, 5 tbsp milk
  9. Scoop out dough in 1 tbsp portions onto baking sheet lined with parchment paper
  10. Bake 14 min, remove and allow to cool for several mine
  11. Once cool, spoon icing mix over cookies
Yield: 6 baking sheets, or 72 cookies

Source: The WALES cookbook, but originally from: https://www.cookingclassy.com/italian-ricotta-cookies/

Description:

The WALES cookbook was first developed as a gift for someone that was leaving Extend-a-Family. We chose a few recipes from the book to prepare as a demonstration, and one those selected were these cookies. We had planned to make them a day in advance, but the person that made the submission was absent that day. In her place, me and a couple other WALES members made the batter. 

However, one of the steps is to chill it for at least two hours. This didn't give us time to bake, so I wound up taking it home with me.

We were within a heat wave that spanned three days, one of which was apparently the hottest in recorded history. I didn't verify this, but I heard it twice and it felt accurate. The place where we live now has central air conditioning, so this wasn't such a hurdle. However, our oven is pretty unpredictable.

The usual workaround is to bake at my mother and brother's place, which is neardby. Unfortunately, their place isn't air conditioned. They were sympathetic to my need though, so we still used their facility. This is how I wound up heating up a place on one of the hottest days on record.

The day of the event, the person responsible for the submission showed up, and she'd brought a batch of cookies. Her's were a bit darker, went a little harder with the icing, and had sprinkles. The recipe makes for a lot of cookies, so we wound up with a surplus.

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