Lemon Ricotta Cookies

I love sharing a good recipe. I love receiving a good recipe even more. It’s a nice way to bake “together” despite the social distance or miles apart. A dear friend sent me this recipe for Lemon Ricotta Cookies after she baked it with her girls. Let me tell you, it’s a winner. The cookies are moist and light – almost the consistency of little cakes. They made a perfect addition to our Friday afternoon movie tea party watching Tangled.

A couple of notes. The recipe says to leave the dough in the refrigerator overnight. I don’t know about you, but the thought of doing all that work and telling my little baker we’ll eat one tomorrow is not appealing. Not today, at least. Instead we chilled the dough in the freezer while the oven preheated, we made the lemon glaze and cleaned up the mess. About 15 minutes. They turned out great!

Also, when squeezing and zesting lemons watch out for stray lemon squirts. After getting a little lemon juice in her face Penny decided sunglasses would be the safest way to continue squeezing 😀 We were able to get all the zest and 6 tablespoons of juice out of just 2 lemons.

Baking tips by age

2-4 years: I would prep the ingredients while your little baker is occupied. You might set up a bowl of water in the sink and let your little one wash the lemons while you prep. Mixing ingredients is fun, especially when its time for the ricotta cheese because the consistency changes pretty dramatically. Also, your little baker will probably enjoy squeezing and trying the lemon juice. Drizzling the glaze with a little spoon is always a hit.

5-7 years: Let them help with the prep. There aren’t too many ingredients. Your little baker might be able to wash and squeeze the lemons, crack the eggs, and dump the entire 15oz container of ricotta cheese into the batter – it’s oddly satisfying. With just three ingredients, they might measure and make the glaze all on their own.