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+ servings
Lemon ricotta cookie being held up by a hand.

Lemon Ricotta Easter Egg Cookies

These lemon ricotta easter egg cookies have a bright, lemony flavor and creamy, airy texture that you can only get with a lemon ricotta cookie. The perfect sweet treat for spring!
Prep 3 hours 20 minutes
Cook 12 minutes
Total 3 hours 32 minutes
Fat 7
Carbs 27
Protein 3
Yield 36

Ingredients

Dry Ingredients

Wet Ingredients

  • 1 cup unsalted butter room temperature
  • 1.5 cups granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon lemon zest
  • 15- oz. ricotta cheese ~1.75 cups
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 large eggs

Lemon Glaze

  • 2 tablespoons butter softened
  • 4 tablespoons 2% milk
  • 3 cups powdered sugar
  • 1 teaspoon lemon zest

Optional Toppings

  • lemon zest

Instructions

  • Add the flour, baking powder, and salt to a medium bowl and mix until combined. Set aside.
  • Next, add the butter and sugar to a bowl and mix with an electric hand mixer (a stand mixer works best) until the mixture becomes light and fluffy.
    butter and sugar in a glass bowl.
  • Add lemon zest, ricotta cheese, and vanilla extract to the bowl and beat on low until combined.
    butter in a glass bowl on a gray background.
  • Crack the eggs into the bowl and beat on low until the eggs are completely mixed into the cookie dough.
    a glass bowl filled with yellow batter.
  • Finally, slowly add the flour to the bowl (1/3 cup at a time) until all the flour is added and combined.
    a glass bowl filled with a yellow batter.
  • Cover the cookie dough with plastic wrap and place the cookie dough into the refrigerator for 3-4 hours.
  • Preheat the oven to 350ºF and spray a baking sheet with non-stick cooking spray.
  • When the cookie dough has set and hardened a bit, use a 1.5-tablespoon cookie scoop to scoop out the dough and roll it into a ball. Once the ball is formed, gently mold the dough into the shape of an Easter egg (or an oval), and place it on the baking sheet (give them space to expand). Repeat until all the cookie dough has been made into balls. Note: you’ll need to use multiple cookie sheets or do this in batches.
    four cookies on a baking sheet.
  • Bake at 350ºF for 12 minutes or until the bottoms turn golden brown.
    four cookies on a baking sheet.
  • Remove the cookies from the oven and immediately place the cookies on a cooling rack. Let the cookies cool for 15-20 minutes before glazing them.
  • To make the glaze, add the butter to a separate mixing bowl and beat the butter with an electric mixer on low/medium speed until smooth. Slowly add the milk to the butter and mix until smooth.
  • Finally, slowly add the powdered sugar to the butter and beat on low until smooth. The glaze should be drippy.
    a glass bowl with a mixture in it.
  • To add glaze to the cookies, carefully dip the top of each cookie into the glaze and set it down on a cooling rack.
    cookies on a cooling rack with blue sprinkles.
  • Repeat until all the cookies are frosted. Once the cookies are frosted, add Easter-colored sprinkles to the glaze or use a pastel-colored food coloring to decorate the cookies like an easter egg.
    Lemon ricotta cookie being held up by a hand.

Tips & Notes

  • Do not skip the refrigeration of the cookie dough.
  • These cookies freeze well!
  • The prep time includes 3 hours of rest time when the cookie dough is refrigerated.

Watch it

Nutrition Facts

Calories: 180kcal | Carbohydrates: 27g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 7g | Fiber: 0.3g | Sugar: 18g