These cookies, made with ricotta, are a treat that my mother used to make when I was little. The cheese gives these sweet cookies a wonderful, tender texture that is a hit with everyone from my kids to the local cowboys. I top these cookies with a light, creamy frosting that makes them extra sweet.

This batter is really stiff, so when you add the ricotta, you’ll want to take your time folding the cheese into the mixture, until it is well combined. You can also make this recipe with a stand mixer, but the final folding should always be done by hand.

Ricotta Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting

Ingredients:

For the Cookies

• ½ cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• 1 cup whole milk ricotta

For the Frosting

• 3 ounces cream cheese
• ¼ cup unsalted butter
• ½ cup powdered sugar
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
• Cinnamon, for sprinkling

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

2. In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugar together with a hand mixer until well-combined and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs and vanilla and mix until well combined.

3. Mix the flour with the salt and the baking soda in a medium bowl. Pour about half of the dry mixture into the butter mixture and mix it in, then add the rest of the dry mixture, about half at a time. Finish the dough by hand with a wooden spoon; the dough should be very stiff. Add the ricotta to the bowl, and slowly fold the ingredients together until they’re thoroughly mixed.

4. Using two soup spoons, put dollops of the batter onto a baking sheet: Scoop about 3 tablespoons of the dough into one spoon, then use the other to slide it off onto the pan, leaving about 2 inches between each cookie.

5. Bake the cookies until they are slightly golden on top and browning on the bottom, about 20 minutes. Transfer the cookies to a cooling rack and let cool while you make the frosting, at least 10 minutes.

6. Put the cream cheese and butter into a medium bowl and beat with a hand mixer. Sift in the powdered sugar, add the vanilla, and mix until the frosting is very creamy.

7. When the cookies have cooled, top each cookie with about 2 tablespoons of frosting, using a flat spatula or a butter knife to spread it out, covering most of the domed part of the cookie. Sprinkle the frosted cookies with a large pinch of cinnamon.

This recipe was featured on Episode 5 of Ranch To Table on Magnolia Network.

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Enjoy!

Elizabeth

Photos by Blakeney Sanford, Brian Skope