Lemon Ricotta Basil Cookies

Name: Lemon Ricotta Basil Cookies
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 40 cookies, 40 serving(s)
Ingredients: 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour; 1 teaspoon baking powder; 1 teaspoon salt; 1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature; 2 cups sugar; 1/2 cup fresh basil (more if you like intense basil flavor); 2 eggs; 1 (15 ounce) container whole milk ricotta cheese; 3 tablespoons lemon juice; 1 lemon, zested; 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar; 3 tablespoons lemon juice; 1 lemon, zested; 1/3 cup hazelnuts; 3 tablespoons sugar; 1 tablespoon lemon zest (optional) or 1/4 teaspoon lemon oil (optional)

Submitted by Citruholic

"If you love lemon and basil, you'll love these cookies. The ricotta keeps them nice and moist. Adapted and tweaked from a Giada de Laurentiis recipe. She didn't use basil, but I thought they screamed for it! Depending on your cookie scoop or spoon size, you can expect to get about 36-40 cookies out of this. This cookie is more cake-like and is not a crisp cookie."

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Ready In:: 30mins
Ingredients:: 16
Yields:: 40 cookies
Serves:: 40

ingredients

COOKIES
2 ¹⁄₂ cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
¹⁄₂ cup unsalted butter, room temperature
2 cups sugar
¹⁄₂ cup fresh basil (more if you like intense basil flavor)
2 eggs
1 (15 ounce) container whole milk ricotta cheese
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1 lemon, zested
GLAZE
1 ¹⁄₂ cups powdered sugar
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1 lemon, zested
HAZELNUT SUGAR or LEMON TOPPING
¹⁄₃ cup hazelnuts
3 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon lemon zest (optional) or 1/4 teaspoon lemon oil (optional)

directions

Preheat oven to 375.
Cookies:
In a medium bowl combine the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
Combine sugar and roughly minced basil in food processor. Process/pulse until basil is thoroughly incorporated with sugar.
Using an electric mixer beat the butter with the basil sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, beating until incorporated. Add the ricotta cheese, lemon juice, and lemon zest. Beat to combine. Stir in the dry ingredients. Chill dough for 1 hour.
Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Scoop cold dough (about 2 tablespoons, more or less) and roll into ball and flatten lightly with bottom of a glass. If sticking occurs, dip bottom of glass in water then granulated sugar then proceed.
IF USING HAZELNUT SUGAR/LEMON TOPPING: Make as described below, then continue to bake for 12-15 minutes, until slightly golden at the edges. Remove from the oven and let the cookies rest on the baking sheet for 20 minutes. Using optional topping, you will omit the glaze.
GLAZE:
Combine the powdered sugar, lemon juice, and lemon zest in a small bowl and stir until smooth. Spoon about 1/2-teaspoon onto each cookie and use the back of the spoon to gently spread. Let the glaze harden for about 2 hours. Pack the cookies into a decorative container.
HAZELNUT SUGAR/LEMON TOPPING:
Take hazelnut, sugar and lemon zest OR lemon oil and process in food processor to a fine powder. Take dough, form into balls and roll in mixture and flatten with the bottom of a glass. Proceed to baking instructions.

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Reviews

these cookies are absolutely wonderful although I think just using about 3/4 of the ricotta would have been fine, I used fresh basil from my garden but used only about 1/4 cup I didn't use the glaze or hazelnut topping these cookies are delicious enough without that! I will be making these again very soon they are wonderful cookies, thank you for sharing Cit!

Kittencalrecipezazz

RECIPE SUBMITTED BY

Citruholic

I am studying as a chef, but have been a baker for years and years. Cakes, cookies, wedding cakes (baking and decorating), pastries, candies, chocolates...you name it...I've probably made it. I planted an herb garden 2 seasons ago and really enjoyed it and having been doing so ever since. I had fresh herbs all summer long and an abundance to dry and "put up" for the winter. Nothing beats your own fresh rosemary, basil, thyme and savory, sage, mint, oregano. I have five huge rosemary bushes that are thriving outside, despite frigid weather (it's quite hardy!). Rosemary is probably my favorite herb. I love to infuse oils...the safe way. I infuse them right before I cook with them, either with garlic or herbs or both. I love making simple syrups (I always use the 2 to 1 ratio: 2 cups of sugar to 1 cup of water...it IS a syrup). I love it in hot tea and in a variety of drinks...even homemade ice creams. I've infused simple syrups with rosemary, lemon, apple mint, lime and lavender. All were fantastic with a cup of, for instance, blood orange/pomegranate green tea, or even basic teas or plain green teas. They do wonders for iced teas also. Try sweetening your lemonade with a basil simple syrup, it's great! I always have them on hand. They take up a huge amount of refrigerator space, but I cannot do without them. I am an amateur photographer and just got my new Canon XSi 450D Rebel and am having such a great time with it. I'm currently experimenting with macro photography with some great lens diopters. So when I make a recipe and it comes out looking nice, I'll have a really detailed picture of it, lol. More as time goes by. This was a quick jot. I Was Adopted banner: <img src="http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j166/ZaarNicksMom/PACsticker-Adopted.jpg">

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