Lemon Ricotta Cookies

      Two things happened the other day, I found myself facing needing to use up some ricotta cheese that was in our fridge and I my friend Claudia from What's Cookin' Italian Style Cuisine posted one of her most requested cookie recipes, that uses ricotta (view Claudia's recipe here).  I know baking with sour cream or ricotta means a soft, moist end product that is sure to "Wow!" folks.  I decided to make her cookies which is actually a recipe from her Mom, even better as I love true 'family recipes.'   These cookies are moist, cake-like, airy and fluffy with the wonderful flavor of lemon shining through. This is a wonderful Traditional Italian cookie, and can be made into so many other wonderful flavors, I can't wait to make more!!  ~Enjoy! Diane  
  
"Mom's Lemon Ricotta Cookies"
(recipe can be doubled)
recipe by: What's Cookin' Italian Style Cuisine

Ingredients: 
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup butter, room temperature
1 cup whole milk ricotta cheese 
2 large eggs
2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon lemon extract 
1 teaspoon baking soda
pinch of salt
1 teaspoon lemon zest

Directions: 

•  Preheat oven to 350F.
• Note: This dough is mixed all by hand, no electric mixer. 
• In a large bowl, cream the sugar and butter together for around 2 minutes. Add the ricotta cheese, mix to blend.  Add the eggs and stir until smooth.  Add in the flour, extracts, baking soda and salt.  Fold in the lemon peel last. Do not over-mix. 
• Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. 
• Drop the dough in heaping rounded tablespoons onto the baking sheets 2 inches apart. (I used my small cookie scoop, sprayed with a bit of baking spray)
• Place in the oven, and bake. Bake until bottoms and edges begin to brown (around 12 to 15 minutes). Rotate pans halfway through the baking time, until the cookies are puffed, golden, and cooked through. 
• Remove from the oven, and cool on wire racks.
• When the cookies are completely cool, make the icing/glaze.  Dip the top of the cookies in the glaze and let dry on the racks until all are done. If you prefer a lighter glazed cookie, use a spoon to drizzle the glaze back and forth over the tops of cookies. Let dry for 2 hours before storing. 

Icing/Glaze:
2 cups powdered sugar
drops of hot water to make a thin frosting
1/2 teaspoon grated lemon peel  
assorted candy sprinkles, for the tops of cookies

Mix the water a little at a time until the frosting runs a small stream, add in peel. 
Dip cookies into the frosting and sprinkle with colored candies.

Makes Approx: 3 1/2 dozen