Ricotta Cheese Cookies - Week Four

For week four of 12 weeks of holiday cookies, I made up ricotta cheese cookies.  These are one of Ron's favorite cookies.  A few years ago, he mentioned that his mom used to make them around the holidays.  Until that time, I had never heard of ricotta cheese cookies, let alone putting any kind of cheese in a cookie.  For the holidays that year, I got the recipe from his mom and ended up whipping up a batch.  For some reason, I fell asleep and left them sitting out all night.  Put that in the What was I thinking category.  I woke up the next day realizing that they were hard as rocks.  Thankfully, Ron's family was kind enough to look passed my mistake and the cookies were enjoyed by all.

I couldn't find the original recipe I made, but I did find another recipe in my giant cookie recipe book.  These cookies are delicious.  If you put them away within a few hours of baking (and don't leave them out for an entire night), they are still so delicious and moist the next day.  If you've never had them, I would describe them as a lighter and fluffier sugar cookie.  I cut this recipe in half, but it still made over 2 dozen cookies.  This recipe makes a lot so factor that into your baking.  And, sadly I couldn't find my multi-colored sprinkles, so there's a mixture of Independence Day and Christmas colors on those racks :)

Ricotta Cheese Cookies

Good Housekeeping Favorite Recipes: Cookies!

Yield:  About 72 cookies (don't worry - they freeze well!)

Ingredients

• 1 cup margarine or butter (2 sticks) softened
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 1 container (15 ounces) ricotta cheese
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 large eggs
• 4 cups AP flour
• 2 Tbsp baking powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
• 3 Tbsp milk
• colored sugar crystals

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. In large bowl, beat butter and granulated sugar until blended - light and fluffy.
3. Beat in ricotta, vanilla, and eggs until well combined.
4. Add flour, baking powder, and salt; beat/stir until dough forms.
5. Drop dough by level tablespoons, about 2 inches apart, on ungreased cookie sheet.
6. Bake until cookies are very lightly golden, about 15 minutes (they will be soft).
7. With spatula, transfer cookies to wire rack to cool.  Repeat with remaining dough.
8. When cookies are cool, prepare icing: in small bowl, whisk confectioners' sugar and milk until smooth.  With small spatula, knife, or dip method, spread icing on cookies; sprinkle with colored sugar crystals.
9. Set aside on wire rack until icing is completely dry, about 1 hour.