lemon ricotta cookies with lemon glaze

• As we continue to shelter in place, ( now January 2021 ) I spend my days showing, selling and preparing homes for the real estate market. When I need a break or a change I turn on YouTube and escape to Italy — sometimes to other places, but most often I venture off to Italy. Riding my Peloton and flipping through the many YouTube channels, I discovered Gino’s Italian Escape –which inspired me to bake and cook with lemons and Limoncello. So after the grocery store ( another COVID activity, there are few ) I went over to my Mom and Dad’s to get a bottle of Limoncello. Mom always seems to have some on hand. One year we all received a pretty bottle of Limoncello for Christmas. Fast forward back home I realized I didn’t have the ingredients to make Gino’s Limoncetti biscuits because I forgot the most important ingredient, crushed almonds. But I will circle back with that recipe soon. So I googled what ingredients I had purchased — ricotta cheese and lemons and found Giada’s Lemon Ricotta Cookies. Back to Positano I went, virtually of course.

• Viva Italia! Oh how I wish I were there now.
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Cookies: ( or if you are like me you make it into a cake or loaf, because the first batch of my cookies turned out flat like pancakes. ) Either way, it turned out delicious even though it didn’t look like the above picture.

• In a medium bowl combine the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
• In the large bowl combine the butter and the sugar. Using an electric mixer beat the butter and 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.
• Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Spoon the dough (about 2 tablespoons for each cookie) onto the baking sheets. Bake for 15 minutes, until slightly golden at the edges. Remove from the oven and let the cookies rest on the baking sheet for 20 minutes.
• 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.

Cookies: ( or loaf )

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 stick unsalted butter, softened

2 cups sugar

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