Day 11: Ricotta Cheese Cookies

I’m going to throw this out there for all of you non-believers and say I don’t like cheese. There, I said it! Now, like many of the greatest proclamations, there are a few caveats to that sentence. I like grilled cheese sandwiches (if there is only one slice of cheese). I now eat almost all of the cheese on a slice of pizza (although if the cheese to sauce or pepperoni proportions are way off, things change). I like sausage cups (which, even I can’t explain). And more importantly, and for the purposes of this post, I like Ricotta Cheese Cookies.

The one thing I’ve always had a problem with is why anyone in the their right mind would have combined cheese and cookie batter. Even in my dark twisted fantasy Kayne West mind, I cannot come up with a scenario where I would say “Wow, you know what would make this cookie better? Cheese.”

Whatever the reasoning was behind them, Ricotta Cheese Cookies are amazing and they are today’s cookie, making them Day 11 of the 12 Days of Christmas Cookies!

I know I grew up eating a certain recipe for these, but I found a recipe online that uses a lemon glaze and they sound just as good. Here it is:

Ricotta Cheese Cookies

http://www.italian-dessert-recipes.com/ricotta_cheese_cookies.html

Ingredients
2 cups sugar
1 cup (2 sticks) butter softened
1 container (or 15 ounces) ricotta cheese
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 large eggs
4 cups all purpose flour
2 tablespoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt

Glaze
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons of fresh lemon juice

Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a large bowl, beat the sugar and butter until blended.
3. After the ingredients are blended, beat until light and fluffy for about 5 minutes.
4. Add ricotta, vanilla and eggs until well combined at a medium speed.
5. Add flour, baking powder and salt. Beat until dough forms.
6. Drop dough by tablespoons, about 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets.
7. Bake about 15 minutes or until cookies are a light golden color. Cookies will be soft and cake like.


Seriously, only 7 easy steps and you get cookies that have cheese in them?? Dream come true!

As you wipe away your tears thinking about how there is only one more day of the 12 Days of Christmas Cookies, just remember that these 12 days can live on forever in your heart.

Well, more so in your kitchen. But in the kitchen of your heart where you keep your utensils, these recipes will always be there. For as long as the internet exists.


Source: Italian Dessert Recipes by Lisa Marietta Gianotti
URL: http://www.italian-dessert-recipes.com/ricotta_cheese_cookies.html