Lemon Poppy Seed Ricotta Cookies
Tender, softly domed ricotta cookies flecked with poppy seeds and fresh lemon zest, finished with a sweet lemon glaze. Batch yield: 32 lemon-glazed cookies. One serving: 1 glazed cookie, approximately 35 g after baking, cooling and glazing. Allow approximately 220 minutes from taking the butter out to the glaze setting. Prep time is 180 total non-oven minutes: 30 minutes butter softening, 40 minutes active preparation, 60 minutes mandatory chilling, 30 minutes cooling after the final tray, and 20 minutes glaze setting. Cook time is 40 minutes for two sequential 20-minute tray batches. Preheating overlaps the final 20 minutes of chilling; the first tray's cooling overlaps preparation and baking of the second tray and is not counted again. The remaining dough stays chilled while the first tray bakes. Cool longer if the cookies still feel warm before glazing. Appliances: Oven; Electric hand mixer; Refrigerator. Equipment: Digital kitchen scale; Measuring spoons; Fine citrus grater; Two mixing bowls; Small glaze bowl; Whisk; Flexible spatula; Fine sieve; Two 33 × 45 cm baking trays; Baking paper; Bowl cover; Cookie scoop or two spoons; Two wire cooling racks; Airtight storage container. Allergens: Contains wheat (gluten), milk and egg, and also contains poppy seeds. Use ricotta made with acid or vegetarian rennet. Nutrition is estimated per glazed cookie and varies with the ricotta used. Storage: Once completely cool and the glaze has set, store airtight with baking paper between layers. Keep for up to 2 days at cool room temperature, ideally 20–22°C, or refrigerate for up to 5 days. Freeze for up to 2 months, separated with baking paper; thaw covered in the refrigerator. The glaze may become slightly tacky after refrigeration or freezing.
180 min
Prep
40 min
Cook
32
Serves
122
Calories
Macros · per serving
2g protein
18g carbs
4g fat
Ingredients
For 32 servings
- 284 g All-purpose flour
- 22 g Poppy seeds
- 6 g Baking powder
- 1.5 g Fine salt
- 200 g Granulated sugar
- 113 g Unsalted butter
- 12 g Finely grated lemon zest
- 1 whole egg Large egg
- 5 ml Vanilla extract
- 240 g Whole-milk ricotta made with acid or vegetarian rennet
- 154 g Icing sugar
- 30 ml Fresh lemon juice
Instructions
- 1
Cut the butter into small pieces and leave at cool room temperature for about 30 minutes, until it yields easily when pressed but is not oily or melted. Line two 33 × 45 cm baking trays with baking paper; do not grease them.
- 2
Whisk the flour, poppy seeds, baking powder and salt together in a bowl.
- 3
In a second bowl, rub the granulated sugar and lemon zest together with your fingertips until fragrant. Add the softened butter and beat with an electric mixer for about 3 minutes, until pale and fluffy. Scrape down the bowl.
- 4
Beat in the whole egg and vanilla until combined. Add the ricotta and mix briefly on low speed. A slightly grainy appearance is normal. Add the flour mixture and mix on low only until no dry flour remains, finishing with a spatula. The dough should be thick, soft and sticky. Allow about 20 minutes for weighing and mixing altogether. Do not taste the raw dough; it contains uncooked flour and egg. Wash hands and utensils after handling it.
- 5
Cover the bowl and refrigerate the dough for 60 minutes. During the final 20 minutes of chilling, preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F) conventional or 160°C (320°F) fan, with a shelf in the middle.
- 6
Divide the dough into 32 portions of approximately 32 g each. For the first batch, scoop 16 rounded mounds onto one prepared tray in a 4 × 4 arrangement, leaving at least 3 cm between mounds. Allow about 5 minutes for portioning this tray. Keep the remaining dough refrigerated.
- 7
Bake the first tray for 18–20 minutes, allowing 20 minutes in the timing estimate. The tops should look set and remain pale, with lightly golden undersides and edges. The centres should spring back gently rather than look wet. Leave on the tray for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack.
- 8
While the first tray rests, spend about 5 minutes portioning the remaining 16 cookies onto the second prepared tray. Bake this tray on its own for 18–20 minutes. Cool for 5 minutes on the tray, then transfer to a wire rack for another 25 minutes, or until completely cool. The first batch cools during the second batch's preparation and baking.
- 9
Once all cookies are completely cool, sift the icing sugar into a small bowl and stir in the lemon juice until smooth. The glaze should fall from a spoon in a thick ribbon. Spoon it over the tops of all 32 cookies, using approximately 5–6 g per cookie and dividing the entire glaze evenly. Allow about 10 minutes to mix and apply the glaze.
- 10
Leave the glazed cookies uncovered for about 20 minutes, until the glaze is dry to a light touch, before packing or stacking.
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