Description
These Cranberry Orange Ricotta Cookies are soft, tender Italian-style cookies made with creamy ricotta cheese, dried cranberries, and fragrant orange zest. Finished with a sweet orange icing, they are perfect for Christmas cookie trays, holiday gatherings, cookie exchanges, or an everyday citrus-flavored treat. This easy recipe makes approximately 40 cookies with a delicate, cake-like texture and a delicious balance of sweet and tart flavors.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1/2 cup salted butter (1 stick), softened
- 1/2 cup whole-milk ricotta cheese
- 2 teaspoons orange extract
- Freshly grated orange zest, divided
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/2 cup dried cranberries, chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon cornstarch
For the Orange Icing:
- 2 cups confectioners’ sugar
- 1 teaspoon orange extract
- 1/2 teaspoon salted butter, softened
- 3 tablespoons water
- Remaining freshly grated orange zest
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Toss the dried cranberries with the cornstarch, then roughly chop them using a food processor or a knife. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened salted butter and whole-milk ricotta cheese with a hand mixer until creamy.
- Add the granulated sugar, egg, orange extract, and freshly grated orange zest, reserving some zest for the icing. Beat until well combined.
- Add the all-purpose flour, baking soda, and sea salt. Mix until the ingredients are just combined and a soft dough forms.
- Stir the chopped cranberries into the dough, distributing them evenly.
- Using a 1-inch cookie scoop, portion the dough onto the prepared baking sheet, spacing the cookies approximately 1 inch apart. Bake in batches of about 12 cookies to avoid overcrowding.
- Bake on the center rack for approximately 10 minutes, or until the cookies look set. Avoid overbaking to maintain their soft texture.
- Transfer the cookies to a wire rack and allow them to cool completely.
- To prepare the orange icing, whisk together the confectioners’ sugar, orange extract, softened butter, water, and reserved orange zest until smooth and spreadable.
- Spread the orange icing over the cooled cookies. Add extra orange zest or festive sprinkles if desired, and allow the icing to set.
- Store the cookies in an airtight container in the refrigerator or freezer.
Notes
- Use softened butter to help create a smooth, creamy cookie dough.
- Whole-milk ricotta is recommended for the best flavor and tender texture. Drain any excess liquid if the ricotta is particularly watery.
- Chop the dried cranberries into small pieces so they distribute evenly throughout the dough.
- Reserve some fresh orange zest for the icing to enhance the citrus aroma and flavor.
- The cookies may remain relatively pale on top. Check that they are set rather than waiting for deep browning.
- Allow the cookies to cool completely before icing to prevent the topping from melting.
- If the icing is too thick, add water a few drops at a time. If it is too thin, add a little more confectioners’ sugar.
- Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator because the cookies contain ricotta cheese.
- For the best presentation after freezing, freeze the cookies without icing and decorate them after thawing.
- Nutrition information is an estimate and may vary depending on the ingredients and portion sizes used.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Dessert, Cookies
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 100 kcal
- Sugar: 12 g
- Sodium: 45 mg
- Fat: 3 g
- Saturated Fat: 1.5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 1.2 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 17 g
- Fiber: 0.3 g
- Protein: 1.5 g
- Cholesterol: 10 mg