I love ricotta cookies. Like many of you, I love lemon ricotta cookies, but this time I tried to mix other flavors and make something NEW. So, let me present you these vanilla and cardamom flavored orange poppy seed ricotta cookies with orange glaze!
If you have never tried ricotta in cookies, then this is a good recipe to start with. They’re different than other cookies, trust me.
These little guys are so moist and light and I love how the ricotta cheese gives them a bit more richness and changes the texture to be more cake-like.
These melt in your mouth goodies are bursting with orange flavor which pairs perfectly with hints of cardamom. The poppy seeds add a lovely crunch, which I adore.
In fact, I loved this flavor so much I made similarly flavored cottage cheese waffles. SO GOOD!
Don’t you want to sink your teeth into these wonderful ricotta cookies? I know I do! I had one for breakfast, one after lunch, and I’m going to have one right now!
Ingredients
For the cookies:
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
- 2 tablespoons poppy seeds
- 1 1/2 cups sugar
- zest from 2 oranges
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter , softened to room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice
- 1 15 oz. (425g) container whole-milk ricotta cheese
For the glaze:
- 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice
- zest from 1 orange
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper, or a Silpat liner. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, salt, cardamom, and poppy seeds. Stir with a whisk to blend. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, combine sugar and orange zest. Mix with your fingertips until the sugar is moistened and fragrant. Add butter to the mixture and beat until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, until incorporated. Beat in the orange juice, vanilla and ricotta cheese. Scrape the bottom of the bowl and beat for another minute to make sure everything is incorporated.
- Slowly add in dry ingredients and mix until incorporated. The dough will be moist and a bit sticky because of the ricotta cheese.
- Spoon/scoop about two tablespoons of dough for each cookie on a baking sheet. Bake for 16-18 minutes, until slightly golden at the edges. Remove from oven and and let rest on the baking sheet for 5 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and cool completely.
- While the cookies cool, make the glaze. In a small bowl, combine the powdered sugar, orange juice and zest. Whisk until smooth. Spread about a teaspoon of glaze on the top of each cookie. Let glaze harden before serving. Enjoy!
31 Comments
Crystal | Apples & Sparkle
September 2, 2014 at 5:48 amPut me in the camp of those that have never tried ricotta cookies, but they sound delicious! Love these flavors. : )
Jovita
September 4, 2014 at 6:03 pmBelieve me, Crystal, you have to try them! 😉
Thalia @ butter and brioche
September 5, 2014 at 2:58 amThese cookies look so delicious and moist! Craving a bite of one right now.. love the orange and poppy seed flavour!
Jovita
September 8, 2014 at 4:24 pmThanks, Thalia!
tory
January 15, 2015 at 3:39 amcan you put left over dough in the fridge?
Jovita
February 2, 2015 at 9:04 amHi Tory! I’m not sure about freezing the dough, I’ve never tried it. I would bake them and then freeze them.
Ali
March 9, 2015 at 5:24 pmThese cookies are delicious. Perfect texture. And though, in my opinion, the glaze is heavenly, these cookies are also delicious without it. Have you ever tried this recipe with lemon or lice instead of orange?
Jovita
March 13, 2015 at 8:42 amHi Ali! I have never tried this recipe with lemon, but I don’t see why you couldn’t? If you do try it, let me know! 😉
Juli
April 15, 2015 at 12:09 pmThese cookies were fantastic! My co-workers ate them all up and we raving about them! I will be making them again soon, for sure.
Jovita
May 4, 2015 at 12:08 pmThank you Juli for reporting back, you’re so sweet!
Anna
December 18, 2015 at 1:46 pmHi,
can you tell me how long the coockies last? And do i have to store them in the refrigerator? Im not sure if it´s the same as with sugar cookies for example, because of the ricotta…?
Jovita
December 18, 2015 at 8:13 pmHi Anna! Cookies are best if eaten within 48 hours of being made. Any leftovers should be stored at room temperature in a loosely sealed container.
Danni
October 26, 2016 at 1:56 pmHi there… I need a cookie that can freeze and I want this to be it! LOL. Have you had any experience with freezing this cookie?
Jovita
November 26, 2016 at 12:26 pmDanni, you would have to try it yourself. I can’t answer this question because I haven’t done that yet 🙂
Tami
December 17, 2016 at 8:34 pmhave you ever made these with Lemon??? I bet they would be absolutely amazing!!!
Jovita
December 21, 2016 at 9:11 amYes, I tried the lemon version too and I loved it 😉
Leslie
December 10, 2018 at 7:32 amThese sound heavenly, have you substituted chia seeds instead of poppy seeds?
Jovita
February 23, 2021 at 1:55 pmHi, Leslie! I haven’t, but I don’t see why it wouldn’t work 😉
PAT HEALY
December 11, 2018 at 7:20 amcan you make these without cardamom?
Jovita
February 23, 2021 at 2:02 pmOf course, you can, Pat 😉
Kristine
August 28, 2020 at 8:37 pmAbsolutely delicious. I had no idea how the ricotta or cardamom would work out, but everyone that I shared them with loved them. I love the addition of the orange glaze!
Jovita
February 23, 2021 at 1:55 pmThank you, Kristine! I am glad you liked the recipe 🙂
Karen King
December 23, 2020 at 12:46 amHas anyone baked and then froze them right away? I’m making xmas cookies for my family and wanted to break my cookie making in 2 nights because I work during the day. Can you make the dough and then freeze it? Or should I bake the cookies and freeze right away?
Jovita
February 23, 2021 at 2:00 pmHi, Karen! Sorry for such a late reply. The dough doesn’t freeze well but you can bake the cookies and then freeze them (without the glaze). Also, you can make the dough a day ahead and store, covered, in a fridge.
Mike
December 23, 2021 at 4:04 pmI made this recipe for the third time since I discovered it, 12/2015. They seemed to be better each time. I embellished the cookies this time for the holidays by adding sprinkles to the glaze. they turned out as expected, great.
My wife and children love them as well. They think it’s hilarious that since I retired as a bricklayer I like to bake. Oh well, I could be engaged in noiseier hobbies I guess. Thank You.
Jovita
February 2, 2022 at 1:20 pmYour comment made my day, Mike! It’s such a nice feeling when readers come back to my recipe multiple times 🙂 I think it’s totally awesome when men bake 🙂
Mary Warren
August 3, 2022 at 4:25 pmso yummy! nice deep flavor but they disappear too fast.
Jovita
August 11, 2022 at 9:06 pmSo happy to hear it, Mary!
Ivette
December 13, 2022 at 5:27 amOne word…….delicious!!!
Jovita
December 15, 2022 at 9:49 amThank you so much, Ivette!
Teresa
April 25, 2024 at 12:58 amI love these cookies. I’ve made them quite a few times and they are always a hit!