Gluten-Free Ricotta Cookies

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Italian ricotta cookies are another throwback to my childhood. Italian ricotta cookies are another staple at our annual family Christmas party, along with chocolate peanut butter balls and M&M cookies. Ricotta cookies are known for being moist and tender, almost like a little piece of cake. They are also unfortunately filled with a lot of sugar and butter. Since I am always up for experimenting in the kitchen, I set out to accomplish healthier ricotta cookies that were also gluten-free. The resulting gluten-free ricotta cookies have the same texture as the originals, and are still surprisingly sweet even with the sugar cut in half in the cookie! And since I am not a fan of almond extract, I also replaced that with vanilla extract. When I pulled the first batch of cookies out of the oven, the first thing I smelled was the vanilla. Naturally, I had to taste test and make sure they came out alright! 🙂 The cookies were so good, that I ate 5 of them before I even got the glaze on! If you are looking for a moist, tender, and cakey cookie, then give these gluten-free ricotta cookies a try. These cookies are super easy to make, the recipe makes a HUGE batch (70-80 cookies), they are easy to customize, and they can be made in advance and frozen. Also, I veganized these cookies as much as I could. The only thing not vegan in this recipe is the ricotta cheese. Let’s get baking and decorating!

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1. Preheat oven to 350F. In a large mixing bowl, add softened butter of your choice, extra light olive oil, vanilla extract, Kosher salt, baking soda, baking powder, and granulated sugar. Using an electric mixer on low speed, cream everything together.

Step 2. Add applesauce and ricotta cheese. Using an electric mixer on low speed, mix everything together.

Step 3. Add flour, one cup (or half cup) at a time, mixing after each addition. For the second cup and on, I had to use my hands to combine the dough together.

Step 4. Drop dough by rounded tablespoon onto ungreased baking sheet. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until the cookies look golden. Because the cookies don’t spread, you can pack them in a little tighter than usual.

Step 5. While cookies are baking, it’s time to make the glaze! In a small bowl, combine confectioner’s sugar and 4 tablespoons of milk of your choice. Whisk everything together until combined. The consistency should have some thickness, but when you lift the whisk out of the glaze, it should run off easily. How many tablespoons you add, will depend on the type of milk you use.

Step 6. When the cookies are finished baking, remove from the oven. Glaze the cookies while they are still hot. I used about 1/2 teaspoon of glaze per cookie. Top with sprinkles if desired.

More Recipes Like This

• Healthier Peanut Butter Blossoms
• Chewy Molasses Cookies {Vegan, Gluten-Free}
• Chocolate Peanut Butter Balls {Vegan, Gluten-Free}
• M&M Cookies
• Homemade Rice Krispie Treats

Pair With:

• Vegan Hot Cocoa {Vegan, Gluten-Free}
• Homemade Oat Milk {Vegan, Gluten-Free}
• Golden Milk Latte {Vegan, Gluten-Free}

Gluten-Free Ricotta Cookies

These gluten-free ricotta cookies are easy to make, tender, and cakey! They are also easy to customize for any holiday. Pair with a glass of milk of your choice.

4.9 from 8 votes

Print Rate

Course: Cookies

Cuisine: Italian

Keyword: christmas cookies, gluten-free

Prep Time: 15 mins

Cook Time: 48 mins

Total Time: 1 hr 3 mins

Servings: 70 cookies

Calories: 91kcal

Author: The Panicked Foodie

Ingredients 

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Cookies

• ▢ 1/2 cup butter of your choice, softened (I used Earth Balance)
• ▢ 6 tablespoons extra light olive oil (OR 1/2 cup butter of your choice)
• ▢ 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• ▢ 1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt
• ▢ 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ▢ 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ▢ 1 1/8 cups granulated sugar
• ▢ 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
• ▢ 15 oz ricotta cheese
• ▢ 3.5 cups gluten-free 1:1 baking flour (I used Bob’s Red Mill) (OR 3.5 cups of all-purpose flour)

Glaze

• ▢ 1.5 cups confectioner’s sugar
• ▢ 4-5 tablespoons milk of your choice
• ▢ sprinkles

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350F.
  
• In a large mixing bowl, add softened butter of your choice, extra light olive oil, vanilla extract, Kosher salt, baking soda, baking powder, and granulated sugar. Using an electric mixer on low speed, cream everything together.
• Add applesauce and ricotta cheese. Using an electric mixer on low speed, mix everything together.
• Add flour, one cup (or half cup) at a time, mixing after each addition. For the second cup and on, I had to use my hands to combine the dough together.
• Drop dough by rounded tablespoon onto ungreased baking sheet. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until the cookies look golden.
  
• While cookies are baking, whisk together the confectioner’s sugar and milk of your choice in a small bowl to make the glaze.
  
• When the cookies are finished baking, remove from the oven. Glaze the cookies while they are still hot. I used about 1/2 teaspoon of glaze per cookie. Top with sprinkles if desired.

Notes

Dairy-free: Replace ricotta with a vegan ricotta.
Vegan: Be sure to use vegan friendly sugars, sprinkles, and ricotta cheese.

Nutrition Facts

Gluten-Free Ricotta Cookies

Amount Per Serving (1 cookie)

Calories 91 Calories from Fat 27

% Daily Value*

Fat 3g5%

Saturated Fat 1g6%

Trans Fat 0g

Polyunsaturated Fat 0.9g

Monounsaturated Fat 1.1g

Cholesterol 3.4mg1%

Sodium 54.5mg2%

Potassium 1.9mg0%

Carbohydrates 15.7g5%

Fiber 0.2g1%

Sugar 9.4g10%

Protein 1g2%

Vitamin A 35IU1%

Vitamin C 0.2mg0%

Calcium 21mg2%

Iron 0.1mg1%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet. Nutritional information on The Panicked Foodie is provided as a courtesy and is approximate only. We cannot guarantee the accuracy of the nutritional information given for any recipe on this site.

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