These lemon ricotta cookies are rolled in granulated sugar and powdered sugar before baking to help the surface crack as the cookies bake to make the prettiest lemon crackle cookies ever!
Who doesn't love crackle cookies? Typically, we see chocolate crackle cookies (or maybe you call them chocolate crinkle cookies) and molasses crinkle cookies, but I was intrigued by this lemon crackle cookie recipe version, made with ricotta in the cookie dough.
The trick to getting better crackled effect on crinkle cookies
These lemon ricotta cookies are coated generously with lots of icing sugar (powdered sugar) before baking to give them a gorgeous crackle finish to them. To improve the crackle finish, make sure to first roll the scoops of cookie dough in granulated sugar, then powdered sugar. This is a trick that I picked up from America's Test Kitchen and it definitely works well in this recipe. The granulated sugar:
- absorbs some of the moisture on the surface of the cookie, preventing the powdered sugar from dissolving and disappearing.
- helps dry out the surface since it absorbs some of the moisture. The dryer surface of the cookie dough is more prone to cracking.
The combination of granulated sugar and icing sugar on the surface of the cookie means you get a perfect crackle finish on your cookies every time!
I've tested making these cookies with both regular ricotta and also low fat ricotta. Both worked well so feel free to use either! Just make sure to invest in a good quality ricotta that you like eating so that these cookies taste as good as they look!
Lemon crackle cookies
Ingredients
- 115 grams unsalted butter ½ cup, room temperature
- 267 grams granulated sugar 1 ⅓ cups
- 1 large egg(s)
- ¾ cup ricotta cheese
- 4 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
- 4 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 250 grams bleached all-purpose flour 2 cups
- ½ teaspoon Diamond Crystal fine kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ cup granulated sugar for coating
- ½ cup icing sugar for coating
Instructions
- In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter and sugar until fluffy. Add the egg, ricotta, lemon zest, lemon juice, and vanilla, and beat everything together, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, baking soda, and baking powder. Add this dry mixture to the mixer bowl, and incorporate on low speed to form a soft dough.
- Cover the bowl and refrigerate at least 1 hour.
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Line a couple of baking sheets with parchment. Place the icing sugar in a small bowl and the granulated sugar in another small bowl.
- Scoop 1 tablespoon of dough (~30 grams) and roll into a ball very quickly (dough is soft and sticky). Drop the ball into the bowl of granulated sugar, then roll around to coat. Then transfer the ball to the bowl of icing sugar and roll around to coat. Transfer to the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with remaining dough, spacing cookies about 1 ½ inches apart to allow for spread.
- Bake cookies 1 sheet at a time until the edges begin to turn golden. Let cool on pan 2 minutes before transferring to a wire wrack to cool completely.
Nutrition
Adapted from Canadian Living.
Shareba says
I love a good chocolate crinkle cookie, but these lemon ones look amazing too! I'll have to try these when I do my holiday baking later this week!