Italian Cookie Recipes

3 eggs
2 c. (0.5 L) sugar
2 sticks butter (1/2 lb. (0.2 kg))
2 tsp. (10 ml) vanilla
15oz. ricotta cheese
4 c. (0.9 L) flour
1 Tbsp. (15 ml) baking soda
1 tsp. (5 ml) salt

Cinnamon sugar
or
Icing
1 c. (0.2 L) sifted powdered sugar
1/2 tsp. (2.5 ml) vanilla
milk

These light, airy cake-like cookies taste a little like snickerdoodles when topped with cinnamon sugar.

Preheat oven to 350°F.

In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar. Add eggs. Add vanilla. Cream to combine thoroughly.

In a separate bowl, sift together flour, baking soda, and salt.

Alternately, add dry ingredients and ricotta cheese to batter, a little at a time.

Drop by spoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets, about 2 inches apart. If desired, sprinkle with cinnamon sugar before baking.

Bake at 350°F 10-12 min., until edges are golden brown and top is mostly dry.

Let cool on racks. If you didn't dust with cinnamon sugar, in a small bowl combine ingredients for icing: powdered sugar, vanilla, and just enough milk to make it a drizzly consistency. Put waxed paper underneath cookie trays. Drizzle icing over cooled cookies.

Submitted by Gretchen Grant
Contributed on: Thursday December 31st, 2009 and modified on Wednesday January 6th, 2010