Soft, moist, and slightly cake-like, these Ricotta Cookies with Chocolate and Orange are brightened with fresh orange zest and finished with a chocolate drizzle—an excellent choice for holiday baking.
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Looking for a distinct addition to your Christmas cookie platter? Serve these Ricotta Cookies with Chocolate and Orange alongside meringues and a simple cranberry-pistachio fudge for a crowd-pleasing spread. The combination of ricotta, citrus, and chocolate makes these cookies festive and memorable.
I keep a long list of desserts I want to try during the holidays, and ricotta cookies are always near the top. They’re perfect for carrying bright flavors—like orange—into the season. After loving lemon ricotta cookies, I experimented with a chocolate-and-orange version and was thrilled with the result.
Unlike typical crisp cookies, these ricotta cookies are tender and cake-like. The batter drops rather than being rolled, producing light, moist cookies that keep well. I wasn’t sure my family would be hooked, but they quickly disappeared—always a sign of a hit.
Ingredients
Flour: All-purpose flour provides structure.
Baking Powder: Gives the cookies their light, cake-like rise.
Salt: Balances the sweetness.
Sugar: Granulated sugar is used for the batter.
Eggs: Room-temperature eggs mix more evenly and trap air for lightness.
Ricotta: Whole-milk ricotta produces the fluffiest texture; part-skim works if needed.
Vegetable Oil: Keeps the cookies tender and moist; melted butter may be substituted but oil yields the light texture.
Orange Zest: The primary source of orange flavor—don’t skip it.
Vanilla Extract: Adds depth of flavor.
Almond Extract: A small amount enhances the overall flavor profile.
Powdered Sugar: For the orange-scented glaze.
Chocolate Chips: Semi-sweet chips are recommended to balance the glaze.
How to Make Ricotta Cookies
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and position racks in the upper and lower thirds. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone liners.
- Whisk together the dry ingredients: flour, baking powder, and salt.
- In a stand mixer or with a hand mixer, beat the eggs and sugar on high until very thick and pale (about 4–5 minutes).
- Add the ricotta, vegetable oil, 2 teaspoons of orange zest, vanilla, and almond extract; beat until combined.
- Fold in the dry ingredients just until incorporated—the batter will be a drop consistency.
- Drop tablespoonfuls of batter (or use a small cookie scoop) about 1½ inches apart onto the prepared sheets. Bake 12 minutes, switching sheet positions halfway through, until cookies spring back when touched.
- Cool the cookies completely on the baking sheets.
- Whisk the powdered sugar with the remaining orange zest and hot water until smooth; add an extra tablespoon of water if needed for the right glaze consistency. Spoon or spread a thin layer of glaze over each cookie.
- Melt the chocolate chips until smooth and drizzle chocolate over the glazed cookies. Allow glaze and chocolate to set before serving.
More Christmas Cookies
Try other seasonal favorites like hot cocoa cookies, classic sugar cookies, peanut butter blossoms, soft ginger cookies, cranberry-orange cookies, or chocolate crinkles to round out your holiday assortment.
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Ricotta Cookies with Chocolate and Orange
Ingredients
Cookies
- 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 3 eggs
- 1 cup whole-milk ricotta cheese (or part-skim)
- 1/3 cup vegetable oil
- 2 teaspoons grated orange zest
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon almond extract
Topping
- 1 2/3 cup powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon orange zest
- 2 tablespoons hot water (add more if needed)
- 3 oz semi-sweet chocolate chips
Instructions
- Place oven racks in the upper and lower thirds and preheat oven to 350ºF. Line two baking sheets.
- In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and salt.
- Beat sugar and eggs on high speed until very thick, about 5 minutes. Add ricotta, oil, 2 teaspoons orange zest, vanilla, and almond extract; beat until combined. Add flour mixture and mix just until combined.
- Drop batter by tablespoonfuls (or use a small cookie scoop) about 1½ inches apart. Bake 12 minutes, switching baking sheets halfway through, until cookies spring back when touched. Cool completely on the sheets.
- For the glaze, whisk powdered sugar, orange zest, and hot water until smooth; add an extra tablespoon of water if necessary. Spread a small amount of glaze on each cookie.
- Melt chocolate chips until smooth and drizzle over glazed cookies. Let set about 30 minutes before serving.
Recipe Notes
Adapted from Food Network Magazine (December 2015).
Substitutions: Part-skim ricotta can be used in place of whole-milk ricotta.
Freeze: Cookies freeze well. Freeze cooled cookies on a sheet until solid, then transfer to an airtight container. Thaw at room temperature in a single layer and glaze after thawing.
Store: Keep leftovers in an airtight container for up to a week.
Nutrition information is an estimate and may vary by brand and ingredient choices.
Nutrition Information
Serving: 1 cookie — Calories: 136 kcal; Carbohydrates: 23 g; Protein: 2 g; Fat: 4 g; Saturated Fat: 1 g; Cholesterol: 19 mg; Sodium: 38 mg; Sugar: 16 g.