• 2 cups sugar
• 1 cup butter, softened
• 2 cups ricotta cheese
• 3 tsp Lemon extract
• 1 tsp ground lemon peel (optional)
• 2 eggs
• 4 cups flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp salt

Preheat oven to 350ºF. Begin mixing butter and sugar together until blended with a pastry cutter. Beat on high speed with a mixer until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. At medium speed, beat in ricotta, extracts and eggs until well combined. Using a strong wooden spoon, add flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt; beat until dough forms. Flour hands and roll into rounds balls 1.5 inch in diameter and place about 2 inches apart, onto an ungreased large cookie sheet. Bake about 15-18 minutes or until cookies are very lightly golden (cookies will be soft). Remove cookies to wire rack to cool.

If desired, when cookies are completely cool, you can add icing to them. Stir 1-1/2 cups confectioners' sugar, 1 1/2 tsp of lemon extract with 3 tablespoons milk until smooth and food coloring of choice. Dip cookies into the icing on cookies and set on a wire rank to dry about an hour.

This recipe dates back to my Italian roots when my Grandma Monico would make wonderful cookies based upon traditional recipes from her home country in Northern Italy. I hope you enjoy them as much as I remember her making them in her kitchen when I was a kid!

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