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Pillowy soft Keto Ricotta Cookies are a sweet Italian-style treat. These classic cookies are just as tender and delicious as the original, and totally sugar- and gluten-free!
I am over the moon about these fabulous Italian Keto Ricotta Cookies. They’re so mouthwateringly tender, I might start putting ricotta in all of my keto cookie recipes! And they will most certainly be gracing my keto Christmas cookie platter for years to come. They’re easy to make and look so bright and festive.
I asked my followers on Facebook recently for their all time favorite holiday cookie. There were plenty of requests for keto snowball cookies and keto sugar cookies. And spritz cookies came up quite a few times as well.
Italian ricotta cookies got a few mentions and I knew they were perfect for a sugar-free keto makeover.
Why you will love these cookies
Ricotta cookies are rather unassuming little treats, but don’t be fooled. That plain exterior belies some serious deliciousness. And the most wonderful pillowy soft texture! I was surprised by how much I love them.
They’re also very easy to make. You simply beat the wet ingredients, add the dry ingredients, and form into flattened balls. The glaze is quite simple as well.
You can make the cookies in advance and freeze them for later. Which always helps if you are planning ahead for the holidays!
And a serving of two cookies has less than 3g net carbs per serving. So it’s a perfect low carb sweet treat when you need one.
Reader Reviews
“Absolutely love them…made with lemon zest and orange zest. delicious both ways. thank you for my new favorite cookie. my husband agrees!!” — Dawn
“I am three weeks into Keto and these Ricotta Cookies give me reason to live! I did not have keto sprinkles but sprinkled some crushed almonds on top. Delicious!” — Nancy
“These were delicious. I love almonds so I added a little almond flavor as well as the vanilla. I tried without the icing with a bit of chocolate chips on top and the icing was better.” — Clair
Ingredient Notes
- Ricotta: I used full fat ricotta for this recipe. There is no need to drain it in advance.
- Butter: You also need a little butter for the base of these cookies. I often use salted but unsalted is just fine too.
- Sweetener: You need a granulated sweetener for the cookies and a powdered sweetener for the glaze. Please see the Tips for Success for more information.
- Keto flours: I find that mostly almond flour, with just a little coconut flour, gives these keto cookies the best consistency.
- Lemon or orange zest: A little citrus zest is classic in ricotta cookies. But some readers add a little almond extract instead.
- Heavy whipping cream: Heavy cream plus powdered sweetener creates a lovely white glaze.
- Sugar free sprinkles (optional): You can also do chopped nuts or citrus zest.
- Pantry staples: Eggs, vanilla extract, baking powder, baking soda, salt.
Step by Step Directions
1. Combine the wet ingredients: Beat the butter with the sweetener until well combined, then beat in the egg and vanilla extract until creamy. Beat in the ricotta and the zest.
2. Add the dry ingredients: All at once, add the almond flour, coconut flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Beat in until the dough comes together.
3. Form the cookies: Roll the dough into 1 inch balls and place 2 inches apart on the 2 baking sheets lined with silicone baking mats. With the palm of your hand, press down to flatten slightly (they should still be rounded and about ¾ inch thick – this helps them crack less on the tops).
4. Bake the cookies: Bake at 325ºF for 15 to 20 minutes, switching the pans partway through baking, until lightly browned. They will still be very soft. Remove and let cool completely on the pans.
5. Prepare the glaze: In a medium bowl, whisk together the sweetener, cream, and vanilla extract. Whisk in the water, a little at a time, to thin it out. The glaze should be thin enough to dip the cookies.
6. Glaze the cookies: Dip the top of each cookie in the glaze, turn right-side up, and shake the cookie slightly to even it out. Place on a cooling rack and add the sprinkles, if using. Let set 1 hour.
Tips for Success
Most of the conventional recipes for ricotta cookies call for lemon zest and vanilla extract. I used orange zest for a holiday variation. But you can use just vanilla extract or some almond extract instead. Or try anise extract for a classic Italian flavor.
I sincerely feel that the coconut flour helps the consistency of this recipe. But if you absolutely feel it’s necessary, you can replace it with another 3 to 4 tablespoons of almond flour.
Sweetener Options
These keto ricotta cookies work best with erythritol based sweeteners in both the cookies and the glaze. Allulose may work in the cookies but it can cause them to darken more quickly so please keep your eye on them.
For the glaze, powdered allulose tends to make it so soft that it almost disappears when used to coat things. It also never quite firms up properly. If you need to use something like allulose, I recommend adding a little softened cream cheese to give it structure.
Frequently Asked Questions
Ricotta cheese is an excellent choice for the keto diet. Whole milk ricotta has only 7g of carbs per cup, as well as 28g of protein. And it’s wonderful in both sweet and savory recipes.
Absolutely! The baked cookies freeze well and can be stored for several months. I recommend glazing them after thawing so it’s fresh and bright.
Soft cookies like these are more moist and tender than most. They are fine on the counter for 3 or 4 days but should be refrigerated if they will be around longer than that.
These tender keto cookies have only 5.1g per serving. They also have 2.2g of fiber. That means that they have 2.9g net carbs per two cookies.
More delicious keto ricotta recipes
Keto Italian Ricotta Cookies
Pillowy soft Keto Ricotta Cookies are a sweet Italian-style treat. These classic cookies are just as tender and delicious as the original, and totally sugar-free.
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Servings: 24 cookies
Calories: 190kcal
Ingredients
Garnish
- 2 tablespoon keto sprinkles optional
Instructions
Cookies
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Preheat the oven to 325F and line 2 baking sheets with silicone mats or parchment paper.
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Beat the butter with the sweetener until well combined, then beat in the egg and vanilla extract until creamy. Beat in the ricotta and the zest
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All at once, add the almond flour, coconut flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Beat in until the dough comes together.
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Roll the dough into 1 inch balls and place 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheet. With the palm of your hand, press down to flatten slightly (they should still be rounded and about ¾ inch thick – this helps them crack less on the tops).
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Bake 15 to 20 minutes, switching the pans partway through baking, until lightly browned. They will still be very soft. Remove and let cool completely on the pans.
Glaze
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In a medium bowl, whisk together the sweetener, cream, and vanilla extract. Whisk in the water, a little at a time, to thin it out. The glaze should be thin enough to dip the cookies.
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Dip the top of each cookie in the glaze, turn right-side up, and shake the cookie slightly to even it out. (You can also spread the glaze on, and shake the cookie gently to even it out). Place on a cooling rack and add the sprinkles, if using. Let set 1 hour.
Notes
Storage Information: Store the cookies in a covered container on the counter for up to 4 days, or in the fridge for up to 8 days. You can also freeze the unglazed cookies for several months. I recommend glazing them after to keep them looking bright and fresh.
Nutrition Facts
Keto Italian Ricotta Cookies
Amount Per Serving (2 cookies)
Calories 190
Calories from Fat 145
% Daily Value*
Fat 16.1g25%
Carbohydrates 5.1g2%
Fiber 2.2g9%
Protein 6.5g13%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
