Cheesy Cookies...?!

My husband invited a few of his friends over tonight. I thought it'd be nice to have a batch of cookies ready, and we haven't had anything sweet around here for a few days, so it's the perfect excuse to start baking! I had a little ricotta leftover, and I remembered a recipe that my mom has made a few times, incorporating the cheese into little cake-like cookies with a burst of lemon flavor. I found a really nice version and tweaked it to my liking, using butter for richness, and cutting the quantities down to make a smaller amount. I don't like to have baked goods sitting around for more than a day or so because they start to get stale, we eat too many, and I can't/won't bake anything else until whatever's on the counter has been finished! Making a smaller batch allows us to keep portion sizes in check (especially when sharing!) and we get to consume more varieties of treats more often, without feeling too guilty about it. If you're baking for a crowd, however, this recipe is easily doubled.

Lemon-Burst Ricotta Cookies

4 tbsp butter, unsalted

1 cup sugar

1 egg

1 cup ricotta cheese, preferably homemade (unsalted)

1 lemon, preferably organic

1 1/4 cups flour

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp kosher salt

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment.

Zest (you should have about 1 tbsp zest) and juice the lemon, straining the seeds. Place half the zest in a small bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and set aside (for the glaze).

Cream the butter and sugar in a large bowl, then beat in the egg. Add the other half of the lemon zest, 1 1/2 tbsp lemon juice, and the ricotta. Beat until combined. Add the baking powder, salt, and flour. Beat on a slow speed just until no traces of flour remain.

Drop by the tablespoon on the prepared cookie sheets. If you like a slightly mounded cookie, place them directly in the oven. If you like a flatter, classic cookie shape, moisten your fingers (I used lemon juice) and gently press the centers down to flatten slightly. Bake about 15 minutes.

Remove from the oven, let stand 1 minute, and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Once cooled, make the glaze.

Lemon-Burst Glaze

Whisk together until no lumps remain:

1 cup powdered sugar

1 1/2 tbsp lemon juice

the remaining 1/2 tbsp lemon zest

1 tsp meringue powder, optional

Use about 1/2 tsp per cookie. Let stand until hardened.

Makes about 24-30 cookies.