Lemon Ricotta Basil Cookies

If you love lemon and basil, you'll love these cookies. The ricotta keeps them nice and moist. Adapted and tweaked from a Giada de Laurentiis recipe. She didn't use basil, but I thought they screamed for it! Depending on your cookie scoop or spoon size, you can expect to get about 36-40 cookies out of this. This cookie is more cake-like and is not a crisp cookie.

• Ready In: 30 mins
• Serves: 40
• Yields: 40 cookies

Ingredients

• COOKIES

• 2 1⁄2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1  teaspoon baking powder
• 1  teaspoon salt
• 1⁄2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
• 2  cups sugar
• 1⁄2 cup fresh basil (more if you like intense basil flavor)
• 2  eggs
• 1 (15 ounce) container whole milk ricotta cheese
• 3  tablespoons lemon juice
• 1  lemon, zested

• GLAZE

• 1 1⁄2 cups powdered sugar
• 3  tablespoons lemon juice
• 1  lemon, zested

• HAZELNUT SUGAR or LEMON TOPPING

• 1⁄3 cup hazelnuts
• 3  tablespoons sugar
• 1  tablespoon lemon zest (optional) or 1⁄4 teaspoon  lemon oil (optional)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375.
2. Cookies:
3. In a medium bowl combine the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
4. Combine sugar and roughly minced basil in food processor. Process/pulse until basil is thoroughly incorporated with sugar.
5. Using an electric mixer beat the butter with the basil sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, beating until incorporated. Add the ricotta cheese, lemon juice, and lemon zest. Beat to combine. Stir in the dry ingredients. Chill dough for 1 hour.
6. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Scoop cold dough (about 2 tablespoons, more or less) and roll into ball and flatten lightly with bottom of a glass. If sticking occurs, dip bottom of glass in water then granulated sugar then proceed.
7. IF USING HAZELNUT SUGAR/LEMON TOPPING: Make as described below, then continue to bake for 12-15 minutes, until slightly golden at the edges. Remove from the oven and let the cookies rest on the baking sheet for 20 minutes. Using optional topping, you will omit the glaze.
8. GLAZE:
9. Combine the powdered sugar, lemon juice, and lemon zest in a small bowl and stir until smooth. Spoon about 1/2-teaspoon onto each cookie and use the back of the spoon to gently spread. Let the glaze harden for about 2 hours. Pack the cookies into a decorative container.
10. HAZELNUT SUGAR/LEMON TOPPING:
11. Take hazelnut, sugar and lemon zest OR lemon oil and process in food processor to a fine powder. Take dough, form into balls and roll in mixture and flatten with the bottom of a glass. Proceed to baking instructions.