Pistachio Ricotta Cookies are a delicious and soft Italian cookie that’s so easy to make with ricotta and ground pistachios. These melt-in-your-mouth pistachio cookies are perfect for the holidays or any occasion.
Pistachio Ricotta Cookies are a fun take on my super popular Lemon Ricotta Cookies and Almond Ricotta Cookies. This version uses pistachios to give you a delicious flavor and texture, and is sure to be one of your new favorite Italian cookies!
If you love baking with ricotta, be sure to try my Limoncello Ricotta Cookies or Apple Ricotta Cake. For another pistachio treat, try these Italian Pistachio Cookies, Pistachio Cake, or homemade Pistachio Cream. For a classic Italian biscuit, try these Italian Wine Cookies.
Pistachio Ricotta Cookies
These pistachio ricotta cookies are a soft and delicate cookie that’s perfect for pistachio lovers. It’s a soft cake-like treat topped with a simple vanilla icing and more chopped pistachios.
If you’ve never used ricotta in your baking before, you are going to love it! It makes the cookies extra soft and fluffy without adding any extra flavor.
This recipe is made with just a few simple ingredients and comes together fast. I recommend chilling the dough before baking to prevent the cookies from spreading too much.
You’ll love that these cookies are easy to make and come together quick. They have the perfect balance of flavors and will definitely become a new favorite cookie recipe.
So, you are looking for a fun and delicious pistachio treat, be sure give these pistachio ricotta cookies a try. You’re going to love them!
Ingredients for Pistachio Ricotta Cookies
- Pistachios: use shelled roasted salted pistachios. You can grind them in a food processor or blender for best results.
- Butter: either salted or unsalted butter works. Make sure the butter is room temperature.
- Ricotta: whole milk ricotta works best. If the ricotta appears wet, be sure to drain it over a fine mesh sieve before using.
- Sugar: granulated sugar is need for the cookie dough.
- Egg: you will need one large egg.
- Vanilla: a bit of vanilla extract adds great flavor.
- Baking Powder: make sure you are using baking powder and not baking soda.
- Flour: all purpose flour. Weigh the flour for best results.
- Powdered Sugar: use confectioners sugar to make the frosting for the pistachio ricotta cookies.
- Milk: a bit of milk will help thin out the icing for the cookie.
How to Make Pistachio Ricotta Cookies
Italian Pistachio Ricotta Cookies come together quick but the dough will need about an hour to chill before baking. You can make the dough up to a day in advance and then just cover and chill until ready to use.
Step 1: grind pistachios
In a food processor fitted with the blade attachment grind the pistachios until they resemble coarse sand. Set aside.
Step 2: prepare cookie batter and chill
Next, in a large bowl, use an electric mixer to mix together the softened butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy. Then, add in the ricotta, egg, and vanilla, and mix until well combined.
Mix in the flour, baking powder, and ground pistachios until dough forms. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least an hour.
Step 3: roll into balls and bake
When ready to bake, preheat oven and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Use a cookie scoop to measure out the cookie dough and roll into balls.
Place on lined baking sheet leaving about two inches between each cookie. Bake on center rack in preheated oven for 12 minutes, then remove and let cool on wire rack.
Step 4: add icing
In a small mixing bowl, combine the milk and powdered sugar. Mix until the icing is smooth and thick adding more powdered sugar and milk as needed.
Flip the cooled cookies over and dip the top in the icing, letting the excess drip off. Top each cookie with crushed pistachios and set aside in a single layer to firm up.
Store leftover cookies in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week. You can also freeze for up to a month.
Ricotta Dessert Recipes
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Pistachio Ricotta Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup pistachios, shelled (roasted and salted)
- 1 ¾ cups all purpose flour (235 grams)
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened (one stick)
- 1 cup ricotta cheese (drained)
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Pistachio Glaze
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons milk
- chopped pistachios for topping
Instructions
- In food processor fitted with blade attachment, pulse the pistachios until they are finely ground. Pour the pistachios into a bowl and stir in the flour and baking powder until well combined; set aside.
- In a large bowl, use a handheld mixer on medium-high speed to beat together the sugar and butter until light and fluffy; about 2 minutes. Then, add in the ricotta, egg, and vanilla extract, and mix until well combined. Add in the pistachio flour mixture and mix on low speed until just combined.
- Cover the dough batter with plastic wrap or a lid and chill in the refrigerator for at least an hour.
- When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Use a cookie scoop to measure out about a tablespoon and a half of batter and roll into a ball. Place on prepared baking sheet leaving about two inches between cookies.
- Bake on center rack in oven for 12-14 minutes or until the bottom of the cookie starts to brown slightly. (Note that the color of the cookies will not change much.) Let sit on baking sheet for five minutes then move to wire rack to cool completely.
- To make the glaze, whisk together the powdered sugar and milk. Hold the cooled cookie upside down to dip the top of the cookie in the glaze, letting the excess glaze drip off. Return to wire rack and and sprinkle with chopped pistachios.
Delicious and brings back old world memories.
Esta receita é simplesmente maravilhosa um sonho! Eu amei fazer esta receita! Grata!
I love pistachios. I haven’t made any yet but it looks easy and I can’t wait to make a batch. Thanks for sharing this recipe. 😍🙏
They are so good! You’re going to love them 🙂
Let me know if you tried them! 🙂
I am going to engage in a bake off next month. I won last year when I entered lemon ricotta with glaze. Now I am being challenged. Any good decadent recipes to try?
Try these Pistachio Ricotta Cookies! They may be even better than the Lemon Ricotta!!