Blood Orange Ricotta cookies are moist and soft, with the lovely flavor of orange, and just a bit of sweet icing. Make them with lemon, too. Delicious!
I have some of the kindest and most generous friends.
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A few days ago, I received a text from my friend Gail, telling me she’d left a bag of blood oranges from her tree on my front doorstep. This is not the first time she’s done this. Gail knows I love pomegranates so she has left me bags of pomegranates on my front doorstep, too.
This would be a nice gesture if she only lived two doors away, but the fact that she is an extremely busy attorney who is also caring for her elderly mother and mother-in-law, and drives out of her way to bring these bags of fruit to me, is what I would consider going above and beyond the call of friendship duty!
Of course, having these beautiful specimens of citrus which were so juicy, sweet, and full of baking potential, compelled me to create something with them.
Another way to use blood oranges: a whole blood orange cake!
After a dismal failure with a cake, I had success with a cookie I have made several times in the past: lemon ricotta cookies. However, this time I made blood orange ricotta cookies. With an adaptation of a combination of two recipes, and the use of the blood oranges, these cookies turned out beautifully!
They are almost like miniature cakes as the ricotta makes the cookies immensely moist. The added blood orange juice and rind in the cookie, as well as in the icing lends a wonderful flavor and it is very difficult for me to decide whether I like the lemon or blood orange flavor better.
One bonus in using the blood oranges is that they turn the icing a delicate pink color. You can absolutely substitute lemon in place of blood orange to make the original flavored cookie.
And if you have leftover ricotta after making these cookies, you can always whip up these beauties.
Blood Orange Ricotta Cookies
adapted from a combination of Biscotti di Ricotta from Lidia Bastianich and
Lemon Ricotta Cookies from Giada De Laurentiis
Ingredients
- 1 stick (115 g) good quality unsalted butter, Kerrygold, if you can find it
- 1 cup (200 g) sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 1/2 cups (340 g) ricotta
- grated rind of one blood orange
- 3 tbsp blood orange juice
- (optional: 2 drops orange oil, if you prefer a stronger orange flavor)
- 2 1/2 cups (310 g) all purpose (plain) flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
Icing
- 1 1/2 cups (190 g) powdered (confectioner’s) sugar
- grated rind of one blood orange
- 3 tbsp blood orange juice
Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C)
Place the flour, baking powder and salt in a bowl and set aside.
Cream the butter and sugar in a stand mixer until light and creamy (2 or 3 minutes), then add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well in between additions.
Next, add the ricotta, blood orange rind and 3 tbsp of the blood orange juice (and the orange oil, if using).
Mix well, then stir in the dry ingredients until an even dough is formed.
Drop tablespoonfuls onto a parchment or silicone sheet lined baking tray.
Bake for 15 to 18 minutes, or just until the edges are beginning to brown. Remove the Blood Orange Ricotta cookies from the oven. Allow to cool on tray for about 5 minutes before placing on a cooling rack.
Repeat with remaining dough, until all the cookies are baked. Allow to cool completely before icing.
To make the icing, combine the 1 1/2 cups powdered (confectioner’s) sugar, grated rind of one blood orange
and 3 tbsp blood orange juice and stir until a smooth icing forms.
Dip each cookie into the icing…
then place back on cooling rack until icing is set.
Once completely dry, store the cookies in an airtight container.
The cookies are very cake-like inside and have a wonderful orange flavor!
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Blood Orange Ricotta Cookies
Special Equipment
- 1 baking sheet
- 1 stand mixer
Ingredients
- 4 oz unsalted butter good quality
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 ½ cups ricotta
- 1 blood orange rind grated
- 3 tbsp blood orange juice
- 2 drops orange oil optional, if you prefer a stronger orange flavor
- 2 ½ cups all purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp salt
ICING
- 1 ½ cups powdered confectioner’s sugar
- 1 blood orange rind grated
- 3 tbsp blood orange juice
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C)
- Place the flour, baking powder and salt in a bowl and set aside.
- Cream the butter and sugar in a stand mixer until light and creamy (2 or 3 minutes), then add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well in between additions.
- Next, add the ricotta, blood orange rind and 3 tbsp of the blood orange juice (and the orange oil, if using).
- Mix well, then stir in the dry ingredients until an even dough is formed.
- Drop tablespoonfuls onto a parchment or silicone sheet lined baking tray.
- Bake for 15 to 18 minutes, or just until the edges are beginning to brown. Remove from oven and allow to cool on tray for about 5 minutes before placing on a cooling rack.
- Repeat with remaining dough, until all the cookies are baked. Allow to cool completely before icing.
To make the icing:
- Combine the 1 1/2 cups powdered (confectioner’s) sugar, grated rind of one blood orange and 3 tbsp blood orange juice and stir until a smooth icing forms.
- Dip each cookie into the icing then place back on cooling rack until icing is set.
- Once completely dry, store the cookies in an airtight container.
Notes
Nutrition
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I have tried ricotta cookies with lemon, I am sure they taste great with blood orange.. yummy!
Thanks, Medeja! They are similar to the lemon ones you’ve tried, I’m sure! :)
Dear Christina, these cookies sound wonderful. I have never tried a ricotta cookie…the glaze is beautiful as well. A perfect treat with tea. xo, Catherine
Thank you, Catherine! Yes, perfect with tea!! CC
We usually have blood oranges for our family’s New Year celebration featuring Jamaican foods, here in South Texas. Most the relatives here are Jamaican. I believe I will try to introduce these next year. That means I’ll have to suffer through making them time and again just to make sure they come out right everytime. hahahaha
Wow, that’s so great, Greg! I just went to Jamaica for the first time last month, so keep your eyes peeled for my authentic Jamaican Jerk Chicken recipe and you can rate it as someone who really knows!
Yes, you’ll really have to “suffer” through making these cookies over and over! :) haha! Thanks for stopping by! CC
I have never heard of a blood orange cookie before. I am very intrigued.
I hadn’t either, Cathy! But I like them very much! :)
Such a nice friend and beautiful cookies.
Yes, very much so and thank you for the compliment, too! CC
They look absolutely delightful though I have to be honest. I would probably eat that icing with a spoon!
You’re like me then, Chris? A few more than one sweet tooth? :) CC
So beautiful! Love the flavours and colours from blood oranges and sounds perfect with the ricotta.
Thanks, Jennifer- they are a tasty treat!
Glorious! I am head over heels in love with blood oranges… pinning and sharing!
Thank you, Sue!!