Ricotta Cheese Cookies

Ricotta cheese in cookies? When you try them you'll fall in love. We got this recipe from JoAnn. These can be used for any occasion or holiday. Just use the color sanding sugar that goes with the season you are baking them for. We used red and blue for Labor Day.

Ricotta Cheese Cookies for Labor Day!

RICOTTA CHEESE COOKIES

2 cups sugar
1 cup margarine or butter (2 sticks) softened
1 container (15 ounces) ricotta cheese
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
4 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons baking powder
1 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
3 tablespoons milk
red and blue sanding sugar  (Use any color that matches your event)

1)  Preheat oven to 350. In large bowl, with mixer at low speed, beat sugar and margarine or butter, until blended. Increase speed to high; beat until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes.

2)  At medium speed, beat in ricotta, eggs and vanilla until well combined.

3)  Reduce speed to low. Add flour, baking powder and salt until dough forms. (Will be slightly sticky)

3)  Drop dough by level tablespoons, about 2 inches apart, onto un-greased cookie sheet. Bake approx. 10 to 15 minutes or until cookies are very lightly golden. (Cookies will be soft). Remove cookies with a spatula onto a cooling rack.

4)  When cookies are cool, prepare icing; In a small bowl, stir confectioners' sugar and milk until smooth. With a small metal spatula or knife spread icing on cookies, then sprinkle with sanding sugar. Set cookies aside and let icing dry completely, about 1 hour.

Makes about 6 dozen cookies.

I find these cookies also freeze very well.