These Orange and Cranberry Ricotta Cookies have a soft, pillowy texture and big, bold cranberry orange flavor. They're exceptional with a cup of coffee or tea.
Love the flavor of orange in your sweets and desserts? Me too!! I have plenty of recipes on my site that feature this brightly flavored citrus fruit and they all taste like pure sunshine. They are: Kool-Aid Pie with Cream Cheese, Homemade Orange Curd, Orange Cream Puffs, and Orange Bundt Cake with Banana and Poppy Seeds (to name a few).
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Table of Contents Found Here
- The ingredients:
- Ingredient information:
- Kitchen tools and equipment needed:
- How many oranges does this recipe require?
- Add-in and substitution suggestions
- How many servings does this recipe make?
- How to quickly bring eggs to room temperature?
- When baking, why is it important to start with room-temperature ingredients?
- How to easily adjust the serving size of this recipe
- Additional cookie recipes for you:
- Printable Recipe Card
- Please comment if you've made this recipe.
The ingredients:
*Please note that the exact measurements along with a "shop the recipe" feature from Instacart and Walmart is available inside the printable recipe card.
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Ingredient information:
BUTTER- Contrary to popular opinion, I prefer to use salted butter in all my baking, and have never once had issues that my baked goods tasted too salty. All I can say is use the butter you love at home and ensure it's softened to room temperature before starting this recipe.
GRANULATED SUGAR- Pretty basic stuff for baking. When creaming softened butter and sugar, always blend for at least 2-3 minutes (on high speed) to ensure a light and fluffy cookie batter.
EGGS- Large eggs at room temperature are required for most baking projects unless otherwise stated. Eggs at room temperature will blend better into other ingredients than a cold egg right out of the fridge.
PURE VANILLA EXTRACT- Pure vanilla (an extract, paste, or beans) is always head and shoulders above imitation vanilla. If baking cookies from scratch, always start with the best quality ingredients.
RICOTTA CHEESE- It's your call if you'd like to use whole-fat ricotta cheese or a low-fat variety. I used low-fat ricotta cheese because that's what I had on hand at the time.
CREAM CHEESE- Again, you can use a full-fat cream cheese or a lower fat Neuchâtel cheese. The choice is yours; make sure the cream cheese is softened to room temperature before blending it into the cookie batter, or else there will be a struggle to get it a smooth and creamy batter.
ALL-PURPOSE FLOUR- I always use an unbleached all-purpose flour for my baking, but a bleached all-purpose flour will work fine for this recipe.
BAKING POWDER- This leavening agent makes these cookies puff like little pillows of joy in the oven. Baking powder and baking soda are NOT interchangeable in all recipes, as baking soda is more powerful than baking powder. In addition, since baking soda requires an acidic component for activation (not included in the cookie dough list of ingredients) and baking powder does not, baking soda will not work as a leavening agent in this recipe.
ORANGE ZEST- Always zest citrus fruit first before squeezing any juice. An unsqueezed orange will retain its structure, making it 100% easier to zest an entire rind (if needed) from the plump and juicy fruit. When zesting, always take only the top, colorful layer of the skin, leaving behind the white, bitter layer called the pith. You'll need approximately four tablespoons of orange zest for this recipe, which is roughly 4 navel oranges.
ORANGE JUICE- The fresh orange juice is used for the cookie glaze only and really helps drive home the fresh orange flavor of these cookies. As stated above, always make life easier by zesting citrus fruit before squeezing any juice.
DRIED CRANBERRIES- As stated in the full-length video, I used a low-sugar variety of dried cranberries. Feel free to use a fully sweetened variety of dried cranberries.
KOSHER SALT- If you've been here before, you've heard me say time and again that kosher salt is my go-to salt of choice in the kitchen, both for sweet and savory dishes.
CONFECTIONERS SUGAR- This ingredient is used for the cookie glaze. If you'd like to forgo making a cookie glaze, you can always sprinkle confectioner's sugar over the cookies once they're thoroughly cooled. It's always nice to have options, but for me, the glaze helps to make these highly flavored orange cookies a true standout!
*Important Note—If using table salt instead of kosher salt, please cut back on the amount of salt called for in the recipe card by half because they measure differently due to grain size.
Kitchen tools and equipment needed:
- hand mixer or stand mixer
- baking sheets
- parchment paper
- measuring cups and spoons
- kitchen scale (optional)
- mixing bowls
- whisk
- spatula
- microplane (for zesting oranges)
- citrus juicer
- fine mesh strainer (optional. for sifting ingredients)
- kitchen timer
- cookie scoop (optional)
- oven gloves
- cooling rack
How many oranges does this recipe require?
You'll need four navel oranges to get 4 tablespoons of zest and two tablespoons of juice. *Note - Always zest the plump oranges before squeezing any juice.
Add-in and substitution suggestions
If you'd like to add chopped nuts to the dough, be my guest. Finely chopped pistachios or pecans would be lovely.
Not a fan of dried cranberries, or don't have any on hand? You can easily swap out dried blueberries or raisins or leave the fruit out altogether, and no one will be the wiser.
Swapping out lemon or lime for the orange will also be yummy and would lend a slightly different citrus flavor to these delicious soft ricotta cookies.
Completely substituting cream cheese for the ricotta cheese is never a bad thing. The cookies will be slightly sweeter with only cream cheese but not overly sweet.
How many servings does this recipe make?
As written, this recipe will make approximately 33-36 cookies.
How to quickly bring eggs to room temperature?
Oh no! Did you forget to take the eggs from the refrigerator in advance so they could come to room temperature? Me too! It happens to me all the time!
Not to worry, however. I have an easy hack for you that will quickly rectify this problem in only a matter of minutes.
Run sink water until hot, then place the cold eggs in a bowl with enough hot water to cover. Wait a few minutes, and viola! Room temperature eggs!
Can this cookie dough be made in advance (or frozen) before baking?
Yes, to both questions.
If storing the batter in the refrigerator, ensure it is in an airtight container. Store for three days before baking.
If freezing, store the batter in an airtight freezer container and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight and continue with the recipe for baking and glazing as written.
When baking, why is it important to start with room-temperature ingredients?
Room-temperature eggs will blend easier into a batter than cold eggs, as will room-temperature butter, cream cheese, and ricotta cheese.
In the long run, setting ingredients out on the countertop the night before you plan a baking project will make your blending easier, faster, and much more efficient.
How to easily adjust the serving size of this recipe
Should you need to increase (or decrease) the serving size for this recipe you can easily adjust the ingredient quantities using the sliding scale shown in the recipe card by hovering over the number in the serving size.
Additional cookie recipes for you:
Peanut Butter and Jelly Potato Chip Cookies are everything you love about traditional peanut butter cookies except they have SO much more delicious flavor and texture!!
Coconut Cake Cookies with Coconut Buttercream Frosting are as pretty as they are delicious. They use a box cake mix to keep things easy, but you'd never know it by their looks or flavor!
Take 5 Cookies were inspired by one of my favorite candy bars. With salty and sweet flavors, these cookies hit the spot every single time!
Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies are a wonderful blend of classic oatmeal cookies, but these have the unmistakable flavor of deep, rich chocolate and a wonderful oatmeal flavor. Grandma would approve.
When you make today's recipe (and I hope that you will), I'd appreciate it if you'd take the time to come back and give it a star rating along with a comment on why you rated as you did.
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Printable Recipe Card
Orange and Cranberry Ricotta Cookies
Equipment
- hand mixer optional
- stand mixer optional
- kitchen scale optional
- fine mesh strainer optional
- kitchen timer optional
- citrus juicer optional
Ingredients
To make the cookie dough:
- 8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs at room temperature
- ½ cup ricotta cheese at room temperature
- ½ cup cream cheese softened
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 2¼ cups all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 4 each navel oranges zested, and save the juice for the icing
- 2 tablespoons orange zest (approximately 4 oranges)
- ⅛ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 cup dried cranberries I used a low-sugar variety
To make the cookies glaze:
- 2 cups confectioners sugar
- 2 tablespoons fresh orange juice or more if needed
- 1 tablespoon orange zest
- 2 teaspoons heavy cream
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit (190 degrees Celsius)
- Zest and juice the four oranges and set the two items aside.
To make the cookie dough:
- Cream together the butter and sugar in a large bowl until well combined (beat on high for 2 minutes).
- Beat the room temperature eggs (on medium speed) into the creamed butter and sugar mixture, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
- Blend the softened ricotta, cream cheese, 2 tablespoons of orange zest, and vanilla into the batter, scraping down the sides of the bowl with a spatula as needed.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt.
- Add the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients in three increments, blending well after each addition of flour, scraping down the sides of the bowl with a spatula as needed.
- Add the dried cranberries into the cookie dough and blend (or stir) to evenly distribute the fruit throughout the batter.
- Use a 1 tablespoon cookie scoop or use 2 tablespoons to drop cookie dough onto parchment lined baking sheets. Twelve cookies per sheet.
- Bake the cookies in the preheated oven for 15-17 minutes, or until the cookies are lightly golden brown on the bottom.
- Remove the cookies from the oven and cool completely on a cooling rack. Continue the process with the remaining cookie dough.
To make the orange cookie glaze:
- While the cookies are baking (and cooling) whisk together the glaze ingredients until your desired consistency.
- Once the cookies are completely cooled drizzle the glaze liberally over the cookies and allow the glaze to dry slightly before serving or storing.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
I sincerely hope you'll enjoy making (and eating) today's delicious cookie recipe with orange and ricotta cheese as much as I've enjoyed bringing it to you!
Should you have any questions or comments regarding anything you've seen on my site, please don't hesitate to reach out to contact me. It is always my distinct pleasure to get back with you just as soon as I possibly can!
Thank you so much for visiting me today in my Kudos Kitchen. I hope you found something you'll love and that you will come back and visit me often. Please know that there is always room for you around my kitchen table!
Until we eat again, I hope you have a delicious day!
Mark says
I enjoyed making these as much as I did eating them.
Renée says
I'm so glad to hear it, Mark!
Enjoy!!
Fondly,
Renee
Krista says
Delicious, easy to make cookies.
Renée says
Thank you, Krista!
I'm so happy you enjoyed these.
Fondly,
Renee
Cat Palmer says
These cookies were tasty! I prefer to make them with fresh cranberries which make them look real festive for the holiday. Thank you for sharing your recipe!
Renée says
Hi, Cat!
Thanks for visiting the blog. I recognize you from YouTube.
Using fresh cranberries is a great idea if you have them handy.
Glad you enjoyed the recipe.
Take good care,
Renee