Light and Fluffy Ricotta Almond Pillows That Melt in Your Mouth Recipe
These Light and Fluffy Ricotta Almond Pillows are delicate, melt-in-your-mouth cookies that combine creamy ricotta cheese with crunchy slivered almonds. Perfectly sweetened and infused with vanilla and almond extracts, they offer a soft texture and nutty flavor, dusted with powdered sugar for an elegant finish. An easy-to-make treat ideal for dessert or tea time.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 15-18 minutes
- Total Time: 30-35 minutes
- Yield: 12-14 cookies 1x
- Category: Desserts
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
Scale
Wet Ingredients
- 1 cup Ricotta Cheese (Substitution: Mascarpone or blended cottage cheese as alternatives.)
- 3/4 cup Granulated Sugar
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- 1 teaspoon Almond Extract
- 1 large Egg (Acts as a binder.)
Dry Ingredients
- 1 cup All-Purpose Flour (Substitution: Gluten-free flour blend if desired.)
- 1 teaspoon Baking Powder
- 1/4 teaspoon Salt
- 1/3 cup Slivered Almonds
For Finishing and Baking
- 1 cup Powdered Sugar (For dusting.)
- 1 tablespoon Butter or Oil (For greasing the pan.)
Instructions
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Baking Sheet: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease a baking sheet with butter or line it with parchment paper to prevent sticking and ensure even baking.
- Combine Wet Ingredients: In a mixing bowl, combine the ricotta cheese, granulated sugar, vanilla extract, almond extract, and the large egg. Mix these ingredients until the mixture is smooth and well integrated.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, sift together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt. Sifting helps to incorporate air and remove lumps for a lighter dough.
- Fold Dry Ingredients Into Wet: Gradually fold the dry flour mixture into the ricotta mixture carefully. Avoid overmixing to keep the texture light and fluffy.
- Add Almonds: Fold in the slivered almonds evenly throughout the dough, distributing them well to ensure crunchy bits in every bite.
- Shape the Dough: Shape the dough into pillow-like balls and place them spaced on the prepared baking sheet to allow room for spreading.
- Bake: Bake in the preheated oven for 15-18 minutes until the cookies turn lightly golden on top and edges.
- Cool and Dust: Remove the cookies from the oven and cool them on a wire rack for about 10 minutes. Once cooled slightly, dust each pillow generously with powdered sugar before serving to add sweetness and a beautiful finish.
Notes
- You can substitute mascarpone or blended cottage cheese for ricotta if desired for a slightly different texture.
- For a gluten-free version, use a gluten-free flour blend in place of all-purpose flour.
- Do not overmix the dough to maintain a light texture; folding gently is key.
- Shaping the dough into pillow shapes adds to the whimsical look but use any shape preferred.
- Ensure cookies are cooled before dusting with powdered sugar to prevent melting.
Keywords: Ricotta cookies, Almond pillows, Soft cookies, Light and fluffy desserts, Italian desserts, Almond extract cookies
