Coconut Flour Ricotta Cookies
It might seem that I’m a little late in bringing you cookies, but if you’re eating a low carb diet and still need a sweet treat these Coconut Italian ricotta cookies are perfect for your craving
I love ricotta . I started with this beloved original recipe here, which also has a video.
I wondered if it would be possible to make a grain free version, and at the very last minute (Christmas Day), I made these grain free coconut flour ricotta cookies with a little orange zest.
I was so surprised at how good they were as these cookies were the main dessert hit at Christmas dinner. You could use your own preferred sweetener (sugar) or what I use, Swerve.
They are moist, light, and the orange zest is wonderful (although you could use lemon zest too).
I went back and forth as to whether to glaze or roll in Swerve confectioner’s sugar so I did both. I like the plain confectioner’s sugar the best, as this cookie sort of reminds me of those little wedding cookies everyone loves, but the texture is quite different, more like cake.
In figuring this out, I did my due diligence and made them four different times to make sure I was happy and you would be happy with this recipe.
Variations for the Coconut Flour Ricotta Cookies
I also discovered you can play around a little with the basic recipe.
Add unsweetened coconut. That added texture is really fun! I may even come back and do a whole new recipe can call it coconut balls, so no one misses out.
Add citrus to either batter or the glaze: Lime, Orange, Lemon, by adding zest to the sugar and using fingertips to release the citrus oils.
Add almond extract: Just a drop or two will give you that wedding cake taste.
Glaze or Confectioner’s Sugar: This will depend on your mood or occasion. The pink would be so cute for a baby shower.
If you like this recipe, you’ll love this grain-free snacking lemon cake,
More Low-Carb Recipes from Spinach Tiger
More Coconut Flour Recipes from Spinach Tiger
- 1 cup coconut flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- dash nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon orange zest or few drops orange extract
- ½ cup unsalted butter, room temperature
- ¾ cups Swerve Confectioner's sugar, divided (can use ½ cup sugar)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 egg
- 7 ounces ricotta cheese
- Glaze Option
- Mix coconut flour with baking powder, nutmeg, orange zest. Set aside.
- Cream butter and sugar until smooth.
- Add egg until just mixed.
- Add vanilla.
- Add ricotta cheese.
- Add in flour mixture.
- Refrigerate at least 30 minutes
- Roll into 30 small balls, about one inch in diameter. Place on parchment paper on baking sheet.
- Put back into refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.
- Bake at 350 for 10 minutes or until bottoms are golden brown.
- Roll in confectioner's sugar or cool and apply glaze.
- Glaze Option
- cup confectioner's sugar (I use Swerve)
- few teaspoons of either milk or for color unsweetened cranberry juice
- Mix well. Add more sugar if too runny.
- Put sprinkles on immediately. The glaze dries quickly.
Donna says
September 16, 2018 at 5:24 pmis there something wrong with the measurements in this recipe? One cup of coconut flour; the dough was crumble wouldn’t stick together.
jane says
June 3, 2018 at 12:36 pmAngela, this is my FAVORITE keto cookie! So versatile and yummy. Where I live ricotta cookies are like soft sugar cookies frosted with cream cheese frosting. This recipe (w/o orange and flattened before baking) gets really close and keeps me out of the bakery. My latest version is balls of dough infused with lemon zest baked, frozen and then dipped 3x in a keto white chocolate flavored with lemon oil and powdered lemon juice. They really remind us of the birthday pops in a popular coffee shop. Sooo good. Thank you for this awesome recipe, I’d give you more stars if I could!
Angela Roberts says
June 4, 2018 at 2:57 pmJane
Thank you so much. This kind of comment keeps me in the kitchen. You should give my pancakes and dutch baby a try. But I have a coconut cake coming that is amazing (according to my mom who does NOT eat keto). LOL. Where do you get the keto white chocolate?
jane says
June 15, 2018 at 5:03 pmAngela,
I used Maya’s https://www.wholesomeyum.com/recipes/sugar-free-white-chocolate-bars-low-carb-gluten-free/ recipe. I didn’t have the lecithin so I used 1/4t. xantham gum as the binder. I don’t care for powdered erythritol so I put all powder ingredients, a little at a time, in a mortar and ground them all into dust. There was still a bit of ‘grit’ in the chocolate, but honestly, the lemon version was crazy good and the lemon cookie filling- just heavenly.
Angela Roberts says
June 15, 2018 at 5:10 pmThanks Jane!
Debbi says
January 25, 2018 at 9:08 amDon’t see reference to kcal. How many calories?
sippitysup says
January 12, 2018 at 2:46 pmBeautiful little sweet bites for the New Year. GREG
Gerlinde says
January 11, 2018 at 6:37 pmHi, could you please tell me what Swere sugar is and where I can get it. I never baked with coconut flour. Your cookies look good,
Jennifer Strohl says
January 10, 2018 at 4:31 pmHello! I am making these right now! I had the idea to make ricotta cookies today to add to the list of sweets to make my husband to help him stick with the keto diet that he started a week ago. Ironically, it appears you just posted this yesterday! So thank you! I do have a question before I proceed. You say 3/4 cup Swerve confectioner’s sugar, divided. How much do I actually use in the batter?
Angela Roberts says
January 10, 2018 at 6:27 pm. I would say save a little for the rolling. (maybe a couple tablespoons).
Also, if you can taste your batter first to see if it’s sweet enough for you. I usually will microwave a tablespoon which gives me a good idea.
Everyone’s preferred level of sweetness is different. I’ll put this in the notes of the recipe.
Good luck!
Jennifer Strohl says
February 18, 2018 at 2:00 pmIt still says 3/4 cup Swerve confectioners sugar, divided. No notes on what to do with the duvided parts or in what measurements to divide . I did my own thing with erythritol, but i’m sure others will question that. Cookies are great, btw!
Alexandra N Carrera says
February 1, 2019 at 2:57 pmI used the whole 3/4 cup confectioners sugar in the batter, but I also used a whole cup of ricotta (8 oz). The cookies are great but they’re very crumbly and don’t quite hold together. I ended up cooking them a few more minutes b/c they didn’t seem done after 10. And I smooshed them down then, b/c they seemed so un-done.
I also glazed with a cup of confectioners sugar and 2 Tbsp lemon juice — delicious!