Unglazed soft ricotta cookies with small white chocolate pockets, an Italian-style home adaptation with a reduced-sugar dough.
White Chocolate Ricotta Cookies
Follow the tray sizes, portions and baking intervals in the instructions below.
Allow about 135 minutes: 30 hands-on, 45 chilling or resting, 30 whole-batch cooking and 30 cooling/setting. Cooling includes tray rest. Follow the method for batch sizes and doneness cues.
Kitchen tools you’ll need
- Kitchen scale and US measuring tools
- Fine sieve for draining ricotta
- Mixing bowls and flexible spatula
- Hand mixer or stand mixer with paddle
- Small cookie scoop
- Two 13 × 18-inch metal baking sheets
- Baking parchment and wire cooling racks
Unglazed soft ricotta cookies with small white chocolate pockets, an Italian-style home adaptation with a reduced-sugar dough.
Ingredients
Optional sprinkles are for decoration and are not included in the nutrition estimate. Spice weights are approximate.
Instructions
Prepare and drain
- 1Prepare and drainIf ricotta contains free whey, drain in a fine sieve in the refrigerator for 15 minutes, then weigh the listed drained amount. This draining time is included in the rest block. undefined
Mix the dough
- 2Mix the doughCream butter and sugar for 2 minutes. Beat in egg, ricotta and vanilla. Fold in the flour mixture, then fold in all the white chocolate chips with a few turns of the spatula. Stop mixing once combined; this dough is portioned as mounds rather than kneaded or rolled.
Chill and portion
- 3Chill and portionCover and refrigerate dough for 30 minutes. Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C) conventional or 325°F (163°C) fan. Divide into 24 equal dough portions, about 31 g each before any topping, and arrange 12 on each of two parchment-lined 13 × 18-inch sheets, at least 2 inches apart. Keep the second tray refrigerated during the first bake.
Bake both trays
- 4Bake both traysBake one tray at a time on the middle rack for 13-15 minutes per tray, allowing 30 minutes for both batches. Tops should feel set and spring back gently; bases should be lightly golden. For cocoa dough, check a lifted base and a set top because color is harder to judge. Rest each tray 5 minutes, then transfer cookies to a rack; do not serve a wet dough center.
Cool and finish
- 5Cool and finishAllow 30 minutes after the last tray for complete cooling, including its 5-minute tray rest. Serve unglazed after cooling. White chocolate pockets may still feel soft when warm; cooling lets them firm without turning the tender ricotta crumb crisp. The listed 30-minute cooling block includes tray rest.
Chef’s Science & Pro Tips
Ingredient science
Use actual white chocolate baking chips with cocoa butter for the specified ingredient.
Technique & texture
Fold chips in last so mixing stays brief.
Finishing & serving
Reduced granulated sugar balances the sweetness of the white chocolate.
Storage and make-ahead
| Method | How long | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Room temperature | Up to 1 day | Keep completely cooled cookies airtight in a cool room for short serving storage; refrigerate sooner in warm conditions. |
| Refrigerator | Up to 5 days | Refrigerate cooled baked cookies airtight, counting from baking day; separate decorated layers with parchment. |
| Freezer | Up to 1 month | Freeze cooled baked cookies before glaze, dip or dusting in a sealed container with parchment between layers. |
| Raw dough | Up to 24 hours refrigerated | Cover and refrigerate promptly. Bake from cold; keep the second portion refrigerated while the first tray bakes. |
| Thawing and serving | Overnight in the refrigerator | Thaw baked cookies covered in the refrigerator, then add the measured finish. Take out only the portion needed for serving. |
Notes
- Use actual white chocolate baking chips with cocoa butter for the specified ingredient. Fold chips in last so mixing stays brief. Reduced granulated sugar balances the sweetness of the white chocolate. This home formula has not been kitchen-tested.
Nutrition
Approximate nutrition per serving calculated from ingredient weights divided by 24; required fillings and toppings included, optional decorations excluded. Brands, unused coating and actual serving size affect the estimate.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use white candy melts?
This formula uses cocoa-butter white chocolate chips; candy coating has a different fat composition and nutrition.
Why do the white pieces blend into the dough color?
White chocolate and ricotta crumb are both pale; the pockets are clearer in a broken cooled cookie.
Should I add a white chocolate drizzle?
The measured chips are all inside the dough; this version has no drizzle or other topping.
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