Pink, I know, it’s the first color I think of at Christmas! Just kidding, but these cookies are no joking matter! This is the first of the 2024 Christmas Treats. I picked it because they are flavored with freeze dried strawberry powder and lemon zest. Ricotta leaves them cakey on the inside with a slight crunch on the outside. Lemon, Strawberry and Ricotta Cookies! 

Late last year, I experimented with a new-to-me product, Freeze Dried Strawberry Powder. I say new to me because this product has been around for a while. I ordered it from one of the on-line purveyors of everything. Let me tell you, one of the tastiest experiments I have ever made. I have used it to flavor cakes, cookies, my Italian Meringue Icing and just about anything sweet I bake. In addition to the mouth puckering taste of strawberry (with a hint of lemon), this powder gives everything a lovely pink hue. A little goes a long way and in this batch of cookies I substituted 4 tbsp of the intoxicatingly aromatic powder for the equivalent amount of flour. In addition to brands, there are many different flavors available to buy; my next experiment might just be Dragon Fruit or Mango. Other uses, of course smoothies!

There are lots of brands to choose from, the one I bought is from Vancouver Freeze Dried foods. There are lots of other brands out there, but this is the one I picked based on user reviews. This is not a paid advertisement and I’m not promoting this brand, just letting you know what’s out there. User reviews help me determine which brand to order. And yes, you can do this at home, but the thought of having another appliance in my house that I will only use some times, is just not worth it for me – especially when we are in downsizing mode!

I highly recommend using an ice cream scoop to make these cookies, just make sure you spray the inside of the scoop part lightly to prevent sticking.  This size scoop yielded 56 cookies.   So let’s bake our first treat of 2024, the Lemon Strawberry and Ricotta Cookie. As always – enjoy!

Ingredients:
4 cups less 4 tbsp (440g) – all-purpose flour
4 tbsp (40g) freeze dried strawberry powder
2 tsp (10g) baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 cup (226g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 3/4 cups (350g) granulated sugar
1 tsp lemon zest – more is okay!
15 oz (425g) ricotta, whole milk, drained if in liquid
1 tbsp vanilla extract
2 large eggs  

Directions:
1.  Heat your oven to 350f, line two or more baking sheets with parchment
2.  In a medium bowl, combine the flour, strawberry powder, baking powder and salt – whisk and set aside
3.  Using a mixer on medium-high and the paddle attachment beat the butter and sugar until creamy
4.  Add the ricotta and lemon zest, beat until mixed
5.  Add the eggs, one at a time, scrape down the bowl between each addition
6.  Add the vanilla and mix
7.  With the mixer on low, add the flour in ¼ – ½ cup additions, scraping down the bowl as needed – this is a sticky dough
8.  Using a purple handled ice cream scoop (about 1 tbsp) – sprayed with cooking oil, scoop out the cookie dough and drop onto the parchment lined trays – flatten with dampened fingers
9.  Place the trays into the oven and bake for 25 – 30 minutes (my oven took 26 minutes) – rotate the trays half-way through baking, front to back and turn the trays
10. These won’t turn crispy but you will be able to move them on the tray when properly baked, transfer cookies to a cooling rack after 5 minutes

Tips, Notes and/or Recommendations:
If you don’t want to get the freeze dried strawberry powder, try this with strawberry jello (I haven’t tried this but, I will another time and update this blog)
Combine 1 tsp of freeze dried strawberry powder with 2 tbsp icing sugar, sift over the cookies – decadently YUM!
Keep an eye on the baking time as many ovens run either hotter or colder than set
Thinly slice fresh strawberries and place on top of each cookie before baking
These will freeze well in an airtight container for up to 30 days – I put mine in a freezer bag first, then an airtight container before freezing