Italian Ricotta Christmas Cookies

Steps

1. 1Bake the Cookies
2. 2Line baking sheets
3. 3Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
4. 4Combine dry ingredients
5. 5In a medium bowl, whisk together 2 cups all-purpose flour and 2 teaspoons baking powder. Set aside.
6. 6Sweeten ricotta
7. 7In a small bowl, stir together 1 cup ricotta cheese and ¾ cup granulated sugar until smooth, about 1 minute.
8. 8Add eggs
9. 9Add 1 large egg and 2 teaspoons almond extract to the ricotta mixture. Stir until fully combined.
10. 10Add flour mix to ricotta mix
11. 11Gradually add the flour mixture to the ricotta mixture, stirring just until combined. The dough will be soft and slightly sticky. If it's too sticky to handle, cover and refrigerate for 1 to 2 hours.
12. 12Shape
13. 13Lightly dampen your hands with water. Scoop about 1 tablespoon of dough and roll it into a ball. Place dough balls on prepared baking sheets about 2 inches apart.
14. 14Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, or until the bottoms are lightly golden and tops are set but still pale. Don't let the tops brown!
15. 15Cool
16. 16Let cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
17. 17Make the Glaze and Decorate
18. 18Mix glaze
19. 19In a medium bowl, whisk together 3 cups powdered sugar, ½ tablespoon almond extract, and 1½ tablespoons hot water until smooth. Add more hot water ½ teaspoon at a time if needed to reach a thick but pourable consistency.
20. 20Glaze cookies
21. 21Once cookies are completely cool, dip the top of each cookie into the glaze. Let excess glaze drip back into the bowl, then turn cookie glaze-side up and immediately sprinkle with nonpareils.
22. 22Leave to set
23. 23Place glazed cookies on the wire rack and let sit for at least 1 hour until glaze is completely set before serving or storing.