Cannoli Cookies

My friend gave me this recipe a couple of years ago and now these cookies are part of our holiday baking every year.

Cookies:

2 cups flour

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 cup butter, at room temperature

1/2 cup whole-milk ricotta, at room temperature

1 cup sugar

1 tsp. orange zest

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 egg, at room temperature

3/4 cup chocolate chips

Glaze (recipe below)

Make cookies:

Mix together flour, soda and salt. Set aside.

Cream butter and ricotta with an electric mixer until smooth and creamy. Add the sugar and beat until light and fluffy, 2-3 minutes. Add orange zest and vanilla and mix until blended. Add egg and mix until incorporated. Gradually add flour mixture and beat on low speed until blended. Stir in chocolate chips. Scrape down the bowl, gathering all the dough together in the bowl. Cover bowl with plastic and refrigerate dough for 45 minutes.

Pre-heat oven to 350. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper or grease them well. Remove batter from refrigerator and drop by rounded tablespoons onto cookie sheets. Bake 15 minutes or until lightly browned. Make glaze (recipe below) while cookies are baking. When cookies are done, remove from oven and drizzle glaze over cookies while they are still hot.

Glaze:

1/2 cup confectioners sugar

1 Tbsp. milk

Stir together confectioners sugar and milk with a fork until smooth.