Italian Cloud Cookies-Vanilla Bean Icing

I've mentioned before how I have and will always continue to have a sweet tooth. Its terrible, blah blah, YOLO. Yes I said YOLO :) And sweets are just something I am not willing to give up....Its for the benefit of the ones around me, truly. It keeps me sane to bake sweets and consume them. :) Okay. So now that we've clearly went over that again I can move on to sharing this recipe...It's a true TREAT!
Italian Cloud Cookies with a Vanilla Bean Icing!

My husband and his family owned a pizzeria for about 14 years and my sister in law, Kelley took care of all the sweets. She makes some amazing cupcakes and did personal orders all the time. Plus had a variety at the dessert bar for you to choose from. I love cupcakes but sometimes I'd like a cookie....I've always loved cookies and baking them so I decided to try out a few cookie recipes and put them out at the dessert bar along with cupcakes. I did Chocolate Chip, Peanut Butter, Monster cookies etc. but really wanted to do an Italian staple that customers might enjoy. So, the Italian Cloud Cookie was born :) It became a request more than any other cookie I had ever made, even by my husband and mother in law. I knew this recipe was a true winner and would be one that would definitely stick around. Its a lot like a sugar cookie but very small, soft, moist, fluffy, and lightly sweetened cookie that melts in your mouth.
........................The secret ingredient.....RICOTTA CHEESE!



Ingredients:

~1 cup butter ( yup, 2 sticks ) softened
~2 cups granulated sugar
~2 eggs
~15 oz. Ricotta cheese
~1 teaspoon almond extract
~4 cups AP flour
~2 teaspoons baking powder
~1 teaspoon salt

Icing:

~1 1/2 cup powdered sugar
~3 tablespoons milk or heavy cream
~Caviar of one vanilla bean pod



DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a bowl of an electric mixer cream together butter, sugar, eggs on medium speed.

Add Ricotta cheese and mix until smooth. Add Almond extract, mix again.

In a medium bowl mix your 4 cups of AP flour with baking soda and salt.

Gradually add the flour mixture to wet ingredients on low until the dough forms. It will be a tad sticky.

Drop the dough by small level spoonfuls onto a baking sheet covered with foil or parchment paper. Bake for 12 minutes. Cookies will just be started to get golden brown on top and bottom edges.

Remove from baking sheet and cool on wire rack. When cooled, drizzle your icing on top and allow icing to fully set before storing.


ICING DIRECTIONS:

In a bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar and milk. Then add your caviar from vanilla bean. Stir well! 

Funny, looks like a biscuit with gravy on it