Italian Orange Poppy Seed Cookies Recipe

Ingredients

1

                        roll (16.5 oz) refrigerated Pillsbury™ Sugar Cookie Dough

1/3

cup part-skim ricotta cheese (from 15-oz container)

1/2

cup all-purpose flour

2

teaspoons poppy seed

3

teaspoons grated orange zest

1 3/4

cups powdered sugar

2

to 3 tablespoons fresh orange juice

Preparation

Heat oven to 350°F. Line cookie sheets with cooking parchment paper.

In large bowl, break up cookie dough. Stir or knead in ricotta cheese, flour, poppy seed and 2 teaspoons of the orange zest until well blended. (DO NOT EAT RAW COOKIE DOUGH AFTER COMBINING WITH FLOUR.) Shape dough into 36 (1 1/4-inch) balls. Place 2 inches apart on cookie sheets.

Bake 10 to 13 minutes or until edges are light golden brown. Cool 1 minute; remove from cookie sheets to cooling racks. Cool completely, about 20 minutes.

In small bowl, stir powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons of the orange juice and remaining 1 teaspoon orange zest; mix well. If necessary, add additional orange juice, 1 teaspoon at a time, until thin enough for glaze. Dip tops of cookies into glaze. Let stand about 20 minutes or until glaze is set. Store in covered airtight container in refrigerator up to 1 week.