Follow these instructions carefully for the best results. Baking is a science, and precision, especially in mixing and baking times, leads to cookie perfection.

1. Preheat and Prepare: Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. This prevents sticking and promotes even baking. Set aside.
2. Combine Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, and salt. Whisking helps distribute the leavening agent and salt evenly throughout the flour, ensuring consistent results in every cookie. Set this bowl aside.
3. Cream Butter and Sugar: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or in a large bowl using a handheld electric mixer, beat the softened unsalted butter and granulated sugar together on medium-high speed for about 3-4 minutes. The mixture should become light in color, fluffy, and significantly increased in volume. This process, called creaming, incorporates air into the dough, which is crucial for a light texture. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl occasionally to ensure even mixing.
4. Add Wet Ingredients: Reduce the mixer speed to medium-low. Add the whole milk ricotta cheese, large eggs (one at a time, beating well after each addition), vanilla extract, fresh lemon zest, and fresh lemon juice. Mix until just combined. The mixture might look slightly curdled at this stage due to the acidity of the lemon juice reacting with the dairy – this is perfectly normal. Avoid overmixing here; just mix until the ingredients are incorporated.
5. Combine Wet and Dry: Turn the mixer speed down to low. Gradually add the dry ingredient mixture (from step 2) to the wet ingredient mixture in three additions, mixing until just combined after each addition. Be very careful not to overmix at this stage. Overmixing develops the gluten in the flour, which can lead to tough, dense cookies instead of the desired soft, cake-like texture. Stop mixing as soon as you no longer see streaks of flour. You might need to finish incorporating the last bits gently by hand with a spatula.
6. Chill the Dough (Highly Recommended): Although optional, chilling the dough significantly improves the cookies. Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, or up to 2 hours. Chilling helps the flavors meld together more deeply, reduces stickiness making the dough easier to handle, and most importantly, helps prevent the cookies from spreading too much during baking, resulting in a thicker, softer cookie.
7. Scoop the Dough: Once chilled (or immediately if skipping the chilling step), use a medium cookie scoop (about 1.5 to 2 tablespoons) to drop rounded portions of dough onto the prepared baking sheets. Space them about 2 inches apart, as they will spread slightly. Using a scoop ensures uniformly sized cookies that bake evenly.
8. Bake: Place one baking sheet at a time in the center rack of the preheated oven. Bake for 12-15 minutes. The cookies are done when the edges are lightly golden brown, and the centers appear set and no longer look wet or glossy. They should feel slightly firm to a gentle touch but still be very soft. Avoid overbaking, as this will result in drier cookies. The exact time will depend on your oven and the size of your cookies. Start checking around the 12-minute mark.
9. Cool the Cookies: Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for about 5-10 minutes. They will continue to cook slightly from the residual heat of the pan and firm up just enough to be moved. After this initial cooling period, carefully transfer the cookies using a spatula to a wire rack to cool completely. Cookies must be completely cool before glazing, otherwise, the glaze will just melt and slide off or soak in too much. Repeat baking with any remaining dough.
10. Prepare the Lemon Glaze: While the cookies are cooling, prepare the glaze. In a small bowl, whisk together the sifted powdered sugar and 3 tablespoons of fresh lemon juice. If using, stir in the optional lemon zest. Whisk vigorously until smooth and lump-free. The glaze should be thick but pourable. If it’s too thick, add more lemon juice, ½ teaspoon at a time. If it’s too thin, add a little more sifted powdered sugar. Adjust until you reach your desired consistency – it should drizzle easily but be opaque enough to coat the cookies nicely.
11. Glaze the Cookies: Once the cookies are completely cool, place the wire rack with the cookies over a sheet of parchment paper or wax paper (this catches any drips for easier cleanup). You can either drizzle the glaze over the cookies using a whisk or spoon, or you can dip the tops of the cookies directly into the glaze. If dipping, let any excess glaze drip off before placing the cookie back on the wire rack.
12. Let the Glaze Set: Allow the glaze to set completely, which can take anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour or more at room temperature, depending on humidity. Once the glaze is dry to the touch, the cookies are ready to be served or stored.