These soft and sweet cheese cookies are a definite hit with everyone. They’re not your everyday cookie made with farmer’s cheese and sour cream.
Let’s start with a bit of confession: I’m slightly obsessed with cookies. Okay, that might be an understatement. I have been making them often lately, and they get eaten fast. You’ll know what I mean once you’ve tried these ridiculously moist, soft, and sweet cheese cookies.
For me, the perfect dessert is a good quality Russian cookie with simple ingredients and one that’s so easy to put together. These cookies have ingredients you can get at any grocery store with only a half cup of sugar if they’re not already at home on hand! They’re perfect for special occasions or to have on any regular weekday, and are great for camping! You’ve chosen the right recipe if you’re preparing to grace some dessert tables with these amazing cookies. Russian cuisine is generally made up of simple, accessible ingredients (or if you’re making a classic easy appetizer, fresh produce), so it’s easy to cook up some holiday classics.
These cookies are the main course of the dessert table. They keep well for a few days so that you can make them one or two days ahead of time. You can store them in an airtight container or cover them with plastic wrap and keep them at room temperature.
Can I substitute Farmers Cheese with Ricotta Cheese or Cottage Cheese?
The main ingredient here is farmer’s cheese. It has a creamy, crumbly texture and a sweet and milky flavor. Ricotta cheese makes the best substitute for farmer’s cheese. Both will keep the taste and won’t make the cookies fall apart. Cottage cheese is not the same as farmer’s cheese, so don’t substitute it. The cheese adds a great deal of moisture to the cookies to help bind everything together. Not to mention a perfect slightly sweet, slightly salty taste.
FAQ
Can I use powdered sugar to sprinkle the cookies? No, powdered sugar has a different texture and won’t work well in the oven.
Can I use a mixer or food processor to mix the dough? A hand mixer or standing mixer will work great, but not a food processor.
What do I do with the egg whites, since brushing the cookies only requires the egg yolks? Disregard the egg white.
Ingredients for Farmers Cheese Cookies
In addition to the cheese, this recipe calls for 2 teaspoons of sour cream. That means even more moisture. The sour cream and farmer’s cheese balance well with the sugar, vanilla, and butter, resulting in a cookie that won’t weigh you down.
Roll it out, cut it into smaller pieces after your dough comes together, brush with egg, and sprinkle with sugar. The cookie dough is easy to work with, and it looks so cool once it’s rolled. This is not your basic chocolate chip cookie recipe!
And now, you bake!
Clearly, this is the most challenging part. Waiting for these tiny pieces of cheesy sweet goodness to bake. You’ll want to bake these cookies for a good 35-40 minutes so that everything in the dough can be set and thoroughly cooked.
These sweet cheese cookies make the perfect treat when you’re bored with traditional cookies and desserts. It’s refreshing to bite into one of these. Enjoy!
Directions for Sweet Russian Tea Cheese Cookies
Steps
In a large bowl, beat 1 cup and 2 Tablespoons of softened unsalted butter until it is smooth with no clumps.
Add to the butter 1 cup of farmer cheese or ricotta cheese. Mix the farmer’s cheese mixture well with a spoon.
Fold in 2 teaspoons of sour cream and a pinch of vanilla.
In a separate medium bowl or cup, mix 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda and 1 teaspoon of lemon juice; it will foam. Add to the bowl with the rest of the ingredients.
Fold in 2 cups of all-purpose flour. Mix well until all is incorporated. The dough should be soft. (mixing with hands will help incorporate faster).
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Also, prepare baking sheets by putting a sheet of parchment paper.
With a whisk, in a small bowl whisk 1 large egg to brush the top of each cookie.
Divide the dough in half. Sprinkle some flour onto your surface where you can roll out the dough.
Take one half of the dough and gently roll it out into a rectangle shape. (If the dough is sticking to the surface, it means you are pushing too hard)
Sprinkle a generous amount of sugar throughout the rolled-out dough. (leave some for the other half of the dough and sprinkle on top of each cookie)
From the long side, roll in the dough.
Cut into small pieces. (Remember, they will expand when baking!) Put each piece onto the baking sheets and lightly push down each piece with two fingers to seal the open end.
Brush each cookie with whisked egg, and sprinkle with sugar.
(repeat the process with the other half of dough).
Place the cookies into the preheated oven and bake for 35-40 minutes or until golden brown.
Did you enjoy these sweet treats? You might want some more holiday classic recipes:
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup farmer's cheese, or ricotta cheese
- 2 tsp sour cream
- 1 pinch vanilla
- ½ tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- 2 cups flour, plus a little extra for sprinkling
- ½ cup sugar
- 1 large egg
- 2 Tbsp unsalted butter, extra
Instructions
In a large bowl, beat 1 cup and 2 Tablespoons of softened unsalted butter until it is smooth with no clumps.
Add to the butter 1 cup of farmer cheese or ricotta cheese. Mix the farmer’s cheese mixture well with a spoon.
Fold in 2 teaspoons of sour cream and a pinch of vanilla.
In a separate medium bowl or cup, mix 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda and 1 teaspoon of lemon juice; it will foam. Add to the bowl with the rest of the ingredients.
Fold in 2 cups of all-purpose flour. Mix well until all is incorporated. The dough should be soft. (mixing with hands will help incorporate faster).
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Also, prepare baking sheets by putting a sheet of parchment paper.
With a whisk, in a small bowl whisk 1 large egg to brush the top of each cookie.
Divide the dough in half. Sprinkle some flour onto your surface where you can roll out the dough.
Take one half of the dough and gently roll it out into a rectangle shape. (If the dough is sticking to the surface, it means you are pushing too hard)
Sprinkle a generous amount of sugar throughout the rolled-out dough. (leave some for the other half of the dough and sprinkle on top of each cookie)
From the long side, roll in the dough.
Cut into small pieces. (Remember, they will expand when baking!) Put each piece onto the baking sheets and lightly push down each piece with two fingers to seal the open end.
Brush each cookie with whisked egg, and sprinkle with sugar.
(repeat the process with the other half of dough).
Place the cookies into the preheated oven and bake for 35-40 minutes or until golden brown.
Equipment Used
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These are on rotation in our household, my husband always requests these. Easy and so yummy! Hard to stop at just one :P Not too sweet, they’re perfect!
Yes, I recommend this recipe.
From All We Eat Admin:
Thank you for the feedback, we think they are yummy too.
Cheese Cookies They are simple to make and are super soft. You can use farmers cheese for this recipe, but sometimes farmers cheese is very hard to find so ricotta cheese will work great! The dough itself doesn't have any sugar in it so the sprinkled sugar makes a bit sweeter.
Yes, I recommend this recipe.
