Easy Ricotta Pie Recipe (My Grandma's Italian Recipe)

This Italian ricotta pie is a classic dessert that’s sweet, creamy, and full of nostalgic flavor. The smooth ricotta filling is lightly sweetened and perfectly balanced from the curated ingredients, all baked inside a golden, flaky crust. It’s one of those simple, old-fashioned desserts that feels special with every bite — making holidays like Easter and Christmas even better. What makes this special is that this is my grandma’s ricotta pie recipe. If you’ve tried any of her other recipes — like my Date Bars or Pistachio Cream — you already know they’re the kind that never fail. This one’s just as comforting, delicious, and made with love.

Ingredients You'll Need

One of my favorite things about this recipe is that you only need some ricotta cheese and a few baking staples to make it. Honestly, there's a good chance you have most, if not all, of them at your house already.

Here's everything you'll need to make Italian ricotta pie:

• 1 tbsp. Unsalted Butter, melted
• 1 tbsp. All-Purpose Flour
• 2 Pie Crusts
• Just over 2 ½ cups Whole Milk Ricotta Cheese
• ¾ cup Sugar
• 2 Eggs
• ¼ cup Lemon Juice
• 1 tsp. Lemon Zest
• 1 tsp. Almond Extract
• 1 Egg White

Ingredient Substitutions and Suggestions

Pie Crust: This ricotta pie recipe uses two pie crusts — one for the bottom and one for the top. I personally recommend using store-bought refrigerated pie dough for consistent results and convenience. It bakes up perfectly golden and flaky every time, and it saves a ton of prep work. That said, if you love making pie crust from scratch, go for it! Homemade crust adds that extra layer of buttery richness. I’ve linked my favorite homemade pie crust recipe below if you want to try it.

Sugar: Traditional Italian ricotta pies can be made with either granulated sugar or powdered sugar. Both work well in this recipe — granulated sugar gives a bit more structure and texture, while powdered sugar creates a slightly smoother, more delicate filling. I prefer granulated sugar for its balanced sweetness, but feel free to use whichever you have on hand.

Ricotta Cheese: For the creamiest filling, use whole milk ricotta cheese. It’s rich, smooth, and gives the pie its signature flavor and texture. Part-skim ricotta will still work, but the flavor and mouthfeel won’t be quite as decadent. Make sure to drain any excess liquid from the ricotta before mixing to avoid a runny filling.

If you end up with leftover ricotta, don’t let it go to waste! Use it to make my baked ricotta recipe or beef lasagna recipe. Both are delicious ways to use up extra cheese.

How To Make Ricotta Pie

The steps required to make this sweet ricotta pie are pretty simple. Since I use pre-made pie dough, the process is even easier. So let's not waste any more time and make one of the best Italian desserts ever!

Step 1: Bake The Pie Crust

First, prepare the pie crust. Start by rubbing some butter on the bottom and sides of the pie dish, then top it with a little flour.

Poke some holes in the surface of the pie crust, put a sheet of parchment paper on it, then place an oven-safe circular baking dish—or a bag of rice—in the pie pan. Bake the pie crust at 350° (180°C) for 12 minutes.

Step 2: Make The Ricotta Filling Mixture

While the crust is baking, you can prepare the ricotta filling. To do that, add the whole-milk ricotta, sugar, eggs, lemon juice, lemon zest, and almond extract to a large mixing bowl. With a hand mixer or whisk, mix all the filling ingredients until well combined.

Step 3: Assemble The Pie

Once the pie crust is baked, pour the filling on top of the prepared pie crust on the pie plate. Brush the rim of the pie crust with whisked egg white, then top the pie with the other pie crust.

Press the edges of the crusts with a fork and make indentations all the way around the dough - cut off any excess pie crust. Finally, before baking, poke a few holes or slits in the top of the crust.

Step 4: Bake The Ricotta Pie

Transfer the assembled pie to the oven and bake it for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until the pie is golden brown. Once it's baked to perfection, let the pie cool completely before slicing. Serve at room temperature or slightly chilled. Enjoy!

Expert Tips To Make The Best Ricotta Pie

• Drain the ricotta for a smooth, creamy filling. Ricotta naturally contains a lot of moisture, which can make your filling runny if not drained. For the best texture, spoon the ricotta into a fine mesh strainer or cheesecloth-lined bowl and let it drain for at least 30 minutes (or even overnight in the fridge). Drier ricotta gives the pie a custard-like texture — creamy, not watery — and helps it set beautifully when baked.
• Use whole milk ricotta for authentic flavor. While part-skim ricotta works in a pinch, whole milk ricotta creates that classic Italian richness and silky texture this dessert is known for. It’s worth the small indulgence — the flavor is noticeably creamier and more luxurious.
• Blind-bake the bottom crust. To avoid a soggy bottom, always blind bake your bottom crust before adding the ricotta filling. Line it with parchment paper and fill it with pie weights (or dry beans) to keep the dough from puffing up. Bake at 350°F (180°C) for about 12 minutes, just until lightly set. This step ensures a crisp, golden foundation that holds up to the creamy filling.
• Mix the filling gently for the perfect texture. When combining the ricotta with sugar, eggs, lemon juice, and almond extract, use a hand mixer on low speed or mix by hand. Overmixing can incorporate too much air, causing the filling to puff up during baking and collapse as it cools. Mix just until everything is smooth and combined — your filling should be thick and glossy, not frothy.
• Don’t skip the lemon zest and almond extract. I know they're not common ingredients, but these two ingredients are my grandma's secret that makes this Italian ricotta pie recipe shine. The lemon zest and juice brighten the flavor and cut through the richness of the cheese, while the almond extract adds that unmistakable bakery aroma and a hint of nutty depth. It’s a small detail that makes a big difference in the final flavor.
• Chill your top crust before assembling. If your dough feels soft, place the rolled-out top crust in the fridge for 5–10 minutes before laying it over the filling. Cold dough is easier to work with and seals better when pressed with a fork around the edges. It also bakes up flakier and holds its shape beautifully.
• Cool completely before slicing. As tempting as it is to dig in, let your ricotta pie cool fully before cutting into it. Cooling allows the filling to firm up and the flavors to develop. For the cleanest slices, chill the pie in the refrigerator for 2–3 hours after it reaches room temperature, then serve slightly cold or at room temp.
• Dust with powdered sugar before serving. A light dusting of confectioners’ sugar on top gives the pie a bakery-style finish. This is a must if you’re serving it for Easter, Christmas, or a special family gathering.

How To Store Italian Ricotta Pie

This ricotta pie recipe yields about 8 pieces, depending on how you slice it. If you serve it as an Easter ricotta pie or for another holiday celebration, you're likely to have no leftovers.

But if you do have some slices left over, you can store them in an airtight container—or wrapped tightly with plastic wrap—in the refrigerator for up to a week.

However, if you want to keep your ricotta pie for even longer, you can store it in the freezer. Just keep the leftovers in an airtight container—or wrap them in plastic wrap and place them in a freezer-safe bag — for up to 6 months.

Ricotta Pie Recipe FAQS

My Final Thoughts

That's how to make ricotta pie from scratch. This recipe is sure to become a family staple for years to come—it is in our house, anyway.

This sweet ricotta pie recipe is just too good to resist. It's loaded with simple and flavorful ingredients that come together to create one of the most delicious, authentic Italian dessert recipes ever. As delicious as this pie is, it's even better when shared with family and friends, so be sure to share it with them too. 

As always, if you give this Italian ricotta pie a try, leave a comment below and let me know how it went! Also, be sure to check out our Instagram, TikTok, and Youtube for more dessert recipes. We post new ones on them daily.

More Pie Recipes To Try

If you liked this pie, we have a ton of delicious pie recipes on the blog that you have to try next!

Here are some of my favorites:

• No bake Oreo pie
• Reese's peanut butter pie
• Sweet potato pie
• Peach pie
• Custard pie