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

This Italian ricotta pie recipe will quickly become a family favorite. Perfectly sweet ricotta cheese combines with lemon zest, almond extract, and a bit of sugar to make a classic Italian dessert to finish off your Easter meal. But by all means, don't wait till Easter to enjoy this sweet & creamy pie!

The Best Ricotta Pie Recipe

If you've never heard of ricotta cheese pie, get ready to have your mind blown. This pie is filled with sweet ricotta cheese with the perfect balance of lemon juice and complimentary flavors.

It's so good that you'll have a hard time not eating the creamy filling out of the bowl with a spoon! Who would have thought that creamy ricotta cheese could be baked into a delicious buttery pie crust and served as dessert, right?!

Seriously, this just might be one of the most delicious Italian desserts out there, and it's a family recipe that I can't wait for you to try.

Now, Easter ricotta pie is a tradition, but I personally believe this delicious pie should be enjoyed throughout the whole year! It's perfect for Thanksgiving, Christmas, any celebration, or even just a weeknight dessert.

And this is hands down the best Italian ricotta pie recipe out there. Plus, it takes just 10 minutes to prep, and then it cooks in under an hour. So, in just about no time, you'll have this pie on the table and ready to be devoured by your family.

Oh, and if you're looking for more delicious pie recipes check out some of our most popular ones - like this coconut pie, fudge pie, or this million dollar pie next! And for something a little different, you can make this sopapilla cheesecake.

Ingredients

As I alluded to earlier, the ingredient list for this ricotta cheese pie is really about as short as it gets for a pie recipe.

Here's everything you'll need to make this 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

Sounds delicious right?

As you can see, you'll need two premade pie crusts to make this recipe. And I think buying premade pie dough always yields the best results, and it's the most convenient choice. But if you want, feel free to make your own pie dough from scratch!

By the way, some ricotta pies are made with confectioners sugar, so feel free to substitute the granulated sugar for powdered sugar to use for your ricotta filling. I just personally like using granulated sugar better.

As for the ricotta cheese filling, you'll want to use whole milk cheese for the best results. But any kind of ricotta cheese you have will work well, too it just won't be as flavorful. And if you love ricotta, you can use any leftovers you have to make this baked ricotta or beef lasagna.

Oh, and if you need to make a trip to the store, you might want to check out this Italian hangover cake next. It uses a lot of the same ingredients.

Changing Your Ricotta Pie Recipe

As if this recipe couldn't get any better, there are plenty of ways to modify it to make each ricotta pie special.

Here are some of my favorite ways to change it up:

• Swap lemon zest for orange zest
• Swap almond extract for vanilla extract
• Add mini chocolate chips for a cannoli-like pie
• Top your ricotta pie with fresh fruit or strawberry compote before serving
• Top your baked ricotta pie with powdered sugar and a dash of cinnamon
• Add more fresh lemon zest to the ricotta mixture and top with fresh blueberries

How To Make Ricotta Pie

The steps required to make this sweet ricotta pie are pretty simple.

And since were's using pre-made pie dough, the process is even easier. All you really have to do is prepare the sweet crust and make the ricotta filling.

Now, let's not waste any more time, let's make one of the best Italian desserts ever!

Step 1: Bake The Pie Crust

First, we'll prepare the pie crust. Start by rubbing butter on the surface of the pie pan and sides of the pie dish, and top with a little flour.

Then, poke some holes on the surface of the pie crust, put a sheet of parchment paper on it, and then put an oven-safe circular baking dish - or a bag of rice - on top of the crust in the pie pan.

Now, 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 cheese, sugar, eggs, lemon juice, lemon zest, and almond extract to a large mixing bowl.

Then, with a hand mixer - or whisk - mix all the filling ingredients together 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.

Then brush the rim of the pie crust with a whisked egg white and top the pie with the other pie crust.

Next, press the edges of the crusts with a fork and make indentations all the way around the dough, and 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

Now that the pie is assembled, transfer the pie pan to the oven and bake for 45 minutes-1 hour, or until the pie is golden brown.

Then, once it's baked to perfection, let the pie cool completely on the pie plate before slicing and serve at room temperature or slightly chilled.

Enjoy!

How To Store Italian Ricotta Pie

This ricotta pie recipe will make about 8 pieces of pie, depending on how you slice it. And if you serve it as an Easter ricotta pie or for another holiday celebration, odds are you won't have any leftovers.

But, if you do have some left over, you can store this ricotta pie in an airtight container, or wrapped tightly with plastic wrap in the refrigerator for up to one week.

Oh, and since this Italian dessert is typically served at room temperature or cold, you don't need to worry about reheating it.

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

Then, whenever you want a slice, just let it defrost in the refrigerator and enjoy.

FAQS About This Ricotta Pie Recipe

Wrapping It All Up

Well, that's how to make ricotta pie from scratch.

This recipe is sure to become a family staple that's made for years to come.

Seriously, 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 delicious and authentic Italian recipe.

And as delicious as this pie is, it's even better when shared with family and friends - so be sure to share it with 'em too. 

As always, if you gave 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

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

Check out one of these easy pie recipes next:

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