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    Home » Recipes » Desserts

    Sweet Ricotta Pie

    First Published: March 2, 2023 . Last Modified: March 2, 2023 lisa16 Comments This post may contain affiliate links

    Jump to Recipe
    a slice of sweet ricotta pie

    Sweet Ricotta Pie is a creamy and irresistible traditional Italian dessert that's perfect for Easter or any time you crave a sweet treat with a delicious hint of orange and chocolate. 

    pie

    Some of my family's Easter traditions are coloring eggs, going to church on Easter morning, and often taking in the NYC Easter parade. I love to spend the day celebrating with my family, but another tradition is making this sweet ricotta pie. It is such a nice simple dessert that can be served at Easter time or really any time of the year. I like to add this delicious pie to my Thanksgiving and Christmas dessert table too.

    I am a big fan of Italian desserts and pastries. This family recipe is included in many of our holiday celebrations.

    What is Italian Ricotta Pie?

    Italian ricotta pie is a dessert pie made from sweetened creamy ricotta cheese with a simple crust. It is much lighter than ricotta cheesecake and does not contain any cream cheese. There are both savory and sweet varieties of ricotta Easter pie, but this one is a perfect dessert pie to serve on Easter Sunday. It also goes perfectly with a cup of coffee.

    My nana made a really simple version, and I continue her long time tradition. This pie is not super sweet, and I like to add mini chocolate chips to mine and a simple topping of fresh fruit. 

    This slice of pie is one of my favorite ricotta desserts.

    What Ingredients are Needed to Make this Ricotta Pie Recipe?  

    • Pie Crust  - For simplicity, I used packaged pie crust, but you can make your own if you are a crust connoisseur. You can also make this recipe for Pasta Frolla which is the Italian version of a sweet tender pastry crust. This sweet pie dough can be mixed by hand or by using a food processor.
    • Large Eggs - For best results, allow the eggs to come to room temperature before making this pie. 
    • Ricotta Cheese - This grainy cow's milk cheese is available in most grocery stores.  Whole milk ricotta will produce a creamier pie but you can also use a part skim ricotta for a lighter but traditional Easter dessert. 
    • Sugar - A touch of granulated white sugar gives this ricotta pie recipe a sweet flavor. 
    • Vanilla - Use pure vanilla, not imitation vanilla or vanilla flavoring.
    • Orange Zest - I love the orange flavor in this pie, but I think my husband and daughter would prefer it without the orange zest. So add it to your taste preference. You could also change the flavor profile a bit and use lemon zest instead. 
    • Cinnamon - This spice adds a hint of warmth.
    • Mini Chocolate Chips - Maybe not traditional, but I love a touch of chocolate chips in this Easter ricotta pie. Sometimes I add them and sometimes I don't. You could try a swirl of Nutella or, if you prefer, leave out the chocolate altogether.

    See recipe card below for exact ingredient amounts and instructions.

    Instructions

    1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
    2. Place pie crust in a 9-inch pie pan.
    3. Beat together eggs, ricotta cheese, sugar, vanilla, orange zest and ½ teaspoon cinnamon until creamy. Mix in chocolate chips if desired.
    4. Sprinkle the top with the remaining ½ teaspoon of cinnamon.
    5. Bake pie for 45 to 50 minutes or until toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
    6. Cool for 30 minutes. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Make sure to cover with plastic wrap or saran wrap so the pie doesn't dry out.

    Tips for Making Ricotta Cheese Pie

    After many years of making this pie, I can almost make it with my eyes closed. Over the years, I've discovered a few tricks that help it to come out perfectly every time.

    1. Room Temperature Ingredients - Allow the eggs and the ricotta cheese to come to room temperature for at least 30-40 minutes before mixing and baking. Room temperature eggs will combine much easier and will bake more evenly. 
    2. Drain the Ricotta - Have you ever opened a container of ricotta to see a puddle of liquid on top? Excessive moisture in ricotta can make this pie watery, so you may want to drain out the liquid. Pour the ricotta into cheesecloth and tie it tightly or put it into a strainer. Allow it to drain over a bowl overnight in the fridge. 
    3. Serve at Room Temperature - Although leftovers should be refrigerated, this Easter ricotta pie tastes best served at room temperature. Set it out when you sit down to eat and it will be perfect when you are ready for dessert. 
    4. Garnish with Fruit - Make this pie more colorful and festive by garnishing it with fruit. During the Christmas holiday, I top the pie with Sugared Cranberries for a really festive touch.
    Italian Easter pie with a slice missing

    More Sweet Ricotta Desserts

    • Strawberry Puff Pastry Tart with Ricotta and Chocolate
    • Apple Galette with Ricotta and Almonds
    • Grilled Apricots with Cinnamon, Ricotta and Honey
    • Cannoli Cheesecake Stuffed Strawberries
    • Chocolate Hazelnut Ricotta Pillows
    • Easy Ricotta Cookies from Recipe Pocket

    This ricotta dessert reminds me somewhat of a cannoli, but it is much more dense than creamy. It was perfect to have a small slice after eating a big dinner.   Because we always must have dessert!

    Do you have any Easter traditions?

    If you like this Sweet Italian Ricotta Cheese Pie recipe, please give it 5- stars below.

    RECIPE

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    5 from 8 votes

    Sweet Ricotta Pie

    This Italian Ricotta Cheese Pie is creamy and irresistible. This traditional Italian dessert is perfect for Easter or any time you crave a sweet treat with a delicious hint of orange and chocolate. Sweet Ricotta Pie is a family favorite recipe.
    Prep Time10 minutes mins
    Cook Time50 minutes mins
    Total Time1 hour hr
    Course: Dessert
    Cuisine: pie
    Servings: 8
    Calories: 173kcal
    Author: Jersey Girl Cooks (Lisa Grant)

    Ingredients

    • one 9 inch refrigerated unbaked pie crust at room temperature
    • 3 large eggs beaten
    • 16 ounces ricotta cheese
    • ½ cup sugar
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla
    • the zest from one orange
    • 1 teaspoon cinnamon divided use
    • ¼ cup mini chocolate chips (optional)

    Instructions

    • Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
    • Place pie crust in a nine inch pie plate.
    • Beat together eggs, ricotta cheese, sugar, vanilla, orange zest and ½ teaspoon cinnamon until creamy. Mix in chocolate chips if desired.
    • Spoon ricotta filling into the pie shell. Sprinkle the top with the remaining ½ teaspoon of cinnamon.
    • Bake pie for 45 to 50 minutes or until toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
    • Cool for 30 minutes. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Make sure to cover with saran wrap so the pie doesn't dry out.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 173kcal | Carbohydrates: 15g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 90mg | Sodium: 71mg | Potassium: 84mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 13g | Vitamin A: 342IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 129mg | Iron: 1mg

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Robin (Masshole Mommy)

      April 01, 2013 at 6:32 am

      5 stars
      Oh man, Ricotta Pie. I haven't had that in YEARS. My mammy (my grandmother) used to make that back in the day, but I'm pretty sure she took her secret recipe to her grave. I remember how much I loved it 🙂

      Reply
      • Lisa M Goodinson

        April 18, 2025 at 4:08 pm

        5 stars
        Robin, You're comment was posted 12 years ago but that "Masshole Mommy" made me lol. Originally from Rhode Island, I know what a Masshole is. I am making this Ricotta Pie (Rice Pie all done) Easter is Sunday, Blessings to Y'all

        Reply
    2. Mary@One Perfect Bite

      April 01, 2013 at 7:45 am

      What a perfect way to end your Easter meal. This really sounds delicious. I hope your week is off to a great start. Blessings...Mary

      Reply
    3. Danielle @ Growing Foodie

      April 01, 2013 at 9:56 am

      My mom makes this pie a lot for Easter but alas not this year and now I am stuck looking at yours and dreaming of how good it is 🙂 Hope you had a great Easter!!

      Reply
    4. Kate

      April 01, 2013 at 12:45 pm

      I've never had Ricotta pie, but I have had sweet ricotta filling before, so I can only imagine how delicious this would be.

      Reply
    5. Karen Harris

      April 01, 2013 at 8:30 pm

      I've never had ricotta pie but I can't wait to try it. This looks fantastic!

      Reply
    6. Kristin

      April 02, 2013 at 9:40 am

      I have never heard of this, but it looks and sounds really good! And it seems pretty easy to make, especially with the prepared pie crust (always a go-to for me!)

      Reply
    7. Ramona

      April 02, 2013 at 2:05 pm

      Looking at it, it reminds me of an egg custard.

      Reply
    8. Aggie

      April 12, 2013 at 11:14 am

      This looks delicious!! My mom always made ricotta cheescake for us when I was little, I did not appreciate it as much as I do now!!

      Reply
    9. Maike

      March 31, 2021 at 2:31 pm

      5 stars
      I've only had Ricotta Pie at a northern Italian Restaurant. Not sure if it was the same, but I'm sure I'll make this recipe over Easter. It looks so yummy.

      Reply
    10. Sara Welch

      March 31, 2021 at 3:01 pm

      5 stars
      Definitely adding this to my Easter brunch menu! Looks too good to pass up and will be a delightful addition to my table, indeed!

      Reply
    11. Shalini

      March 31, 2021 at 3:12 pm

      5 stars
      This is perfect and in time for Easter! Haven't had ricotta pie in ages!

      Reply
    12. Cathleen

      March 31, 2021 at 3:12 pm

      5 stars
      I don't make nearly enough pies. This one looks right up my alley. Thanks so much for sharing it! Bookmarked for later 🙂

      Reply
    13. Emily Liao

      March 31, 2021 at 3:22 pm

      5 stars
      Loved this ricotta pie! Perfect texture and the flavors were delightful.

      Reply
    14. Barbara Florentz

      April 11, 2022 at 8:40 pm

      5 stars
      This was a tradition my mom made every year. She also made the meat pie but I will be trying this one in her memory!

      Reply
      • lisa

        April 13, 2022 at 5:08 pm

        How nice! Hope you have a wonderful holiday Barbara!

        Reply

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