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    Cannoli Cookies with Ricotta Cream Filling

    April 23, 2023 by Megan 9 Comments

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    Looking to add a tasty twist to your holiday cookie trays this year? Look no further than the Cannoli Cookies! These Italian classics with a fun cookie form are a great addition to any festive gathering.

    These cannoli cookies are the perfect combination between a traditional Italian cannoli and a gooey chocolate chip cookie. These mouthwatering flavors will bring you straight to Italy!

    However unlike the classic Italian pastry, these cannoli cookies are super easy to make!

    Being Italian, I feel that cannoli cream basically runs through my veins. I love making Italian desserts but sometimes they can be so time consuming! So I decided why not do a fresh take on the traditional cannoli recipe?

    Up until now my go to cookie recipe was either my strawberry cheesecake cookie or earl grey shortbread cookie but these cannoli cookies are slowly becoming one of my favorites!

    Table of Contents

    • Why These Are the Best Cannoli Cookies
    • Key Ingredients and Substitutions
    • Step by Step Instructions
    • Expert tips
    • FAQ
      • What other mix ins can you use?
      • Do I have to strain the ricotta cheese?
      • What if I don't have a cheese cloth?
    • Freezing and Storing

    Why These Are the Best Cannoli Cookies

    • Ease of preparation. These cookies use simple ingredients which might already be in your pantry and refrigerator. The cookie dough can be made ahead of time and baked fresh!
    • The cannoli cream filling keeps the cookie moist and tender.
    • This recipe has been tried and tested multiple times to ensure consistent results. You can trust that your cookies will turn out perfectly every time you make them, without any surprises or disappointments.

    Key Ingredients and Substitutions

    • Brown and white sugar: a good balance between brown sugar and white sugar is necessary in order to create the perfect cookie. Brown sugar crisps up when exposed to heat which helps to create the crunchy golden brown edges on these cookies.
    • Salted butter: I'm a salted butter girl and I will say it loud and proud! The extra salt in salted butter helps mellow out the sweetness in most desserts. For example in this Italian cookie, we have a sweet cookie dough base with a sweet cannoli filling, topped with powdered sugar! That's a lot of sweetness! I promise that the salted butter will help bring together all of these amazing flavors.
    • Ricotta: I love the traditional Italian cannoli cream in these cookies. It provides such a delicious tang. I use whole milk ricotta, which needs to be strained, but if you don't have a cheese cloth you could use a hand towel or something similar instead.
    • Mini chocolate chips: I like to use the mini chocolate chips in this recipe because thats what is used traditionally for cannolis but you can use any size chocolate chips.

    Step by Step Instructions

    Step one: Start by straining your ricotta. Place half your ricotta in your cheese cloth. Twist and gently squeeze out as much liquid as possible. Repeat with the second half of your ricotta. Once strained, discard the liquid.

    Step two: Place your strained ricotta in a bowl and add your powdered sugar, cinnamon, and semisweet chocolate chips. Mix until combined. Set aside.

    Step three: In a large bowl or stand mixer, add room temperature butter and beat until soft and airy. Then add your sugar and brown sugar and beat until combined. Add your eggs and vanilla and beat until pale in color. Add your flour, baking soda, and salt. Mix on low speed until evenly combined. Add your mini chocolate chips to your dough and mix until combined.

    pouring vanilla extract into cookie dough mixture
    Combine your butter, sugar, egg, and vanilla
    adding dry ingredients to wet ingredients
    Add your dry ingredients
    adding chocolate chips to the dough
    Add you mini chocolate chips
    mixing ingredients together
    Mix together
    creating cannoli cream in separate bowl
    Combine your cannoli cream ingredients in a separate bowl
    rolling out cookie dough
    Roll out your cookies
    creating space to place cannoli cream
    Press down the centers of your cookies
    filling cookies with cannoli cream
    Fill with cannoli cream

    Step four: Line your baking sheet with parchment paper. Roll your cookies into balls and lightly press them down with your fingers. You should get about 14 large cookies.

    Step five: Using the back of a teaspoon, press down the centers of your cookies to create a well for your cream. Then place about 1 tablespoon of your cannoli cream mixture into the center wells of each cookie.

    Step six: Chill your cookies in the fridge for 30 minutes.

    Step seven: Bake your cookies at 350 degrees for 14 minutes. Take out and let completely cool.

    Step eight: Dust with powdered sugar and enjoy! For a festive touch, drizzle melted chocolate on top of each cookie. The end result is a chewy, cake-like texture with a burst of cannoli flavors.

    Expert tips

    • Always chill your cookie dough before baking. Chilling the dough brings the temperature of your butter back down, which will make for thicker and chewier cookies. If you skip this step, your cookies will basically melt in your oven, and you will have super flat thin crisp cookies that run into each other.
    • No time to soften your butter? Don't fret, I have the perfect trick. Place your stick of butter in the microwave for 5 seconds. Then repeat for the remaining three sides of the stick, flipping your stick each time. Once done, your stick should be perfectly soft throughout!

    FAQ

    What other mix ins can you use?

    Don't just stop at mini chocolate chips! You can add chopped nuts such as chopped pistachios or even maraschino cherries!

    Do I have to strain the ricotta cheese?

    Yes! If you don't remove the liquid you will have a soupy filling.

    What if I don't have a cheese cloth?

    Don't worry, you can use any type of towel like a hand towel. Just make sure it's clean!

    Freezing and Storing

    These cookies should be stored wrapped in plastic wrap, and placed in an airtight container for up to 3 days. You can freeze them like this for up to 3 months.

    So let's get baking and bring some Italian bakery magic to your holiday season! Share your crazy ideas or favorite variations with me by sending an email to my provided address or commenting below. Happy baking!

    Lastly, if you try out these cannoli cookies, be sure to leave a comment/rating on how it turned out. I love hearing from you guys and will try my best to reply to every comment! And don’t forget to tag me on Instagram!

    Cannoli Cookies with Ricotta Cream Filling

    Megan
    A modern cookie twist on the traditional Italian Cannoli. This recipe features a soft and chewy cookie with a delicious ricotta filling in the middle, topped with a sprinkle of powdered sugar.
    4.81 from 104 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 15 minutes mins
    Cook Time 14 minutes mins
    Chill Time 30 minutes mins
    Total Time 59 minutes mins
    Course Dessert
    Cuisine American
    Servings 14 cookies
    Calories 300 kcal

    Equipment

    • cheese cloth
    • Baking sheet
    • Stand mixer

    Ingredients
      

    Cookies

    • ¾ cup salted butter (softened) Can substitute with regular butter if desired
    • ¼ cup sugar
    • 1 cup brown sugar
    • 2 eggs
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla
    • 2 ¼ cups flour
    • 1 teaspoon baking soda
    • ½ teaspoon salt
    • 1 cup mini chocolate chips Can use regular chocolate chips if desired

    Ricotta Cream Filling

    • 1 cup whole milk ricotta (strained) Make sure to thoroughly strain your ricotta. Any excess liquid can lead to a soggy filling.
    • 1 cup powdered sugar
    • ¼ cup mini chocolate chips
    • ⅛ tsp cinnamon

    Instructions
     

    • Start by straining your ricotta. Place half your ricotta in your cheese cloth. Twist and gently squeeze out as much liquid as possible. Repeat with the second half of your ricotta. Once strained, discard the liquid.
    • Place your strained ricotta in a bowl and add your powdered sugar, cinnamon, and chocolate chips. Mix until combined. Set aside.
    • In a large bowl or stand mixer, add your softened butter and beat until soft and airy. Then add your sugar and brown sugar and beat until combined.
    • Add your eggs and vanilla and beat until pale in color.
    • Add your flour, baking soda, and salt. Mix on low until evenly combined.
    • Add your mini chocolate chips to your dough and mix until combined.
    • Line your cookie sheet with parchment paper.
    • Roll your cookies into balls and lightly press them down with your fingers. You should get about 14 large cookies.
    • Using the back of a teaspoon, press down the centers of your cookies to create a well for your cream. Then place about 1 tablespoon of your cannoli cream mixture into the center wells of each cookie.
    • Chill your cookies in the fridge for 30 minutes.
    • Bake your cookies at 350 degrees for 14 minutes.
    • Take out and let completely cool.
    • Dust with powdered sugar and enjoy!

    Notes

    NOTE: A stand mixer is not at all required but just makes mixing so much easier!
    Storage Instructions: The cookies are best enjoyed fresh, but you can store them in an airtight container for 3-4 days in the fridge. You can also freeze them in a ziploc bag and let thaw in the fridge when you're ready to eat them.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1CookieCalories: 300kcal
    Keyword cannoli cookie
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Audrey Zimmerman

      June 07, 2023 at 4:31 pm

      I got 17 cookies out of this batter. I weighed each one on a kitchen scale at the weight of 2 ounces each.
      You'll have to refrigerate the dough before you can roll in into balls.
      Cookies were absolutely delicious! Yum! Yum!

      Reply
      • Megan

        June 07, 2023 at 11:01 pm

        Yay I'm so glad you liked them! Absolutely, refrigerating the dough is key!

        Reply
        • Paige B

          August 07, 2023 at 5:18 pm

          Could the ricotta be substituted with marscapone?

          Reply
          • Megan

            August 08, 2023 at 6:12 pm

            To be honest I have not tried it but I'm not sure why it wouldn't work? If you try it I would love to know the results!

            Reply
    2. Tori

      September 18, 2023 at 2:11 am

      Can this be made gluten free?

      Reply
    3. Vickie Newton

      April 24, 2024 at 6:53 pm

      Love the looks of this cookie and can't wait to try it. I am not sure of one thing... do you just put a dollop of the ricotta filling in the center of each cookie or do you spread it out before baking? Thank you so much!!

      Reply
    4. Jamie

      May 16, 2024 at 5:31 pm

      Omg 😳 I can’t wait to try this recipe! My husband craves the real Cannolis!! I bet he would love these!!! I have some Ghirardelli dark chocolate minis left over from another recipe. I wonder if the dark would taste ok. Either way I’ll keep ya posted. Thanks for sharing!!!

      Reply
    5. Jamie

      May 18, 2024 at 3:38 am

      5 stars
      These turned out so good!! I added a little more cinnamon just bc I love cinnamon. My ricotta mix was not as white or fluffy as yours. Maybe I did not drain enough. But cookies turned out great. I wonder if browned butter would be good too. I’ll have to try and let you know.
      Thank you for sharing!!!

      Reply
    6. K

      November 20, 2024 at 8:52 pm

      5 stars
      Okay. Cannoli is my favorite food. I made these months ago but I think about them constantly. They were perfect. Like I actually dream about these. I need to make them again. Thank you for this recipe it actually changed my life I think.

      Reply

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    Hey, I'm Megan! My recipes are all inspired by the people and places I love. I try to live, bake and eat simply but beautifully. I hope to inspire others to bake, make and find their inner artist.

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