Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Stop everything. If you adore the creamy, citrus-kissed, chocolate-studded filling of a classic Sicilian cannoli, but don’t want the fuss of frying shells, you are about to meet your new favorite dessert: the Cannoli Cookie.
This isn’t just a cookie flavored like a cannoli; it’s a revelation. We take the ultra-soft, moist base of a classic Ricotta Cookie and load it with the unmistakable essence of cannoli cream—sweet ricotta, tiny chocolate chips, a hint of orange zest, and a decadent dusting of pistachios. The result is a tender, cake-like cookie with a vibrant, authentic Italian flavor that is guaranteed to steal the show at any holiday party, potluck, or Sunday gathering.
Welcome to the ultimate guide to making the perfect batch of Homemade Cannoli Cookies. We’ll unlock the secrets to achieving that soft, pillowy texture, the key to a stable and intensely flavorful Cannoli Cream Cookies filling, and all the tricks that make this seemingly gourmet dessert surprisingly easy to master. Get ready to bake a cookie that tastes like a little piece of Italy!
Why You’ll Love This Easy Cannoli Cookies Recipe
These aren’t just Italian Cannoli Cookies; they are an experience. Here’s why this specific Easy Cannoli Cookies Recipe will become a treasured staple in your baking repertoire:
- The Unbeatable Texture: Thanks to the ricotta cheese in the dough, these Cannoli Cookies are exceptionally soft, moist, and tender, staying fresh for days. Forget dry, crumbly cookies—these are almost cake-like!
- Authentic Cannoli Flavor: Every component of the classic cannoli is here: the creamy ricotta, the dark chocolate chips, the fragrant orange zest, and the rich, nutty crunch of pistachios. It’s an authentic flavor profile without the deep-fryer hassle.
- Visually Stunning: They are naturally gorgeous! With the creamy white filling, the bright green pistachios, and the dusting of powdered sugar, they are an instant centerpiece and a huge hit on social media platforms like Pinterest.
- Perfect for Any Occasion: While they shine during the holidays, these cookies are light enough for a summer picnic and sophisticated enough for an afternoon tea. They truly fit every season.
- Freezer-Friendly: The unbaked dough freezes beautifully, allowing you to have the start of fresh-baked Cannoli Cookies ready at a moment’s notice.
How to Make the Best Homemade Cannoli Cookies
This Cannoli Cookies recipe is divided into three key parts: the cookie base, the glorious cannoli cream filling, and the festive finish.
Part 1: The Soft Ricotta Cookie Base
The secret to the soft texture is the moisture and mild acidity of the ricotta cheese.
Ingredients for the Cookie:
- Flour: 221 cups All-Purpose Flour
- Leavening: 1 teaspoon Baking Powder, 1 teaspoon Baking Soda
- Fat: 1 cup (2 sticks) Unsalted Butter, softened
- Sweetener: 141 cups Granulated Sugar
- Dairy: 15 ounces Whole Milk Ricotta Cheese (Drained, see Tip 1 below)
- Eggs: 2 large Eggs
- Flavoring: 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract, 1 teaspoon Orange Zest (freshly grated)
- Mix-ins: 21 cup Mini Chocolate Chips
Step-by-Step for the Cookie:
- Prep & Combine Dry Ingredients: Preheat your oven to 350∘F (175∘C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and baking soda.
- Cream Butter and Sugar: In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the softened butter and granulated sugar together on medium speed until light and fluffy (about 3−4 minutes).
- Add Wet Ingredients: Beat in the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Next, beat in the drained ricotta cheese, vanilla extract, and orange zest until just combined.
- Combine Wet and Dry: Gradually add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients, mixing on low speed until just combined. Do not overmix! Overmixing activates the gluten, resulting in a tougher cookie.
- Fold in Chocolate: Gently fold in the mini chocolate chips with a rubber spatula.
- Scoop and Bake: Drop the dough onto the prepared baking sheets using a small cookie scoop (about 1.5 tablespoons of dough per cookie). They won’t spread much, so you can place them about 2 inches apart.
- Bake: Bake for 10−12 minutes, or until the edges are very lightly golden and the centers are set. Let the cookies cool on the sheet for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Part 2: The Creamy Cannoli Filling
This is the decadent part! The secret to a perfect, pipeable filling is using high-quality ricotta and letting the flavors meld.
Ingredients for the Filling (Cannoli Cream):
- Dairy: 1 cup Whole Milk Ricotta Cheese (Drained very well—see Tip 1)
- Sweetener: 1 cup Powdered Sugar (Confectioners’ Sugar)
- Fat: 4 ounces Cream Cheese, softened (This stabilizes the filling)
- Flavoring: 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract, 41 teaspoon Cinnamon
- Mix-ins: 41 cup Mini Chocolate Chips
Step-by-Step for the Filling:
- Beat Cream Cheese and Ricotta: In a medium bowl, beat the softened cream cheese until smooth. Add the well-drained ricotta and beat until combined.
- Mix in Sweetener and Flavoring: Gradually beat in the powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and cinnamon until the mixture is light, fluffy, and completely smooth.
- Chill: Gently stir in the 41 cup of mini chocolate chips. Transfer the Cannoli Cream to a piping bag (or a large Ziploc bag with the corner snipped) and chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes. Chilling is vital for a stable, pipeable filling.
Part 3: Assembly and Finishing Touches
Finishing Ingredients:
- Nuts: 21 cup chopped Pistachios or other chopped nuts
- Optional: Powdered Sugar for dusting
Assembly:
- The Base: Take two cooled cookies. Flip one cookie flat-side up.
- The Filling: Pipe a generous dollop of the chilled Cannoli Cream onto the flat side of the cookie.
- The Sandwich: Place the second cookie on top to create a sandwich.
- The Garnish: Roll the sides of the sandwich cookie lightly into a shallow bowl of chopped pistachios.
- Serve: Dust the finished Cannoli Cookies with a light sprinkle of powdered sugar just before serving for that signature bakery look.
Tips for Success: Achieving the Perfect Cannoli Cookies
1. The Crucial Step: Drain the Ricotta! This is the single most important tip for both the cookie and the cream. Ricotta cheese is very high in moisture. If you don’t drain it, your cookie dough will be sticky, and your cream filling will be runny.
- How to Drain: Place the ricotta in a fine-mesh sieve lined with cheesecloth or a coffee filter. Let it drain over a bowl in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours, or ideally, overnight. Press down gently to help release the liquid (whey). This ensures you get that rich, moist-but-firm texture in your cookies.
2. Chill the Dough (Optional but Recommended): If your dough feels too sticky to scoop easily after mixing, chilling it for 30 minutes will firm up the butter and make scooping much cleaner and more consistent.
3. Use Mini Chocolate Chips: Regular-sized chocolate chips are too large for this delicate dough. Mini chocolate chips blend better into both the cookie and the cream, ensuring you get that signature chocolate flavor in every bite without altering the texture.
4. Flavor Enhancers: Don’t skip the orange zest! While vanilla and cinnamon are important, the subtle, bright note of fresh orange zest is what truly makes the cream taste like authentic cannoli filling.
While this is a dessert, it can be part of a larger, effortless meal strategy. When planning a big holiday gathering, you want the main dish to be as easy as possible so you have time to make these incredible cookies.
Planning a special Dinner to serve before these decadent cookies? Don’t stress over a complicated main course! The most efficient way to free up your oven space and your time is to use a slow cooker. You can get your tender, savory main course cooking while you prep your dessert dough with our incredibly popular, hands-off recipe for Crock Pot Bucket SteaK. This allows you to focus all your attention on piping that gorgeous Cannoli Cream!
The Best Cannoli Cookies Variations
Once you’ve mastered the Homemade Cannoli Cookies base, the possibilities for customization are endless.
- The Chocolate-Lovers Cannoli Cookie: Replace a 41 cup of the flour with unsweetened cocoa powder for a deep, chocolate cookie base. You can also dip the finished, filled cookies halfway into melted dark chocolate.
- Pistachio Perfection: Swap out the chocolate chips in the filling for finely ground pistachios. This gives the cookie a more intense, nutty flavor and a beautiful green hue.
- Seasonal Citrus: While orange is classic, you can replace the orange zest with lemon zest for a brighter, more tangy cookie, which is fantastic for spring and summer gatherings.
- Dipped Cannoli Cookies: Instead of making a sandwich, you can leave the cookies unfrosted and simply dip the top half into a quick glaze made from powdered sugar, milk, and a tiny bit of almond extract.
For those curious about the magic that happens when you bake with cheese, Serious Eats offers a fantastic, high-authority breakdown of the chemistry behind ricotta and how its fat and protein content keeps baked goods remarkably moist. This link lends academic weight to your recipe claims.
Serving Suggestions and Presentation Ideas
These Cannoli Cookies are already showstoppers, but a few final touches can take them to truly professional levels.
- The Powdered Sugar Dust: Do not skip this! A light, snowy dusting of powdered sugar right before serving is non-negotiable for the classic cannoli look. Use a fine-mesh sieve for the best, most even coverage.
- Pairing with Coffee: These cookies are the perfect match for a bitter beverage that cuts through the creamy sweetness. Serve them with a strong espresso, a cappuccino, or a robust dark roast coffee.
- Alternative Garnishes: Instead of only rolling the edges in pistachios, you can also roll them in finely chopped candied cherries, mini M&Ms, or even toasted sesame seeds (a traditional Sicilian touch).
- Storage and Make-Ahead: You can bake the cookies and prepare the cream up to 3 days in advance, storing them separately in the refrigerator. Only assemble the cookies right before serving. The moisture from the Cannoli Cream will eventually soften the cookie base.
FAQs About Cannoli Cookies
Why do my cookies look flat and spread out?
This is almost always due to undrained ricotta cheese. The excess liquid thins the dough too much. Ensure you drain your ricotta overnight in the fridge. Also, make sure your butter is softened but not melted—if it’s too warm, the cookies will spread.
Can I use low-fat or skim ricotta?
We strongly advise against it, especially for the Cannoli Cream. The whole milk ricotta is essential for both the cookie’s moisture and the cream’s stable, rich flavor and texture. Low-fat ricotta contains more water, which will ruin the consistency.
How far in advance can I assemble the cookies?
Ideally, you should assemble the Cannoli Cookies no more than 2−3 hours before serving. This keeps the cookie base at its optimal soft-but-firm texture. If you need to make them ahead, store the unfilled cookies and the cream separately in airtight containers in the refrigerator.
Are these suitable for freezing?
The unfilled cookie base freezes beautifully for up to 2 months. Bake them, let them cool completely, then freeze them in a single layer. Thaw them at room temperature. The cannoli cream filling should not be frozen, as it will separate and become watery upon thawing.
Can I substitute the orange zest with something else?
Yes, you can substitute the orange zest with an equal amount of lemon zest or even omit the zest entirely and use 21 teaspoon of almond extract for a different flavor profile. However, the orange is key to the authentic “cannoli” taste.
Final Thoughts: The Italian Dessert, Simplified
The Cannoli Cookie is a perfect marriage of convenience and luxury. It captures the complex flavors and creamy satisfaction of the classic Italian pastry without the hassle of a deep fryer. Whether you call them Ricotta Cookies or Cannoli Cream Cookies, they are simply one of the most delicious, rewarding treats you can bake.
This recipe is simple, elegant, and perfectly balanced, ready to become your go-to whenever you need a dessert that genuinely wows.
Tag us when you share your beautiful Cannoli Cookies on Pinterest! We can’t wait to see your perfect piping skills!
Cannoli Cookies
Equipment
- mixing bowls
- whisk
- electric mixer
- parchment-lined baking sheets
- wire rack
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 cup whole milk ricotta cheese, drained
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp orange zest
- 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips
- 1/2 cup chopped pistachios
- 1/4 cup powdered sugar (for dusting)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg, ricotta, vanilla, and orange zest until smooth.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients into the wet mixture, mixing until just combined.
- Fold in the mini chocolate chips and pistachios.
- Drop dough by rounded tablespoons onto prepared baking sheets, spacing about 2 inches apart.
- Bake for 12–14 minutes, until edges are lightly golden. Allow cookies to cool on a wire rack.
- Dust cooled cookies with powdered sugar before serving.