Cannoli Cookies Recipe tastes like a bakery cannoli turned into a soft, tender cookie with bright orange zest, mini chocolate chips, and pistachio crunch. It suits cookie lovers who want Italian pastry flavor without frying, and it takes about 40 minutes total. I baked a batch for a neighbor and only got paid in compliments, which felt like fair trade.
Why Cannoli Cookies Recipe Is Worth It
Cannoli Cookies Recipe keeps the spirit of the classic pastry but skips the shells and deep-frying. You get creamy ricotta richness, citrus aroma, and chocolate in every bite. The texture leans tender inside with lightly crisp edges, which makes seconds feel inevitable.
The dough comes together fast with pantry basics. You can swap flavors with extracts or citrus, so the recipe fits holidays, bake sales, or Tuesday cravings. Kids can help scoop, and you can finish with a quick glaze that sets shiny.
Ingredients You Need
- All-purpose flour: 2 cups (spooned and leveled; use a 1:1 gluten-free baking blend if needed)
- Baking powder: 1.5 teaspoons
- Kosher salt: 1/2 teaspoon
- Ground cinnamon: 1/4 teaspoon, optional
- Unsalted butter: 1/2 cup, softened to room temp
- Granulated sugar: 3/4 cup
- Whole milk ricotta: 3/4 cup, well drained (Galbani or BelGioioso hold less moisture; blot with paper towels)
- Large egg: 1
- Vanilla extract: 2 teaspoons (swap half for almond extract for a bakery-style twist)
- Orange zest: 1 teaspoon, finely grated (use a microplane; lemon zest works too)
- Mini chocolate chips: 3/4 cup (Ghirardelli or Guittard melt smoothly; use regular chips if that is what you have)
- Finely chopped pistachios: 1/2 cup, unsalted and shelled (toast lightly for extra flavor; sub chopped almonds if pistachios run pricey)
Glaze and finishing:
- Powdered sugar: 1 cup
- Milk: 2 to 3 tablespoons, as needed
- Vanilla extract: 1/2 teaspoon
- Orange juice or extra zest: 1 teaspoon
- Extra mini chips and chopped pistachios for topping, optional
- Candied orange peel, optional, finely chopped
Equipment:
- Mixing bowls
- Hand mixer or stand mixer
- Microplane zester
- Rubber spatula
- Parchment paper or silicone mats
- Two sheet pans
- 1.5 tablespoon cookie scoop
- Wire rack
Quick Tips & substitutions
- Drain ricotta well so the dough stays scoopable and the cookies bake tender, not cakey.
- Chill the dough for 15 to 20 minutes if it feels sticky or warm.
- Use a cookie scoop for even portions so every cookie bakes at the same rate.
- Fold, do not beat, after you add flour to prevent tough cookies.
- Pull cookies when edges look set and tops look matte; aim for pale, not browned.
- Let cookies cool before glazing, or the glaze will slide off.
- Swap pistachios with mini chips if you need a nut-free batch.
- Almond extract pairs well with orange; start with 1/4 teaspoon since it runs strong.
- Use a 1:1 gluten-free all-purpose blend if you need a wheat-free option.
How to Make Cannoli Cookies
- Prep: 20 minutes
- Cook: 12 minutes per batch
- Total: about 40 minutes
- Yield: about 22 to 24 cookies
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line two sheet pans with parchment. Blot ricotta with paper towels to remove excess moisture.
- Whisk flour, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon in a bowl. Set it aside.
- Beat butter and sugar with a mixer on medium speed for 2 minutes until creamy and fluffy. Scrape the bowl.
- Add ricotta, egg, vanilla, and orange zest. Mix on low until smooth.
- Add dry ingredients to the bowl. Mix on low just until no flour streaks remain.
- Fold in mini chocolate chips and pistachios with a spatula. If the dough feels soft, chill it for 15 to 20 minutes.
- Scoop mounds of dough about 1.5 tablespoons each onto the pans, spacing 2 inches apart.
- Bake one pan at a time for 11 to 13 minutes, until edges look set and tops lose their shine. Rotate the pan once for even color.
- Let cookies cool on the pan for 5 minutes, then move them to a wire rack.
- Whisk powdered sugar, milk, vanilla, and orange juice or zest until smooth and slightly thick. Drizzle or spoon glaze over cooled cookies, then sprinkle extra mini chips and pistachios. Let the glaze set for 20 minutes.
Simple Variations
- Chocolate-dipped: Dip cooled cookie bottoms in melted dark chocolate and press into crushed pistachios.
- Espresso glaze: Whisk espresso or strong coffee into the glaze instead of milk.
- Cherry chip: Fold in chopped maraschino cherries and mini chips, then skip the nuts.
- Lemon ricotta: Use lemon zest and a lemon glaze, and swap pistachios for chopped almonds.
- Cannoli sprinkle: Add a pinch of ground cardamom to the dough for a bakery surprise.
Ways to Serve Cannoli Cookies Recipe
- Stack on a platter with espresso or cappuccino.
- Add to a holiday cookie box with biscotti and pizzelle.
- Crumble over vanilla gelato.
- Tuck a scoop of cannoli cream between two cookies for an ice cream sandwich vibe.
- Plate with sliced oranges for a bright dessert board.
Storage
Store glazed cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. Layer parchment between cookies so the glaze stays neat. Refrigerate for up to 5 days if your kitchen runs warm, and let them sit at room temp before serving. Freeze unglazed cookies for up to 2 months, then thaw and glaze so they look bakery fresh.
Cannoli Cookies Recipe
Cannoli Cookies are a delightful treat inspired by the classic Italian cannoli dessert, featuring a crispy shell and a sweet, creamy filling.
Ingredients
Instructions
- In a mixing bowl, combine flour, sugar, and salt.
- Cut in the butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
- Add egg and wine, mixing until a dough forms.
- Wrap dough in plastic and refrigerate for 1 hour.
- Roll out dough thinly on a floured surface and cut into 4-inch circles.
- Wrap each circle around a cannoli form and seal edges with a little water.
- Heat oil to 350°F (175°C) and fry shells until golden brown, about 2-3 minutes.
- Remove shells from oil, drain on paper towels, then carefully remove forms once cooled.
- In a bowl, combine ricotta cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract until smooth.
- Fold in mini chocolate chips.
- Fill a pastry bag or a zip bag with the ricotta mixture.
- Pipe the filling into the cooled cannoli shells.
- Optional: dust with powdered sugar before serving.
Notes
Make sure to refrigerate the dough for easier handling. Fill the shells just before serving to keep them crisp. Use fresh ricotta for best taste.