These Cannoli Cookies take all the beloved flavors of the classic Italian pastry and transform them into a soft, cake-like treat. Infused with creamy ricotta, bright orange zest, and warm cinnamon, they offer the authentic taste of a cannoli without the need for frying shells or piping filling.
Loaded with crunchy pistachios and mini chocolate chips, then finished with a decadent chocolate drizzle, these cookies are a beautiful and delicious addition to any dessert table.
Recipe Details
- Flavor Profile: A delightful blend of sweet citrus from the fresh orange zest, warmth from the cinnamon, and richness from the buttery dough and chocolate.
- Texture: Thanks to the ricotta cheese, these cookies have a wonderfully soft, pillow-like interior with slightly golden edges and a satisfying crunch from the pistachios.
- Time: 15 minutes prep, 1 hour chilling time, 11 minutes bake time.
- Difficulty: Easy. It uses a standard creaming method, though patience is required for the dough to chill.
What You’ll Need
To make this recipe, you will need a large mixing bowl and an electric mixer to cream the wet ingredients thoroughly. You will also need baking sheets lined with parchment paper and a small microwave-safe bowl to melt the chocolate for the final drizzle. The ingredients combine standard baking staples with specific cannoli-inspired elements like ricotta, orange zest, and pistachios.
Ingredient Notes
- Ricotta Cheese – This is the secret ingredient. It keeps the cookies incredibly moist and soft. Use whole milk ricotta for the best richness.
- Orange Zest – Fresh orange zest provides that signature brightness found in traditional cannoli filling. Do not skip this!
- Mini Chocolate Chips – You will need 10 ounces total, divided between the dough and the topping. Mini chips distribute better than regular chips, ensuring chocolate in every bite.
- Pistachios – Chopped pistachios add a classic nutty flavor and a lovely pop of green color.
- Butter – Unsalted butter, softened, allows you to control the salt content and creams perfectly with the sugar.
- Cinnamon – A subtle amount of ground cinnamon adds warmth and authentic spice.
Add-ins and Substitutions
- Nut Variations – If you aren’t a fan of pistachios, chopped walnuts or pecans are traditional alternatives often found in Italian baking.
- Chocolate – If you can’t find mini chips, you can chop a semi-sweet chocolate bar into small chunks for a more rustic look.
- Extracts – For a slightly different flavor profile, you could add a drop of almond extract along with the vanilla.
How to Make Cannoli Cookies
- Cream Butter and Sugar: In a large mixing bowl, cream the softened butter and granulated sugar together with an electric mixer until the mixture is light and fluffy.
- Add Wet Ingredients: Mix in the eggs, then the ricotta cheese until well combined. Then, mix in the vanilla extract, ground cinnamon, and fresh orange zest.
- Add Dry Ingredients: Next, mix in the baking powder, baking soda, and salt until well combined. Add the flour and mix until just incorporated.
- Fold in Mix-ins: Stir in 1 cup of the mini chocolate chips and the chopped pistachios.
- Chill: Cover the bowl and refrigerate the dough for at least one hour. This step is crucial for the texture and handling of the dough.
- Prep Oven: Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper or lightly grease them.
- Scoop: Using a medium cookie scoop or spoon, drop about 1 1/2 tablespoons of cookie dough for each cookie onto the prepared baking sheets, leaving about 2 inches between each cookie.
- Bake: Bake cookies at 375 degrees F for about 8-11 minutes or until they are golden brown around the edges.
- Cool: Cool slightly on the baking sheet, then move to wire racks to cool completely.
- Drizzle: Microwave the remaining chocolate chips on high in a small microwave-safe bowl in 20-second intervals, stirring after each interval until melted and smooth. Spoon the melted chocolate into a small resealable bag, clip one corner slightly, then drizzle the melted chocolate over the cookies. Let cool for the chocolate to set.
Pro Tip: Don’t skip the chilling step! Ricotta dough is naturally sticky and soft. Refrigerating it for at least an hour solidifies the butter and hydrates the flour, ensuring the cookies don’t spread too thin in the oven.
Recipe Tips
- Measure Flour Correctly: Spoon your flour into the measuring cup and level it off. Scooping directly can pack the flour, leading to a denser, drier cookie.
- Zesting: When zesting the orange, make sure to only grate the bright orange outer layer. The white pith underneath is bitter.
- Drizzling: If you don’t have a piping bag or ziplock bag, you can simply dip a fork into the melted chocolate and wave it back and forth over the cookies for an artistic finish.
FAQs
- Do these cookies need to be refrigerated? Because of the ricotta cheese, it is generally safer to store these in an airtight container in the refrigerator if keeping them for more than a day or two. They taste delicious chilled!
- Can I use low-fat ricotta? You can, but full-fat ricotta provides a much better texture and richness. Low-fat versions can sometimes make the cookies a bit rubbery.
- Why are my cookies cakey? That is the intended texture! The ricotta cheese adds moisture that creates a soft, muffin-top-like consistency rather than a chewy or crispy cookie.
Serving Suggestions
- Coffee: These are the perfect companion for a hot espresso or cappuccino.
- Holiday Platter: The green pistachios and chocolate drizzle make them look festive for holiday cookie exchanges.
- Tea Time: Serve alongside a cup of Earl Grey tea to complement the citrus notes.
Make This Recipe in Advance
- Dough: You can make the dough and keep it in the refrigerator for up to 2 days before baking.
- Freezing: These cookies freeze beautifully. Place the baked and cooled cookies (once the chocolate has set) in a freezer-safe container separated by wax paper. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature or in the fridge.
Cannoli Cookies
- Total Time: 1 hour 26 minutes
- Yield: 24-30 Cookies 1x
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
These Cannoli Cookies take all the beloved flavors of the classic Italian pastry and transform them into a soft, cake-like treat. Infused with creamy ricotta, bright orange zest, and warm cinnamon, they offer the authentic taste of a cannoli without the need for frying shells or piping filling. Loaded with crunchy pistachios and mini chocolate chips, then finished with a decadent chocolate drizzle, these cookies are a beautiful and delicious addition to any dessert table.
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1/2 cup ricotta cheese (whole milk is best)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon fresh orange zest
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 10 ounces mini chocolate chips, divided (use approx. 1 cup for the dough, reserve the rest for drizzle)
- 1 cup chopped pistachios
Instructions
Cream Butter and Sugar
In a large mixing bowl, use an electric mixer to cream the softened butter and granulated sugar together until the mixture is light and fluffy.
Add Wet Ingredients
Mix in the eggs one at a time, followed by the ricotta cheese. Mix until well combined. Then, beat in the vanilla extract, ground cinnamon, and fresh orange zest.
Add Dry Ingredients
Add the baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Mix until combined. Add the all-purpose flour and mix just until incorporated do not overmix.
Fold in Mix-ins
Gently stir in 1 cup of the mini chocolate chips and the chopped pistachios.
Chill the Dough
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. This step is crucial for the texture and handling of the dough.
Prep
Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper or lightly grease them.
Scoop
Using a medium cookie scoop or spoon, drop about 1 1/2 tablespoons of dough onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 2 inches apart.
Bake
Bake for 8 to 11 minutes, or until the edges are golden brown. The centers may still look soft.
Cool
Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes to set, then transfer them to wire racks to cool completely.
Drizzle
Place the remaining chocolate chips in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on high in 20-second intervals, stirring in between, until melted and smooth. Transfer to a small zip-top bag, snip the corner, and drizzle over the cooled cookies. Allow the chocolate to set before serving.
Notes
The Chill Step: Do not skip chilling the dough! Ricotta dough is naturally sticky and soft. Refrigerating it solidifies the butter and hydrates the flour, ensuring the cookies bake up soft and pillowy rather than spreading into flat puddles.
Ricotta Type: Use full-fat (whole milk) ricotta for the richest flavor and texture. Low-fat versions can lead to a rubbery cookie.
Texture: These are intended to be soft and cake-like (similar to a muffin top) rather than chewy or crispy. This mimics the creamy filling of a traditional cannoli.
Storage: Because of the ricotta content, these cookies stay freshest when stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator (up to 3-4 days). They taste delicious chilled!
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 11 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian-American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 Cookie
- Calories: 190
- Sugar: 14g
- Sodium: 85mg
- Fat: 11g
- Saturated Fat: 6g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 22g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 3g
- Cholesterol: 35mg
Keywords: cannoli cookies, ricotta cookies, pistachio chocolate chip cookies, italian christmas cookies, orange zest dessert, soft batch cookies, holiday baking
