A simple twist on classic cannoli, these cannoli cookies are buttery, airy, and thick, and packed with ricotta silky goodness and chocolate chips.
To turn traditional cannoli into cookies, my best advice is to gently fold the filling ingredients without overmixing them. You will get a silky soft and chewy cookie.
Gina’s Recipe Rundown:
Texture: Soft cakey cookie centers with chewy edges and added crunchiness (nuts) and gooey goodness (chocolate).
Taste: It is a mix between classic chocolate chip cookies and cannoli filling. It is light, creamy, buttery, and sweet with a note of cinnamon.
Ease: Much easier than traditional cannoli, you don’t need chilling, a stand mixer, or making the filling separately, plus, the prep time is minimal.
Why I love it: They may not taste exactly like cannoli, but I love how unique they are. I will definitely make them again for Christmas gift exchanges.
This is not your typical cookie recipe, I guarantee! It may seem like a chocolate chip cookie but it has a completely new flavor profile with ricotta cheese and pistachios that just sets this sweet cookie apart. And you don’t have to be Italian to love them – the flavors will speak for themselves.
What Are Traditional Cannoli?
Classic Italian (Sicilian) cannoli is a tube-shaped stuffed pastry, with a cannoli shell and cannoli cream inside. he tube itself is rather crispy.
The traditional filling is made with dried fruit, rum, and ricotta cheese, and each end of the tube is decorated with chopped or crushed pistachios.
This recipe combines all the elements in a cookie form.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Large batch making two dozens of cookies
- Indulgence in creamy, tender, sweet cookies with a little tang and chocolate flavor.
- A simple dessert that can surprise people – not many expect to try a cannoli like that!
- Perfect for dunking in a cuppa, gifting, or snacking.
Ingredients Notes
Exact measurements and step-by-step directions are in the recipe card at the end of the post.
- Flour mixture: all-purpose flour, baking powder, salt, and ground cinnamon. You can add baking soda if you like crispy edges and nutmeg if you love spices.
- Unsalted butter. Butter creamed with sugar will make the base for airy thick cookies that are a bit crinkly and soft to bite in.
- Granulated sugar is my go-to in cookies as it gives the chew, the bite, and the crisp. You can mix white and brown sugar too, but I wouldn’t skip white sugar.
- The egg adds structure and binds all the ingredients together.
- Vanilla extract adds a little light flavor nuance that is almost unnoticeable.
For Cannoli filling
- Ricotta cheese – whole milk ricotta is best, part-skim works, but whole milk has the richest and deepest flavor. It is the classic ingredient of a traditional cannoli and it is what gives it the signature texture and flavor.
- Mini chocolate chips of sweetness you prefer.
- Chopped pistachios (optional). You can also add almonds but pistachios are the classic option.
- Confectioner’s sugar, for dusting
Kitchen Equipment
- Cookie sheet lined with parchment paper or silicone mats
- Large bowl to fit all the ingredients
- Mixing bowl (medium) – or the bowl of a stand mixer
- Electric mixer
- Piping bag if you want to add frosting to the top of each cookie
- Ziploc bag or plastic bag for storage
How To Make Chocolate Chip Cannoli Cookies
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175°C).
Prepare several baking sheets with parchment. Set aside.
1: Mix Dry Ingredients
In a medium bowl whisk together flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. Set aside.
2: Beat The Butter
Combine the softened butter and granulated sugar in a separate bowl. Beat well until light and fluffy.
3: Mix Wet Ingredients
Mix in the egg and vanilla until fully combined.
4: Combine Dry & Wet Ingredients
- Slowly add the dry ingredients – working a little at a time until just combined.
- Fold in the ricotta cheese, chocolate chips, and pistachios (if using).
5: Shape And Bake
- Use a small cookie scoop or portion out tablespoon-sized scoops of cannoli cookie dough onto the prepared baking sheets. Space 2” apart to account for spread.
- Bake for 10-12 minutes or until the edges are lightly golden brown. Because there is ricotta in the dough, the cookies don’t change color too much so don’t leave them for long waiting for a perfect brown color.
- Let the cannoli cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire cooling rack to cool completely.
- Dust the tops of the cookies with confectioner’s sugar prior to serving.
Storage
Keep leftover cannoli cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for 3 days or in the fridge for 1 week.
You can freeze cannoli cookies for 3 months in a freezer-safe bag, tightly wrapped individually.
Unbaked cookie dough can be refrigerated for 2 days. Great to make ahead.
Substitutions & Variations
- More variations on classic cannoli: cannoli thumbprint cookies (cannoli filling will be in the center dent that you can make with a regular wooden spoon), cookie cups with cannoli cream, cannoli cookies, and cannoli dip made of filling ingredients to dip cookies. And even cannoli sandwich cookies with the filling in between.
- Filling add-ons. Orange zest or lemon zest add aroma and light citrusy freshness and can be used alongside or instead of vanilla, while cream cheese (strained even better!) makes even better creamy filling. Marsala wine adds lots of depth to the filling and will make boozed-up cookies for adults. Maraschino cherries or dried fruit can be also a fun addition.
- If you add brown sugar to white sugar, brown sugar will introduce caramel notes and more chewiness.
- Toppings: melted chocolate drizzle, simple white sugar glaze, powdered sugar dusting, or additional mini chocolate chips.
- Try this cannoli cookie recipe with alternatives such as almond extract, citrus zest, a bit of chocolate, or tree nuts.
Expert Tips To Make The Best Recipe For Cannoli Cookies
- Chilling is optional but helps solidify the mixture. You can cover the batter with plastic wrap and chill for 2-3 hours.
- For the best results strain the ricotta using a cheese cloth. It will remove all the excess liquid and only leave the creamy goodness and cookies will be able to hold the shape.
- You can bake the tubes for authentic cannoli at home too. It is a bit tedious but double. Simply make the batter (dry ingredients like flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt, plus wet ingredients like milk, eggs, vanilla extract) and bake it in thin layers on a silicone mat. Prep the filling, roll the shells, fill them up, decorate with crushed pistachios, and done!
If you love this easy cookie recipe, you’re going to love these other cookies too. Please click each link below to find the easy, printable recipe!
More Great Cannoli-Inspired Recipes
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Cannoli Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- ¼ tsp salt
- ½ cup butter softened – unsalted
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ½ cup ricotta cheese drained
- ¼ cup mini chocolate chips
- ¼ cup pistachios chopped – optional
confectioner’s sugar, for dusting
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Prepare several baking sheets with parchment. Set aside.
- Whisk the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt together in a medium bowl. Set aside.
- Combine the butter and granulated sugar in a mixing bowl. Beat well until light and fluffy.
- Mix in the egg and vanilla until fully combined.
- Slowly add the dry ingredients – working a little at a time until just combined.
- Fold in the ricotta cheese, chocolate chips, and pistachios (if using).
- Use a small cookie scoop or portion out tablespoon-sized scoops of cookie dough onto the prepared baking sheets. Space 2” apart to account for spread.
- Bake for 10-12 minutes or until the edges are golden brown.
- Cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool to room temperature.
- Dust the tops of the cookies with confectioner’s sugar prior to serving.
Nutrition
Nutritional information for the recipe is provided as a courtesy and is approximate. Please double-check with your own dietary calculator for the best accuracy. We at Yummi Haus cannot guarantee the accuracy of the nutritional information given for any recipe on this site.
Created by Gina Kleinworth
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