My dear friend is a fabulous baker. And from time to time I get to be her taste tester. (It’s a tough job, but someone has to do it.) Last month, while testing recipes for our annual cookie exchange, she brought me a plateful of Cannoli Cookies. Knowing that Cannolis are one of my favorite deserts (second only to cookies!), she had a feeling I would be a fan, and she was right.
Oh my yum!
Cannoli cookies, have you ever heard of such a thing? If you like Cannolis, you are going to love these cookies.
When I asked her about the recipe, these were her notes:
It looks like a lot and labor intensive but it really isn’t bad at all. It is a four-step process:
- Make the dough and flash freeze.
- Bake the cookies.
- Make the filling.
- Assemble the cookies.
Well, maybe 5 steps…
- EAT THE COOKIES!!!
Cannoli Cookies
Cannoli fans here is a new way to enjoy a delicious cannoli treat -- a cannoli cookie. This update to the classic Italian dessert is sure to be a new favorite.
Ingredients
For the Cookie:
- 1 cup butter softened
- 1/2 cup white sugar
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 1/4 cup flour
- 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp lemon juice
- 1/4 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 cup finely chopped pistachios
For the Cannoli Filling:
- 3/4 cup whole milk ricotta cheese
- 8 oz. mascarpone cheese
- 1/3 - 1/2 cup powdered sugar you decide on sweetness
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
For the Melted Chocolate Drizzle:
- 4 oz. semi-sweet chocolate
- 1 tsp shortening
Instructions
Cannoli Filling:
-
Mix ingredients together. Fill a ziplock bag with filling and snip off a corner. Chill until ready to use.
Cookie:
-
Beat butter at medium speed until creamy. Gradually add sugars, beating well until light and fluffy. Add egg, vanilla, and lemon juice and beat until well combined. Add flour, baking powder, and cinnamon to butter mixture and beat at medium speed until just combined. Fold in pistachios with a spatula.
-
Shape dough into 2 - 6 inch logs. Wrap with plastic wrap and freeze until firm, about 30 mins – 1 hour.
-
Slice frozen dough into 1/8 inch thick rounds. Place rounds on a parchment paper lined cookie sheet.
-
Bake at 350* for 10-12 minutes or until lightly browned at edges. Cool one minute on pan, then transfer to cooling rack to cool completely.
-
Assemble sandwiches with cannoli filling.
Chocolate Drizzle:
-
Melt chocolate and shortening together in microwave-safe bowl for 30 seconds at 50% power. Continue heating in 30 second intervals until chips and shortening are warm enough to stir smoothly. Chips will hold shape until stirred.
-
Fill ziplock bag with melted chocolate and snip a tiny corner off. Drizzle tops of cookies with melted chocolate. Cool in refrigerator until chocolate has hardened, about 15 mins.
I’ve never tried a cannoli but I’d like to give these cookies a try. They are so pretty and look so yummy!
Mmmm cannolis. I haven’t had one in FOREVER, and these cookies sound easy so I’m going to give them a try!
Makes great sense to me. Cannolis are messy to eat.
Oh now I have to make these with my kids! They look sooo yummy!
I’ve never tried cannolis before, crazy, I know, but I will definitely make these.
That sounds like such a great mashup of wonderful tastes!
I am a cannoli junkie and this looks oh so good!
I have yet to have a cannoli. This would be a nice way to try it. I love cookies.
Those look so delicious!!
These sound amazing. Quick ? and it might be a dumb one, but gonna ask anyway 🙂 Sounds like these would need to be stored in the fridge?
Yes, (and not dumb at all, I should have included that). Because of the cannoli filling, they should be stored in the fridge.
These look delicious! I can’t wait to make them. I was wondering how many cookies this recipe yielded? Thanks for sharing 🙂
LOL – that appears to be cut off. Currently it says it yields 2! It yields 2 dozen.
Is the taste going to be dramatically different if I leave out the pistachios?
No, it will be fine. You will miss the crunchy little nuts, but you will still love the cookie. My sister is allergic, so if I made them for her I would leave them out.
Made them today and they are DELICIOUS! I dipped the sides in grated chocolate instead. Great recipe! Thanks for sharing!
Oh yum, I bet that was great!
Is it possible to omit the pistachios from this recipe?
Sure!