Description
Cannoli cookie cups blend Sicily’s beloved dessert with American baking traditions. Crisp pastry shells cradle rich ricotta filling, offering a delightful twist you’ll savor with each delectable bite.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 ¼ cups (280 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 cup (225 g) unsalted butter, softened
- 2 large eggs
- ¾ cup (150 g) granulated sugar
- ½ cup (100 g) light brown sugar, packed
- ½ cup (60 g) powdered sugar
- 1 cup (250 g) ricotta cheese, drained
- ½ cup (120 g) mascarpone cheese
- ⅓ cup (60 g) mini chocolate chips
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp orange zest (optional)
- Mini chocolate chips (for garnish)
- Chopped pistachios (for garnish)
- Powdered sugar (for dusting)
Instructions
- Prepare Cookie Base: Cream butter with sugars until fluffy, then blend in eggs and vanilla extract into a smooth, homogeneous mixture.
- Combine Dry Ingredients: Sift flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon, then gently incorporate into the sugar mixture to create a consistent dough.
- Form and Bake Cookie Cups: Preheat oven to 350F (175C), spray mini muffin tin with cooking spray. Roll dough into small balls, place in tin cavities, and create thumb indentations to form cup shapes.
- Bake and Shape Cookies: Bake for 10-12 minutes until edges turn golden brown. Immediately upon removal, reinforce cup shape by pressing centers again. Allow to cool completely in the tin.
- Craft Cannoli Filling: Whip ricotta and mascarpone with powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and orange zest until achieving a silky smooth texture. Fold in mini chocolate chips and refrigerate to set.
- Assemble and Garnish: Fill cooled cookie cups with chilled cannoli cream using a piping bag or spoon. Decorate with additional chocolate chips, chopped pistachios, or a light dusting of powdered sugar.
- Serve and Store: Present immediately or refrigerate briefly to maintain optimal flavor and presentation.
Notes
- Prevent Dough Overworking: Mix flour mixture gently into wet ingredients to maintain a tender, soft cookie cup texture without developing tough gluten strands.
- Master Thumb Indentation: Create cup shape carefully when pressing centers, ensuring uniform depth and width for consistent filling capacity and elegant presentation.
- Cooling Technique: Let cookie cups completely cool inside muffin tin to preserve structural integrity and prevent cracking or breaking during removal.
- Temperature Control for Filling: Chill cannoli cream mixture before piping to enhance flavor complexity and achieve optimal spreadable consistency for smooth, elegant filling.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Category: Desserts, Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 23
- Calories: 210
- Sugar: 11 g
- Sodium: 80 mg
- Fat: 12 g
- Saturated Fat: 7 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 24 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Cholesterol: 40 mg