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Close your eyes and you are in a little Sicilian bakery, the air perfumed with sweet citrus and warm pastry. I grew up chasing that scent, the kind that clings to your coat and makes you hungry before you even see the case.
This Cannoli Cookie Recipe is my weeknight love letter to the classic, all the ricotta cream charm without the piping bags and frying oil. A lot of cannoli-style cookies taste polite and a bit flat, but my chef secret is brown butter plus a little crunch that mimics the shell, so every bite feels like the real thing.
Why You Will Love This Recipe
The Brown Butter Difference: Browning the butter gives a toasted, nutty depth, the kind of flavor you usually only get from a true fried cannoli shell. In my kitchen, that beurre noisette aroma is the moment you know you are on the right track.
The Signature Crunch: A pinch of crushed waffle cone pieces brings that delicate crackle many ricotta cookies miss. It is a small detail, but it makes the texture feel bakery-authentic.
Perfectly Balanced Sweetness: Whole milk ricotta, orange zest, cinnamon, and mini semisweet chocolate chips land in harmony, creamy and bright without being cloying. The citrus lifts everything the way a good cannoli filling should.
Authentic Bakery Results: Chilling dough and proper creaming keep the cookies plush and cake-like, not thin and greasy. You get tidy edges, a soft center, and a finish that looks like it came from a pastry case.
Ingredients and Substitutions
These ingredients are simple, but each one pulls its weight, ricotta for tenderness, orange zest for perfume, and pistachios for that Sicilian wink. Treat the butter and chocolate with care, and the flavor gets wonderfully deep.
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1/2 cup ricotta cheese
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon fresh orange zest
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 10 ounces mini chocolate chips divided
- 1 cup chopped pistachios
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
Whole milk ricotta: It matters for structure and richness, because low-fat versions tend to be watery and can turn the dough loose. If your ricotta looks wet in the tub, give it a quick strain so the cookies bake up pillowy instead of flat.
Mini semisweet chocolate chips: Minis tuck into the dough evenly, so you get chocolate in every bite without big pockets that melt and leak. They also make the drizzle smoother when you melt the remaining portion.
Orange zest: Fresh zest tastes like a bright little spark against the dairy. For a more old-world bakery vibe, swap the vanilla extract for a tiny splash of Fiori di Sicilia or almond extract, keeping the rest exactly the same.
Sicilian pistachios: Any chopped pistachios work, but the greener, more fragrant ones taste closer to what you find on a classic cannoli. If you need a nut swap, almonds or hazelnuts keep the Italian spirit.
Marsala wine: For a truer Sicilian pastry note, I sometimes add 1 tablespoon of sweet Marsala wine to the batter. It is optional, but it plays beautifully with cinnamon and orange.
How to Make Cannoli Cookie Recipe
Make the brown butter base, then cream for lift
- Start by browning the butter in a skillet over medium heat, stirring as it melts and foams. When you see golden flecks and smell a deep, nutty aroma, pull it off the heat and let it cool until it returns to a softened, spreadable state.
- In a large mixing bowl, cream the softened brown butter and granulated sugar with an electric mixer until the mixture looks paler and feels fluffy. This step builds air, which helps the cookies stay tender and not heavy.
Add eggs, ricotta, and the aromatics
- Beat in the eggs one at a time, mixing until the batter looks smooth and glossy. Scrape the bowl so no buttery streaks hide at the bottom.
- Mix in the ricotta cheese just until combined, then stop, because overworking can make the texture a little tight. You want the batter to look creamy and thick, like a soft frosting.
- Blend in the vanilla extract, ground cinnamon, and fresh orange zest. At this point your kitchen should smell like sweet spice and citrus peel.
Finish the dough, chill, and bake
- Mix in the baking powder, baking soda, and salt until evenly distributed. This is your insurance for a gentle, even rise.
- Add the all purpose flour and mix only until the last dry patches disappear, because too much mixing can make the cookies dense. The dough should be soft, thick, and slightly tacky.
- Stir in 1 cup of mini chocolate chips and the chopped pistachios. Fold gently so the mix-ins stay evenly spread through the dough.
- Cover and refrigerate the dough for at least one hour, which helps firm the butter and control spreading. This chill is what keeps your cookies from turning into a puddle.
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper or lightly grease, so the bottoms release cleanly.
- Using a medium cookie scoop or spoon, drop about 1 1/2 tablespoons of dough for each cookie, leaving about 2 inches between them. Bake at 375 degrees F for about 8-11 minutes, until the edges are just turning golden while the tops still look pale and soft.
- Let the cookies cool slightly on the sheet, then move them to wire racks to cool completely. They will finish setting as the steam inside settles.
Drizzle with chocolate and set
- Microwave the remaining mini chocolate chips on high in a small microwave safe bowl in 20 second intervals, stirring each time, until melted and smooth. The chocolate should look glossy, not grainy.
- Spoon the melted chocolate into a small resealable bag, snip a tiny corner, then drizzle over the cooled cookies in thin ribbons. Let the chocolate cool and set before stacking or storing.
The Secrets to Authentic Italian Texture
Ricotta-based cookies are naturally cake-like, not chewy like a classic chocolate chip cookie. That is because the water in ricotta turns to steam in the oven, gently lifting the dough and giving you that soft, pillowy crumb.
I notice the same “moist dairy equals tender bite” effect in rich bakes like cream cheese loaves, where the interior stays plush for days. With cannoli cookies, that tenderness is the goal, as long as you manage moisture so they do not spread.
The sieve and paper towel hack saves you when cheesecloth is nowhere to be found. Line a fine-mesh sieve with a double layer of paper towels, spoon in the ricotta, and let it sit for 30 minutes, then discard the damp towels and use the thicker ricotta.
The zest secret is pure Italian nonna wisdom. Rub the fresh orange zest into the granulated sugar with your fingertips before creaming, and you will feel the sugar turn slightly damp and perfumed as the citrus oils release.
Pro Tips and Troubleshooting
Pro Tips
- Use the spoon-and-level method for flour so the dough stays tender, not dry.
- A cookie scoop gives uniform portions, which means even baking across the whole tray.
- For a true Sicilian whisper, 1 tablespoon of sweet Marsala wine adds depth.
- For a glossy finish, this guide to melting chocolate smoothly helps prevent seizing and dull streaks.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Using low-fat ricotta can make the batter watery, leading to flat cookies.
- Overbaking dries them out, pull them when edges are set and lightly golden.
- Skipping the mandatory chill almost guarantees a spread-out, greasy look.
- Overmixing after flour can make the crumb tight instead of pillowy.
Serving and Storage
Elegant Serving Ideas
I love serving these with a tight little espresso, the bitterness plays against the sweet ricotta and chocolate. On cozy nights, a mug of creamy hot chocolate makes them feel like a holiday treat even on a Tuesday.
A heavy snowfall of confectioners sugar right before serving gives that Italian bakery look. If you are building a full menu, a savory main like bruschetta chicken pasta sets up the cookies as the perfect sweet finish.
Storage and Make-Ahead Guide
Humidity is the quiet enemy here, ricotta cookies can turn slightly sticky if sealed in a warm room. I store them with parchment paper between layers, so the tops stay pretty and the chocolate drizzle does not smear.
At room temperature, they are at their best for 1 to 2 days, especially if your kitchen is cool. For longer keeping, refrigerate in a container with parchment separators, and let a cookie sit a few minutes before serving so the texture softens.
Freezing works beautifully for fresh-baked-on-demand cookies. Scoop the chilled dough into balls, freeze on a tray until firm, then transfer to a bag, and bake straight from frozen at 375 degrees F (190 degrees C), watching closely within the same 8-11 minute window.
Authentic Cannoli Cookie Recipe
Equipment
- Skillet
- Electric Mixer
- Baking Sheets
- Parchment Paper
- Cookie Scoop
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1/2 cup ricotta cheese
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon fresh orange zest
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 10 ounces mini chocolate chips divided
- 1 cup chopped pistachios
Instructions
Make the brown butter base, then cream for lift
- Brown the butter in a skillet over medium heat, stirring constantly until golden flecks appear and it smells nutty. Remove from heat and let it cool until it is softened and spreadable.
- In a large bowl, cream the cooled brown butter and granulated sugar with an electric mixer until the mixture is light and fluffy.
Add eggs, ricotta, and the aromatics
- Beat in the eggs one at a time, ensuring the batter is smooth and scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
- Mix in the ricotta cheese just until combined, taking care not to overwork the dough to maintain a soft texture.
- Blend in the vanilla extract, cinnamon, and fresh orange zest until fragrant.
Finish the dough, chill, and bake
- Incorporate the baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Mix in the flour only until the dry patches disappear.
- Gently fold in 1 cup of the mini chocolate chips and the chopped pistachios.
- Cover the dough and refrigerate for at least one hour to firm up the butter and prevent spreading.
- Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) and line baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Drop 1.5 tablespoon portions of dough onto the sheets, spaced 2 inches apart. Bake for 8 to 11 minutes until edges are golden but tops remain pale.
- Cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Drizzle with chocolate and set
- Melt the remaining mini chocolate chips in the microwave in 20 second intervals, stirring until glossy.
- Drizzle the melted chocolate over the cooled cookies and let it set completely before serving.
Notes
Nutrition
Conclusion
This Cannoli Cookie Recipe lands right between a soft ricotta cookie and the spirit of a classic cannoli, thanks to brown butter and that little crunch trick. Bring them to a holiday table, a cookie swap, or just your own counter, and play with tiny touches like Marsala or extra zest.
If you love that tender, dairy-rich crumb, the same comfort shows up in cream cheese loaves too. In my house, that is the kind of baking that disappears slice by slice.
