These Cannoli Cookies feature two chewy chocolate chip cookies sandwiched with a classic sweet-tangy Italian cannoli filling. The filling is a blend of creamy mascarpone, rich ricotta, and velvety whipped cream. Each bite offers a perfect blend of flavors and textures, with mini chocolate chips providing a delightful crunch.
These cookies are greater than the sum of their parts. The chewy chocolate chip cookies are terrific on their own, but sandwiched together with the cannoli filling, they’re amazing.
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Essential Ingredients
Mascarpone cheese: Mascarpone, an Italian cream cheese, has a rich, velvety texture and mild, slightly sweet flavor. if you are unable to find it, you can substitute cream cheese.
Ricotta cheese: Ricotta, a creamy Italian cheese, charms with its delicate curds and subtle, slightly sweet taste. Crafted from whey, it boasts versatility in both sweet and savory cuisines. From lasagna to cannoli fillings, ricotta enriches dishes with a light, airy texture, establishing itself as a culinary essential in diverse recipes.
Mini chocolate chips: Be sure to use mini chocolate chips for these cookies. The standard size chips are a little too large for ease of eating.
Citrus zests: This zests of orange and lemon cut the sweetness of the filling and adds just the right notes of a bitter citrus flavor. It's a classic Italian flavor combination, so don't overlook these ingredients.
How to make
1. Make the filling: In a medium bowl, blend the heavy cream with an electric mixer until thick and stiff peaks form (A). In a separate mixing bowl, blend the mascarpone cheese until smooth. Fold in the mascarpone into the whipped heavy cream until combined (B).
2. Put the ricotta in a large bowl, and mix until a little smoother, breaking apart any large chunks. Add the powdered sugar and mix until combined. Add the vanilla and zest from orange and lemon and blend until thoroughly combined. Add the whipped cream mixture (C) and fold everything together until no streaks are left. (D)
3. Cover with plastic wrap and let chill for 1 hour. While the cannoli filling is chilling, make the cookie dough.
4. Make the cookies: In a large bowl using an electric mixer, beat the butter and both sugars on medium speed until light and fluffy, stopping to scrape down the sides of bowl as necessary. Beat in the eggs and vanilla until blended (E).
5. Add the flour, baking soda and salt (F) and beat on low speed until blended (G). Fold in the chocolate chips (H).
6. Using a 2-inch cookie dough scoop, scoop the dough onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing about 2 inches apart. Bake at 350°F until the edges of the cookies are golden brown brown, 13 to 15 minutes. Remove the baking sheet to a wire rack and let cool 10 minutes. Transfer the cookies to the rack and let cool completely.
7. Assemble the cookies: Spoon the cannoli filling into a piping bag fitted with a round tip, or use a heavy zipper-type plastic bag and and snip one corner. Pipe a generous amount of filling onto half of the cookies.
8. Top with the remaining cookies. Roll the edges of the cannoli cookie in mini chocolate chips to coat. Serve right away.
Recipe tips
- Chill Your Dough: Refrigerate the cookie dough before baking to prevent excessive spreading and maintain a thicker consistency for the sandwiching process.
- Uniform Cookie Size: Use a cookie dough scoop to create uniform-sized cookies for a consistent and visually appealing presentation.
- Chill the Filling: Allow the cannoli filling to chill in the refrigerator before assembly. This helps it firm up and keep it from spreading too much.
- Piping Technique: Use a piping bag to neatly distribute the filling onto the cookies.
- Store the cookies: Use an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days.
More recipes to try
Comments and ratings
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Cannoli Cookies
Ingredients
- ¾ cup unsalted butter, melted
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup packed brown sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- 2¼ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp. baking soda
- ½ tsp. salt
- 1 cup mini semisweet chocolate chips
Cannoli Filling
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 8 oz. mascarpone
- 16 oz. ricotta cheese, whole or part skim
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 Tbs. vanilla extract
- Zest of 1 lemon
- Zest of 1 medium orange
- Extra mini chocolate chips to coat edges
Instructions
- Make the filling: In a medium bowl, blend the heavy cream with a hand mixer until thick and stiff peaks have formed. In a separate mixing bowl, blend the mascarpone cheese until smooth. Fold in the mascarpone cheese to the whipped heavy cream until combined. Set aside.
- Put the ricotta in a large bowl, and mix until smoother, breaking apart larger chunks. Add the powdered sugar and mix until combined. Add the vanilla and zest from orange and lemon and blend until thoroughly combined. Add the whipped cream mixture and fold everything together until no streaks are left.
- Cover with plastic wrap and let chill for 1 hour. While the cannoli filling is chilling, make the cookie dough.
- Make the cookies: Preheat oven to 350°F and line a 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl using an electric mixer, beat the butter and both sugars on medium speed until light and fluffy, stopping to scrape down the sides of bowl as necessary. Beat in the eggs and vanilla until blended.
- Add the flour, baking soda and salt and beat on low speed until blended. Fold in the chocolate chips.
- Using a 2-inch cookie dough scoop, scoop the dough onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing about 2 inches apart . Bake until the edges of the cookies are becoming golden brown brown, 13 to 15 minutes. Remove the baking sheet to a wire rack and let cool 10 minutes. Transfer the cookies to the rack and let cool completely.
- Assemble the cookies: Spoon the cannoli filling into a piping bag fitted with a round tip, or use a heavy zipper-type plastic bag and and snip one corner. Pipe a generous amount of filling onto half of the cookies. Top with the remaining cookies. Roll the edges of the cannoli cookie in mini chocolate chips to coat. Serve right away.
Notes
Nutrition
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