For our Cannoli Cookies, we took a light and crispy cookie shell and filled it with sweet ricotta filling. It’s all the flavors you love in a cannolo, but without having to make and deep fry a shell.
4ounceschocolatemelted for dipping the ends of the cookies
Mini chocolate chips to decorate the ends of the cookies
Powdered sugar to dust the finished cookies
Instructions
Filling:
Line a fine mesh strainer with cheesecloth. Place the strainer in a large bowl. Place the ricotta in the cheesecloth, cover the ricotta with the ends of the cheesecloth, and let the ricotta drain overnight in the fridge.
Place the drained ricotta in a mixing bowl, sift the powdered sugar over the top of the ricotta, and mix on low speed with a hand blended until combined.
Add the vanilla to the ricotta and mix on medium-high until light and fluffy.
Put the ricotta mixture into a Ziplock bag and store in the fridge until ready to use, at least 1 hour. Filling can be kept in fridge overnight if desired.
It’s best to make the filling before the cookies so it is ready to use as soon as the cookies are cool.
Cookies:
Preheat oven to 325° F.
In a medium bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt, and stir until mixed evenly.
In a separate bowl combine eggs, milk, and vanilla, and whisk until smooth. Then add the cooled melted butter and whisk again.
Add the wet ingredients to dry ingredients and whisk until smooth.
Cookie batter can be used immediately or stored in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Place a silicon baking mat on a cookie sheet with no rim.
Put 1.5-2 teaspoons of batter onto the Silpat, making 4 cookies per baking sheet. Use an offset spatula to spread the batter into a thin round about 4 to 5 inches in diameter. Bake at 325° F for 10 minutes, rotating halfway through.
As soon as the cookies come out of the oven use a clean offset spatula to slide under a cookie and separate it from the baking sheet. The cookies will be soft while warm. Roll the soft warm cookie into a tube, about ¾-inch in diameter. You may need to hold them together for a few seconds or blow on them to cool them enough to harden and hold their shape.
Once formed transfer the tubes to a cool plate or a cooling rack.
Repeat for all cookies on the sheet.
Bake all the batter into cookies.
Once all cookies are made, dip ends in melted chocolate if desired.
To fill: place the ricotta filling in a piping bag or a Ziploc bag and cut the tip of the bag. Place the tip inside the cookie tube and squeeze the bag to fill the tube.
Fill and serve immediately, starting with the first cookies baked so they are fully cooled. Don’t try to fill warm cookies.
Sprinkle the ends of the filled cookies with mini chocolate chips. Sprinkle the cookies with powdered sugar for serving.
Baked cookies can be stored (unfilled) in an airtight container in the fridge or on the counter up to 3 days before filling and serving. Always serve immediately after filling.