ITALIAN CANNOLI COOKIES RECIPE

These Italian Cannoli Cookies are a fun twist on the traditional Italian pastry with a sweet ricotta base, mini chocolate chips, and a soft cake-like texture. A perfect Italian Christmas cookie.

Course Dessert

Cuisine Italian

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 12

Total Time 27

Servings cookies

Calories 157kcal

Author Tina Frank

Ingredients

2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon kosher salt
½ cup unsalted butter room temperature
1 ¼ cup granulated sugar
1 large egg room temperature
1 cup ricotta cheese well drained
1 teaspoon lemon zest
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
½ cup mini chocolate chips plus ½ cup additional mini chips for drizzle
Crushed pistachios for garnish
Powdered sugar for garnish

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and kosher salt. Set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter and granulated sugar together until light and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes. You can use a hand mixer or stand mixer for this step.
Add the egg, ricotta cheese, lemon zest, and vanilla extract to the butter mixture, and mix until everything is well combined.
Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing until just combined. Be careful not to overmix!
Fold in the ½ cup mini chocolate chips gently, ensuring they're evenly distributed throughout the dough.
Drop rounded tablespoons of dough onto the prepared baking sheet, spacing them about 2 inches apart.
Bake for 10-12 minutes or until the edges are lightly golden. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
While the cookies cool, melt the remaining ½ cup mini chocolate chips in the microwave, stirring every 30 seconds until smooth. Drizzle the melted chocolate over the cooled cookies.
Garnish each cookie with crushed pistachios and a light dusting of powdered sugar.

Notes

Make sure your ricotta is fully drained. If it’s too wet, your dough will be sticky and your cookies might not hold a soft cookie form. You can place it in a fine mesh strainer or wrap it in cheesecloth and let it drain for about 30 minutes.

If you prefer a stronger lemon flavor, you can add a little extra lemon zest or even a drop of lemon extract.

These cookies are perfect for gifting or serving at a holiday gathering!

Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days.

Let your butter and egg come to room temperature. This helps the cookie batter blend smoothly.

Use a tablespoon to scoop out even cookie dough balls so they bake evenly.

Line your baking sheets with parchment to keep the bottoms from overbaking.

Let the cookies cool fully before adding the drizzle or powdered sugar, or it will melt right off.

Nutrition