Description
Mini Cannoli Cups are a delightful and easy-to-make dessert that captures the classic flavors of traditional Sicilian cannoli in a convenient, bite-sized form. These cups feature a crisp, flaky shell filled with a rich, creamy ricotta mixture dotted with chocolate chips. Perfect for parties or as a sweet treat, these mini cannoli cups promise to be a crowd-pleaser!
Ingredients
Scale
For the Filling:
- 1 container (15 oz) whole-milk ricotta cheese
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon finely grated orange or lemon zest
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the Cannoli Cups:
- 1 box (2 count) refrigerated pie crusts, softened as directed on box
- 3 tablespoons turbinado sugar (raw sugar)
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
For the Garnish:
- 1/4 cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips or finely chopped pistachios
- Additional powdered sugar for dusting
Instructions
- Preheat the Oven:
- Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C).
- Prepare the Pie Crusts:
- Lightly flour a work surface and unroll the pie crusts.
- Sprinkle both of the pie crusts with turbinado sugar and cinnamon.
- Gently roll a rolling pin over the top to press the sugar and cinnamon into the dough.
- Using a 2½-inch round cookie/biscuit cutter, cut out pastry rounds.
- Gently press each pastry round into ungreased mini muffin cups. You may need to re-roll the scraps and cut out more circles until you have 48 circles.
- Bake:
- Bake the crusts for 10 minutes, or until they are golden brown.
- Allow the cannoli cups to cool completely in the pans (about 15 minutes) before removing them to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Prepare the Filling:
- In a large mixing bowl, beat the ricotta, powdered sugar, granulated sugar, zest, and vanilla extract with an electric mixer on medium speed until creamy.
- Transfer the filling to a 1-gallon zip-top resealable bag and refrigerate until ready to serve.
- Assemble the Cannoli Cups:
- Just before serving, remove the filling from the refrigerator.
- Snip one corner off of the bag and pipe approximately 1 tablespoon of filling into each cooled pastry cup.
- Sprinkle the filled cups with mini chocolate chips or chopped pistachios and dust with powdered sugar.
- Serve:
- Serve the cannoli cups immediately for best taste and texture.
Notes
- Ensure the ricotta cheese is thoroughly strained to avoid soggy shells.
- Can be made a day ahead and refrigerated, but best served within a few hours of preparation for optimal crispness.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 5 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian-inspired
Nutrition
- Calories: 70
- Sugar: 4g
- Sodium: 45mg
- Fat: 4g
- Saturated Fat: 2g
- Carbohydrates: 6g
- Fiber: 0g
- Protein: 2g
- Cholesterol: 10mg