The Best Cannoli Cookies Recipe for Holiday Baking
Introduction
Nothing says festive celebration quite like the familiar flavors of classic Italian cannoli, now reinvented as irresistible cookies! The Best Cannoli Cookies Recipe for Holiday Baking brings the creamy richness of ricotta, hints of orange zest, and crunchy mini chocolate chips into a soft, bakery-style cookie—perfect for gifting, cookie swaps, or adding a sophisticated touch to your holiday dessert table.
Deliciously Unique Cannoli Cookies
What makes these cannoli cookies truly stand out is the magical blend of ricotta cheese and just the right amount of citrus, mirroring the cannoli filling everyone loves—without the fuss of frying. The cookies bake up soft and delicately moist, bursting with chocolate chips and a pop of pistachio for a crowd-pleasing holiday treat that’s both memorable and easy to whip up.
Preparing the Perfect Cannoli-Style Dough
The secret to achieving the signature texture is starting with room-temperature ricotta and butter—cream these with sugar until light and fluffy. A dash of vanilla and almond extracts, plus fresh orange zest, give the cookies an authentic cannoli flavor, while flour, baking powder, and a pinch of salt build the base. Mini chocolate chips and pistachios add the perfect festive crunch.
Assembling and Baking Cannoli Cookies
Scoop the dough onto lined baking sheets—using a small cookie scoop for uniformity. Top each with extra chocolate chips or pistachios for a bakery-worthy finish. Bake just until set; you want the cookies to remain tender and soft. Once cooled, a light dusting of powdered sugar completes these picture-perfect holiday cookies.
Serving Suggestions for Show Stopping Cannoli Cookies
Arrange your finished cannoli cookies on a holiday platter with sliced oranges and a mug of spiced hot chocolate for a cozy touch. For an extra bit of festivity, drizzle with melted chocolate or serve beside a dollop of sweetened ricotta cream. Their elegant look and sophisticated flavors will impress guests at any gathering.
Nutritional Information and Serving Size
This recipe yields about 30 cookies. Each cookie typically contains 110–130 calories, with a balance of protein from ricotta and pistachios and a modest dose of chocolate chips. Ideal for sharing or tucking into gift boxes!
The Best Cannoli Cookies Recipe for Holiday Baking (Recap)
These cannoli-inspired cookies effortlessly blend soft, cake-like texture and the creamy, zesty flavor of traditional cannoli filling. Quick to mix and beautiful to serve, they’re a guaranteed favorite for holiday baking and sharing.
Ingredients
💡Meal Planning Tip: Save this recipe to automatically generate a streamlined shopping list with these ingredients sorted by grocery section—say goodbye to forgotten items and wandering the store this holiday season!
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt; set aside.
- In a large bowl, cream softened butter with sugar until light and fluffy (about 2–3 minutes). Add egg and beat to incorporate. Mix in ricotta, vanilla extract, almond extract, and orange zest until smooth.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet, mixing until just combined. Fold in mini chocolate chips and pistachios, if using.
- Using a small cookie scoop or tablespoon, drop rounded balls of dough onto prepared sheets, spacing about 2 inches apart. Top each with a few extra chocolate chips or pistachio pieces for a bakery touch.
- Bake for 11–13 minutes, or until cookies are just set and bottoms are lightly golden. (Do not over-bake; they should be soft.)
- Cool cookies on the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- When ready to serve, lightly dust with powdered sugar for that classic cannoli look.
Weekly Meal Planning
These cannoli cookies are ideal for holiday batch baking and advanced planning. Save and schedule this recipe in your weekly meal plan to effortlessly add all ingredients to your shopping list and coordinate with other holiday recipes.
Planning Benefits:
– Instantly combines all your recipe ingredients for a single, organized shopping trip
– Groups items by store section, minimizing shopping time and stress
– Prevents overbuying with real-time updates as you plan
– Helps you see overlaps—so if you use ricotta or pistachios elsewhere, CookifyAI totals what you need for the week
Pro tip: When planning cookies alongside other holiday sweets or meals, schedule everything for ingredient consolidation—no surprise shortages, no wasted groceries.
Cook and Prep Times
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 12 minutes per batch
Total Time: 35–40 minutes (for one batch)
With their festive flavors and smart prep, these cannoli cookies will be your go-to treat for joyful holiday baking!
