Description
Italian Cannoli Cookies are a delightful treat inspired by traditional cannoli flavors, combining smooth ricotta cheese, amaretto, and citrus zest in a buttery cookie dough studded with mini chocolate chips and roasted pistachios. These crisp, golden cookies are drizzled with bittersweet chocolate and topped with festive sprinkles, perfect for holiday gatherings or everyday indulgence.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Cookie Dough
- 1 cup unsalted butter, slightly softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg + 1 egg yolk
- 1/2 cup whole milk ricotta cheese
- 1 teaspoon King Arthur Fiori di Sicilia extract
- 3 tablespoons amaretto liquor
- 1 teaspoon fresh orange or lemon zest
- 1.5 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup mini chocolate chips
- 1 cup roasted unsalted pistachios, finely chopped
Topping
- 2 oz Guittard bittersweet baking bar, melted
- Sprinkles to top (optional)
Instructions
- Cream Butter and Sugar: In a large mixing bowl, use an electric mixer to cream the unsalted butter and granulated sugar together until the mixture is light and fluffy, creating the base for your cookie dough.
- Combine Wet Ingredients: Mix in the large egg and egg yolk along with the ricotta cheese until fully incorporated. Then add the King Arthur Fiori di Sicilia extract, amaretto liquor, and freshly grated orange or lemon zest, blending well to infuse the dough with signature cannoli flavors.
- Add Dry Ingredients: Stir in the baking powder and Kosher salt to the wet mixture. Gradually add the all-purpose flour, mixing just until the dough comes together and is well combined without overworking.
- Incorporate Chips and Nuts: Fold in the mini chocolate chips and finely chopped roasted pistachios evenly throughout the dough to add texture and bursts of flavor. Cover the dough and refrigerate it for at least one hour to firm up and develop flavors.
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Baking Sheets: Position the oven rack in the middle and preheat the oven to 400°F. Line light-colored baking sheets with parchment paper to promote even baking and prevent the delicate cookies from browning too quickly on the bottoms.
- Scoop and Bake: Use a medium cookie scoop or spoon to drop about 1 1/2 tablespoons of dough per cookie onto the prepared sheets, spacing each cookie about 2 inches apart. Immediately place cookies into the oven and reduce the heat to 350°F. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes until the edges and bottoms turn golden brown. Allow the cookies to firm up as they cool on the sheet.
- Melt Chocolate for Drizzle: While cookies cool, melt the bittersweet chocolate using a double boiler setup on the stove or using low heat in the microwave, stirring every 20 seconds until smooth and fully melted. The double boiler method involves heating water in a saucepan and placing a stainless steel bowl with chocolate over the steam.
- Decorate Cookies: Using a small whisk or fork, dip it in the melted chocolate and drizzle artistically over each cooled cookie. Add sprinkles on top while the chocolate is still wet if desired, especially green and red for holiday flair.
- Set Chocolate: Allow the chocolate to set fully by letting the cookies sit at room temperature before serving or storing.
Notes
- Use light-colored baking sheets with parchment paper to avoid over-browning the cookie bottoms.
- Refrigerate the dough for at least one hour to make it easier to handle and improve texture and flavor.
- The double boiler method for melting chocolate helps maintain smooth, even melting compared to microwaving alone.
- These cookies keep well in an airtight container for several days.
- Amaretto liquor can be substituted with almond extract if desired, but adjust quantity as extract is more concentrated.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 150
- Sugar: 9g
- Sodium: 75mg
- Fat: 8g
- Saturated Fat: 4.5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 18g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 2g
- Cholesterol: 30mg
