Amazing 130-Calorie Irresistible Cannoli Cookies

Oh, you know how sometimes a smell or a taste instantly throws you back to being a kid at a huge family party? That’s what happens every time I pull these out of the oven! I’ve tried dozens of cookie recipes over the years, but nothing beats the sheer joy of making these Irresistible Cannoli Cookies a Sweet Family Treat. Seriously, we’re not just talking about a basic chocolate chip; we are capturing that glorious, creamy, subtly citrusy filling of a genuine Italian cannoli, but in cookie form.

It took me *ages* to nail the texture right—nobody wants a soggy cookie! But trust me, once you get that perfectly soft, chewy bite that mimics that ricotta filling? Forget about it. These cookies have become the absolute star of every reunion, and honestly, I can’t imagine a holiday spread without them now.

Why You Will Love These Irresistible Cannoli Cookies A Sweet Family Treat

If you’re looking for a new go-to dessert that everyone asks for, stop right here. These are exactly what you need for your next family gathering. They are just such a winner because:

• They are incredibly soft and wonderfully chewy—never crunchy!
• That ricotta cheese base gives them a melt-in-your-mouth texture that’s totally unique.
• Hello, flavor explosion! That tiny hint of lemon zest wakes up the sweet ricotta perfectly.
• Honestly, they are so fast to put together. I can whip up a batch quicker than the kids can ask for one.

If you enjoy baking soft, flavorful treats, you absolutely have to see my thoughts on irresistible carrot cake cookies—they share the same light, happy texture!

Essential Ingredients for Irresistible Cannoli Cookies A Sweet Family Treat

Okay, let’s talk ingredients because this is where the cannoli magic really starts. You need a few pantry stables, but the star, hands down, is the ricotta. Don’t skimp on the quality here; whole milk is always my choice if you can swing it, but the key is getting rid of the watery stuff!

Here is the absolute list you need to gather:

• One cup of regular all-purpose flour
• Just half a teaspoon of baking soda and a pinch of salt
• Half a cup of butter—make sure it’s softened, not melted!
• Half a cup of regular white granulated sugar
• One large egg and a teaspoon of vanilla extract
• One full cup of ricotta cheese (this is the crucial one we’ll discuss in a second!)
• A quarter cup of powdered sugar for the filling, plus extra for dusting later
• A half teaspoon of lemon zest—don’t skip this! It cuts the richness beautifully.
• And finally, a quarter cup of those cute little mini chocolate chips.

For another amazing ricotta-based bake that I adore, you should definitely check out my recipe for irresistible almond ricotta cake.

Draining the Ricotta: A Key Step

Listen to me now: if you skip this step, your cookies will spread into thin, sad puddles, and the texture will be all wrong. Grandma always hammered this point home, and she was right! We need that cheese thick and creamy, not wet.

What I do is line a fine-mesh sieve with a layer of cheesecloth or a sturdy paper towel, place it over a bowl, and let that ricotta drip away for at least 30 minutes. Sometimes I even let it go for an hour if I’m busy getting the dry ingredients ready. You need to watch that watery whey drip out. This simple technique ensures your cookie dough stays sturdy and bakes up perfectly thick!

Step-by-Step Guide to Making Irresistible Cannoli Cookies A Sweet Family Treat

Making these cookies is really satisfying because you see the ricotta cheese turn into something amazing so fast. First things first: get your oven humming at 350 degrees Fahrenheit (that’s 175 Celsius). While it heats up, line whatever baking sheets you have ready with parchment paper so we don’t have any sticky situations later. I always keep my parchment handy for this reason!

If you’re interested in other quick, satisfying bakes, I recently shared how I make my irresistible button cookies; they’re another family staple!

Mixing the Dough Base

Grab a medium bowl and just whisk together your flour, baking soda, and salt. Set that dry mix aside. Now, for the wet stuff! In your big mixing bowl, cream that softened butter and granulated sugar together until they look light and fluffy—when they turn pale yellow, you’re good. Beat in your egg and that vanilla until everything is smooth. Remember how we drained the ricotta? Mix that drained ricotta, powdered sugar, and lemon zest separately. Once that’s ready, start adding the dry ingredients to the butter mix very gradually, mixing only on the lowest speed. My biggest piece of advice here: stop mixing the second the flour disappears. Overmixing develops gluten, which makes cookies tough, and we want soft!

Baking and Cooling Your Cannoli Cookies

Once the dough is mixed, gently fold in those mini chocolate chips—don’t stir aggressively! Drop rounded tablespoons of your dough onto those prepared sheets, making sure they have about 2 inches of wiggle room between them because they spread just a little. Pop them in the oven for 10 to 12 minutes. You’re looking for just lightly golden edges. When they look done, pull them out, but *don’t move them yet*! Let them chill on the hot baking sheet for a good 5 minutes. This firms them up perfectly. After that short rest, move them over to a wire rack to cool completely before you dust them liberally with extra powdered sugar for that beautiful, authentic finish.

Tips for Perfect Irresistible Cannoli Cookies A Sweet Family Treat

Even though this recipe is super straightforward, there are a few little tricks I’ve picked up over the years that make these truly restaurant-quality. If you are looking for that professional touch that makes people ask for the recipe immediately, pay attention to these details!

First up, lets talk dough consistency. Because we are using ricotta, the dough has to be pretty soft, almost like a thick pudding. If you accidentally over-mixed it following the instructions above, or if your kitchen is super warm, the cookies might spread too much when baking. My trick? If the dough seems too loose, pop the whole bowl into the fridge for about 15 minutes before you start dropping spoonfuls.

Also, about those chocolate chips! I know the recipe calls for mini chips, and trust me, use them, especially if you drained your ricotta well. If you use regular-sized chips, they tend to weigh down the soft dough right where you drop it. The mini ones distribute evenly and don’t cause those weird dips in the center of the cookie.

If you want a real flavor boost that I sometimes use when my neighbors are coming over, try adding just a tiny pinch of ground cinnamon to the dry ingredients. It mimics the spices you usually find in a filled cannoli shell. It’s not traditional for *this* cookie version, but wow, it’s delicious! If you loved these flavor boosts, you might enjoy the spice profile in my irresistible carrot cake cookies, too!

Finally, storage is important. These stay soft for days, but only if you store them correctly. Keep them in an airtight container at room temperature. And remember that crucial final step: only dust them with that extra powdered sugar right before you serve them. If you dust them and then put them away, the sugar will start to melt into the cookie top, and you lose that beautiful, snowy finish!

Ingredient Notes and Substitutions for Cannoli Cookies

I get asked all the time about changing ingredients, and while I swear by my list, sometimes you just gotta work with what you have in the pantry! Let’s tackle some of the common ingredient sticking points for these Irresistible Cannoli Cookies a Sweet Family Treat so you can bake with confidence.

The most important thing, like I mentioned before, is that ricotta. If you can only find part-skim, which is often thinner, you MUST drain it longer. Seriously, let it sit an extra 45 minutes if you need to. You want that cheese thick enough to hold its shape a bit on a spoon. Using whole milk ricotta just gives you a richer fat content, which contributes to that super soft crumb we are aiming for.

What About Those Chocolate Chips?

Mini chocolate chips are used for a reason! They are small enough to blend into the soft dough without ripping the structure when you mix, and they scatter throughout the cookie for those little bursts of chocolate flavor. If you only have regular-sized semi-sweet chips, go ahead and use them, but you might want to chop them up a bit first using a sharp knife on a cutting board. It doesn’t have to be perfect, but smaller pieces are better suited for this softer dough.

And what if you hate chocolate? No problem at all! Candied orange peel is the traditional cannoli addition, so if you finely dice some good quality candied peel and toss that in instead, you get a much more authentic Italian flavor profile. It’s fantastic, but I know my kids only eat them with chocolate!

Can I Swap the Lemon Zest?

The lemon zest is genuinely what makes these cookies taste like a cannoli instead of just a ricotta cookie. It provides that essential high note that cuts through the richness of the dairy and butter. If you don’t have a fresh lemon, you can substitute it—but use a tiny bit of orange zest instead. Orange and ricotta are classic partners too!

If you are completely out of citrus, you can add an extra dash of vanilla, maybe half a teaspoon more, but I won’t lie, the flavor profile changes quite a bit. It becomes much more vanilla-forward and loses that signature zing. Try to keep the citrus in there if you can!

Serving Suggestions for Your Irresistible Cannoli Cookies A Sweet Family Treat

These cookies are amazing all by themselves, right? They’re soft, sweet, and totally bright thanks to that little bit of lemon. But serving them up properly transforms them from a simple cookie into a real dessert experience! The key here is balancing that creamy ricotta and the sweet crunch of the powdered sugar on top.

If you’re serving these after dinner, especially if you’ve had something rich—maybe a pasta dish followed by that amazing carrot cake—you need a palate cleanser. My absolute favorite accompaniment is a strong shot of espresso. The deep, slightly bitter coffee cuts right through the milky sweetness of the ricotta filling perfectly. It’s just a classic Italian pairing, and it tastes so sophisticated!

For a mid-afternoon treat, I love setting these out with a big pitcher of iced tea, maybe even something slightly floral like jasmine, or just plain cold milk. Kids almost always go straight for the milk, and honestly, who can blame them?

Pairing with Coffee and Tea

When I make a big batch of these Irresistible Cannoli Cookies a Sweet Family Treat, I always plan on having coffee on hand the next day. Seriously, they are a dream alongside a hot latte. If you aren’t a big coffee drinker, serving them with a simple hot black tea or even a nice peppermint tea works wonders to highlight that little bit of lemon zest we worked so hard to include.

Elegant Dessert Wine Options

Now, if you’re serving these for an adult gathering or maybe Christmas Eve, you can absolutely elevate them with a wine pairing. You need something sweet, but that also has good acidity so it doesn’t feel too heavy with the cookies.

I highly recommend a nice, chilled Moscato d’Asti. It’s lightly fizzy, sweet, and has lovely apricot notes that marry beautifully with the vanilla and citrus. Another fantastic option, especially if you’re feeling fancy, is a small glass of Vin Santo. It’s richer, usually nutty, and just feels like a special occasion drink. Just a tiny glass alongside two cookies is all you need to feel like you’re dining in Sicily!

Storage and Make-Ahead Options for Irresistible Cannoli Cookies

The best part about these cookies, besides the fact that they taste exactly like a vacation, is that they hold up *so* well. You can absolutely make these ahead of time, which is a lifesaver when you’re hosting a big family event and juggling a million other things. Trust me, having dessert done saves so much stress!

Because of that fantastic ricotta base, these stay soft and chewy for days. I’ve found they are actually even better on day two once the flavors have settled into each other. If you make them the day before your party, they are still unbelievably fresh when you serve them up!

Room Temperature Storage

Keep your fully cooled cookies in a single layer in an airtight container at room temperature. If you stack them, you risk squishing that beautiful dome shape we worked so hard to achieve! I usually line the bottom layer with a paper towel just to absorb any tiny bit of ambient moisture, though it’s rarely an issue with these sturdy bakes.

They are perfectly good for about four days stored this way. If you go past day five, the texture starts to get a little too soft for my liking, though they are still totally safe to eat. I wouldn’t put them in the fridge, though—that cold air tends to dry out baked goods faster, and we want to keep that moist, creamy interior!

Freezing Your Dough or Baked Cookies

Yes, you can freeze these! This is my secret weapon for holiday baking. You have two options here, and both work great.

For freezing the baked cookie: make sure they are completely cooled, and don’t dust them with that powdered sugar yet! Place them on a small baking sheet and flash freeze them for about an hour until they are solid little discs. Then, transfer them to a heavy-duty freezer bag, making sure to press out as much air as possible. They will keep beautifully for up to three months. When you want to serve them, just let them thaw on the counter for an hour or so.

For freezing the dough (even better!): scoop the dough onto a parchment-lined sheet just as you would for baking, flash freeze until solid, and then transfer those dough balls into a freezer bag. When you want cookies, just pull out the number you need, put them on your lined baking sheet (I usually let them sit out for maybe 10 minutes while the oven preheats), and add 2-3 minutes to the recommended baking time. Perfection on demand!

When to Dust with Powdered Sugar

This is the final, critical flourish for those stunning Irresistible Cannoli Cookies a Sweet Family Treat. You must save the dusting for the very last second. If you dust them right after they cool and put them into the storage container, that beautiful white powder will actually turn into a watery glaze or just absorb into the cookie top. It looks messy!

Wait until they are completely arranged on your serving platter, right before the doorbell rings, and *then* grab your sifter and dust them generously. They look so much cleaner and more professional that way, and the texture is exactly right when someone bites into them!

Frequently Asked Questions About Cannoli Cookies

I know you folks are busy baking, so I wanted to answer some of the questions that pop up most often when people try this recipe for the first time. It’s all about getting that perfect, creamy ricotta cookie texture!

Can I add cinnamon or other spices to these cannoli cookies?

That is a great question! Since these are inspired by the *filling* of a cannoli, they are traditionally very mild—just vanilla and lemon zest. However, if you love warmth, you can absolutely beat in about 1/4 teaspoon of ground cinnamon along with your powdered sugar and ricotta mix. If you want more spiced cookie ideas, I’ve shared some tips on warming up my irresistible carrot cake cookies, which lean heavily on those spices!

What if I really don’t like chocolate chips?

You are in luck because you can skip them entirely! If you leave them out, you have a purer ricotta and lemon flavor experience, which is lovely. Remember that candied orange peel suggestion I mentioned earlier? That’s the traditional swap! You can chop up maybe two tablespoons of good quality candied peel and fold that in instead for that gorgeous Italian bakery flavor.

How thick should the baked cookies actually be?

This is where the well-drained ricotta pays off! You drop them with a rounded tablespoon, meaning they go onto the sheet looking pretty tall, sort of like little mounds. After baking for 10 to 12 minutes, they shouldn’t have flattened out much—maybe flattening by about 25 or 30 percent. If your cookies spread super thin, it’s a sure sign that your ricotta was too wet, or maybe your butter was too soft when you started creaming it!

Can I use whole milk ricotta or does part-skim work for these?

I always push for whole milk ricotta because the higher fat content gives you a richer, softer cookie that lasts longer. But please don’t panic if you only have part-skim! Part-skim works fine, but you absolutely *must* drain it diligently. When you use part-skim, you might find you lose a little bit of that melt-in-your-mouth quality, but the flavor is still there, I promise!

Estimated Nutritional Data for Irresistible Cannoli Cookies A Sweet Family Treat

I’m not a nutritionist, so take this information with a grain of salt, okay? But I always like to share a rough estimate of what’s in these cookies because sometimes you just need to know! Since the star ingredient is that lovely ricotta cheese, they actually pack a decent little bit of protein compared to a standard sugar cookie.

The figures below are based on splitting the whole recipe batch into 24 servings. This data is just a guideline, of course, because the exact amount of drainable water in your ricotta or the brand of chocolate chips you use can change things up!

Here is how the numbers roughly shake out for one cookie:

Nutrient	Amount Per Cookie
Serving Size	1 cookie
Calories	130
Sugar	10g
Fat	7g
Saturated Fat	4g
Cholesterol	25mg
Carbohydrates	15g
Protein	3g
Sodium	65mg

See? Not bad for a decadent treat! The sugar content comes mainly from the granulated sugar in the dough and that final dusting of powdered sugar. That little bit of added protein from the ricotta really helps balance things out before you chase them down with a big cup of coffee!

Print