Description
These Mini Cannoli Cups are a delightful twist on the classic Italian dessert, featuring a crispy cinnamon-sugar pie crust filled with a creamy, sweet ricotta mixture. Perfectly bite-sized, they are ideal for parties or a sweet snack, offering the traditional flavors of cannoli in a convenient and easy-to-make format.
Ingredients
Scale
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
Crust
- 1 box (2 count) refrigerated pie crusts, softened as directed on box
- 3 tablespoons turbinado sugar (raw sugar)
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Garnish
- 1/4 cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips or finely chopped pistachios
- Additional powdered sugar for dusting
Instructions
- Preheat the Oven: Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C) to ensure it’s hot enough for the crust to become golden and crisp quickly.
- Prepare the Pie Crusts: Lightly flour a clean work surface and unroll the two refrigerated pie crusts. Evenly sprinkle the surface of the crusts with turbinado sugar and ground cinnamon. Using a rolling pin, gently roll over the crust to press the sugar and cinnamon mixture into the dough. This step adds sweetness and a lovely spiced flavor to the crust.
- Cut and Shape: Cut the crust into 2½-inch rounds using a cookie cutter or a similar-sized circular tool. Carefully press each dough round into ungreased mini muffin cups to form small cups. If you run out of dough, gather the scraps, reroll gently, and cut additional circles to make a total of 48 cups.
- Bake the Cups: Place the muffin pan with the shaped dough cups into the preheated oven and bake for about 10 minutes or until the edges turn golden brown. Once baked, allow the cups to cool completely in the pan before carefully transferring them to a wire rack to cool further. This ensures the cups hold their shape and remain crisp.
- Make the Filling: While the cups cool, combine the whole-milk ricotta cheese, powdered sugar, granulated sugar, finely grated orange or lemon zest, and vanilla extract in a large mixing bowl. Beat the ingredients until the mixture is smooth and creamy. Transfer the filling into a zip-top bag and refrigerate until ready to use; chilling helps the flavors meld.
- Assemble the Cannoli Cups: Before serving, snip a small hole at one corner of the chilled filling bag and pipe the creamy ricotta filling into each cooled pastry cup. Garnish each mini cup with either mini chocolate chips or finely chopped pistachios. Finish with a dusting of powdered sugar for an elegant touch.
Notes
- Make sure the pie crust is well chilled and the dough is not overworked to prevent shrinking during baking.
- For a nut-free version, use chocolate chips only for garnish instead of pistachios.
- Freshly grate the citrus zest just before mixing for maximum flavor.
- If you don’t have a cookie cutter, use the rim of a glass or a small bowl to cut circles.
- These mini cannoli cups are best served the same day for optimal crispness but can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two days.
