These cute, delicious bite-sized treats are a simplified version of the traditional Sicilian cannoli. Baked instead of fried, the light and crispy shells are guilt-free. Filled with either sweet chocolate hazelnut or a classic blend of creamy mascarpone and ricotta cheeses, these fun and irresistible treats are sure to be your new favorite for all occasions.
Makes about 50 mini cannoli cups
Ingredients
Cannoli Shells
2 cups all-purpose flour
3 Tbsp granulated sugar
½ tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp salt
¼ cup unsalted butter, melted
1 large egg, well beaten
6-10 Tbsp Marsala wine
Plain Cannoli Filling
6 oz whole milk ricotta cheese, strained
4 oz mascarpone cheese
⅓ cup confectioners’ sugar
½ tsp pure vanilla extract
Chocolate Hazelnut Cannoli Filling
¼ cup heavy cream, cold
8 oz whole milk Ricotta cheese, strained
¾ cup hazelnut spread (like Nutella)
½ tsp pure vanilla extract
Pinch of salt
Optional Toppings
Melted chocolate
Mini semisweet chocolate chips
Chopped pistachios
Toasted sweetened shredded coconut
Crushed Oreos
Sprinkles
Directions
Strain the ricotta overnight in the refrigerator to remove any excess liquid. Place the cheese in a sieve lined with a cheesecloth over a bowl, and cover with plastic wrap.
Cannoli Shells
Place the flour, sugar, cinnamon, and salt in a food processor and pulse until combined. Drizzle the melted butter into the flour mixture and pulse until well combined. Then add the egg and pulse until blended. With the food processor running, slowly pour in the Marsala wine and pulse just until the mixture starts to come together.
Divide the dough into two balls and wrap each ball in plastic wrap. Chill the dough balls in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to 1 hour.
Preheat the oven to 400° degrees during the last 10 minutes of chilling.
While the dough is chilling, make the fillings.
Once chilled, turn out each dough ball onto a lightly floured surface and use a floured rolling pin to roll out each dough ball to about ⅛-inch thickness. Use a 2 ½-inch round biscuit cutter to cut out circles from the dough.
Transfer the circles to an ungreased mini muffin pan, pressing the dough evenly into the sides and bottom of each cavity. Spray the tops evenly with vegetable oil spray.
Bake the shells for 11 to 13 minutes, or until lightly golden brown. Remove the shells from the oven and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Plain Cannoli Filling
In a mixing bowl, use a rubber spatula to combine the ricotta and mascarpone cheeses until smooth, ensuring there are no lumps. Then gently fold in the confectioners’ sugar until incorporated. Cover and chill the filling for at least 30 minutes.
Chocolate Hazelnut Cannoli Filling
Chill the bowl of a stand mixer and whisk attachment in the freezer for about 5 minutes. Once chilled, add the heavy cream to the bowl and beat on high speed for 1-2 minutes or until stiff peaks form. Transfer the whipped cream to a separate bowl.
In the bowl of the stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together the ricotta, Nutella, vanilla, and salt on medium speed until well combined. Then use a rubber spatula to gently fold in the whipped cream. Refrigerate until ready to use.
Cannoli Cup Assembly
Once the shells are cooled, dip the tops of half of the shells in melted chocolate. Then dip into your desired toppings (chopped pistachios, sprinkles, crushed Oreos, toasted coconut), gently pressing the toppings into the chocolate. Place the chocolate dipped shells in the refrigerator until set and firm.
Remove the cannoli fillings from the refrigerator, and transfer to a piping bag or a resealable plastic bag with a corner snipped off. Pipe the fillings into the cannoli shells, and decorate the shells as desired. Get creative with filling and decorating your cannoli cups. The cannoli cups are best if served within 2 hours.