Ricotta Cannoli Cookies

These fun Ricotta Cannoli Cookies make Christmas merry and bright.  I love cannoli and this makes me think I am in Sicily.  Something about the idea of chocolate, ricotta and nuts together.  I didn’t have pistachios in the house and I often substitute pecans or walnuts in these.  Of course pistachios are the authentic Sicilian nut.  

It doesn’t matter what time of year it is, I dream of Sicily.  This cookies brings back memories of walking back to the beach and having an afternoon espresso and a cannoli after our siesta.  There is much to learn about living life from the Europeans.  It is such a leisure way to feel and express gratitude.  I long for those sunny Sicilian afternoons and the smell of the sweets as you walk down the streets.  My Ricotta Cannoli Cookies take me away with my espresso as I overlook our winter wonderland in Northern Ontario.  

Stay warm everyone.  For my easy cannoli recipe see this on my blog https://recipesatmytable.com/pizzelle-cannoli/

Ingredients

• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
• 1 cup sugar
• ½ cup butter at room temperature
• the zest and juice of an orange (divide in two)
• 1 cup whole milk ricotta cheese
• 1 large egg
• ½ cup chocolate chips
• ½ cups pecans or pistachios 
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 1 tsp amaretto liqueur 
• pecans and shaved chocolate for topping(optional)

Process

Whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg in a bowl.  In a stand mixer place the sugar, butter and the zest and juice of 1/2 the orange.  Beat until light and fluffy.  

Next in a small bowl put in the ricotta and beat in the egg.  Put this into the wet ingredients and continue beating for a couple of minutes.  Cover the dough and place in the refrigerator for 3 hours. 

Slowly add in the flour mixture.Remove from stand and fold in chocolate chips and pecans.  

Prepare two cookie sheets with parchment paper.  Take 1 tsp of cookie dough and roll into balls.  Leave some room between the balls for the cookies to expand.  

Place in a 350F oven for 13 minutes.  Let the cookies cool before icing. I like to dip these cookies in the glaze and decorate.  Sometimes I just dust them with powdered sugar.  

These freeze well. 

The Glaze

Measure out the powdered sugar and add the orange zest, the 1 tsp of amaretto and 1 tsp of the squeezed orange juice. 

Print

Ricotta Cannoli Cookies

Author Renata Solski

Ingredients

• * 2 cups all purpose flour
• * 2 teaspoons baking powder
• * 1/4 teaspoon salt
• * ½ teaspoon cinnamon
• * ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
• * 1 cup sugar
• * ½ cup butter at room temperature
• * 1 tbsp baileys
• * the zest and juice of an orange divide in two
• * 1 cup whole milk ricotta cheese
• * 1 large egg
• * 1 cup chocolate chips
• * ½ cups pecans or pistachios
• * 1 cup powdered sugar
• * 1 tsp amaretto liqueur
• * pecans and shaved chocolate for topping optional

Instructions

1. In a stand mixer place the sugar, butter and the zest and juice of 1/2 the orange. Beet until light and fluffy.

2. Next in a small bowl put in the ricotta and beat in the egg. Put this into the wet ingredients and continue beating for a couple of minutes.
3. Slowly add in the flour mixture.
4. Remove from stand and fold in chocolate chips and pecans.
5. Cover the dough and place in the refrigerator for 3 hours.
6. Prepare two cookie sheets with parchment paper. Take 1 tsp of cookie dough and roll into balls. Leave some room between the balls for the cookies to expand.
7. Place in a 350F oven for 13 minutes. Let the cookies cool before icing.
8. I like to dip these cookies in the glaze and decorate. Sometimes I just dust them with powdered sugar.
9. These freeze well.
10. The Glaze
11. Measure out the powdered sugar and add the orange zest, the 1 tsp of amaretto and 1 tsp of the squeezed orange juice.