Description
Delight in these Mini Cannoli Cups, a charming twist on the classic Italian dessert. Crisp baked pie crust shells are filled with a creamy, sweet ricotta mixture flavored with citrus zest and vanilla, then topped with miniature chocolate chips or chopped pistachios and a dusting of powdered sugar. Perfect as bite-sized treats for parties or gatherings.
Ingredients
Scale
Filling
- 1 container whole-milk ricotta cheese (15 oz., drained)
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon finely grated orange or lemon zest
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Pastry Cups
- 1 box refrigerated pie crusts, softened as directed on box (2 count)
- 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 Oven: Preheat the oven to 425°F to prepare for baking the pastry cups.
- Prepare Pie Crusts: Lightly flour a work surface and unroll the softened pie crusts. Sprinkle each crust evenly with turbinado sugar and ground cinnamon. Use a rolling pin to gently press the sugar and cinnamon into the dough for better flavor adherence. Using a 2½-inch round cookie or biscuit cutter, cut out approximately 48 pastry rounds by re-rolling scraps as needed.
- Form Cups: Gently press each pastry round into ungreased mini muffin cups, molding them to fit snugly into the cavities to create cannoli cups.
- Bake Pastry Cups: Bake the shaped crusts in the preheated oven for 10 minutes or until they are golden brown and crisp. Remove from oven and allow them to cool completely in the muffin pans for about 15 minutes before carefully transferring them to a wire rack to cool fully.
- Make Filling: While cups cool, combine drained ricotta cheese, powdered sugar, granulated sugar, grated orange or lemon zest, and vanilla extract in a large mixing bowl. Beat with an electric mixer on medium speed until the filling is smooth and creamy. Transfer the filling to a 1-gallon zip-top resealable bag, seal, and refrigerate until ready to use.
- Fill Pastry Cups: Just before serving, remove the filling from the refrigerator. Snip one corner off the bag and pipe about 1 tablespoon of filling into each cooled pastry cup evenly.
- Garnish and Serve: Sprinkle the filled cups with miniature semisweet chocolate chips or finely chopped pistachios. Dust lightly with additional powdered sugar for an elegant finish. Serve immediately for the best texture and flavor.
Notes
- Drain the ricotta cheese well before using to prevent soggy pastry cups.
- Use either orange or lemon zest depending on your flavor preference for a fresh citrus note.
- Ribbon leftover pie crust dough tightly, refrigerate or freeze for another baking project.
- To make ahead, prepare and bake the cups, refrigerate the filling separately, then assemble just before serving.
- For a nut-free option, use only chocolate chips as garnish.
