The Sweetest Mini Cannoli Cups Recipe for Tiny Dessert Bliss

Crafting delightful mini cannoli cups brings a playful twist to the classic Italian dessert.

Sweet ricotta cheese and delicate pastry shells create a perfect handheld treat.

Crisp edges and creamy centers promise pure indulgence with every bite.

Homemade pastry might sound intimidating, but this straightforward method makes baking simple.

Chocolate chips and pistachios add delightful crunch and unexpected flavor layers.

Your guests will adore these bite-sized delicacies that pack all the traditional cannoli charm into one irresistible morsel.

Prepare to impress with this charming dessert that transforms an evening into a celebration.

Mini Cannoli Cups That Impress

• Create in Minutes: Impress guests with these delightful mini cannoli cups that come together quickly, requiring minimal preparation and basic kitchen skills.
• Customize with Ease: Mix and match toppings like chocolate chips or pistachios, allowing personal creativity and catering to different taste preferences without complicated adjustments.
• Perfect Party Pleaser: These bite-sized desserts are ideal for gatherings, offering a sophisticated twist on traditional cannoli that looks elegant and tastes incredible, making them a crowd-winning treat for celebrations.
• No Complicated Techniques: Utilizing pre-made pie crusts and simple filling ingredients eliminates complex pastry-making skills, making this recipe accessible for home bakers of all experience levels.

Ingredients to Make Mini Cannoli Cups

• Pie Crusts: Delicate pastry base that provides a crispy foundation for the cannoli cups.
• Turbinado Sugar: Adds a sweet, crunchy texture to the pie crust.
• Ground Cinnamon: Introduces a warm, aromatic flavor to the crust.

• Whole-Milk Ricotta Cheese: Creamy cheese that creates the classic cannoli filling texture.
• Powdered Sugar, Granulated Sugar: Provide sweetness and help balance the ricotta's richness.
• Vanilla Extract: Enhances the overall flavor profile of the filling.
• Citrus Zest: Adds a bright, fresh note to the cannoli filling.

• Mini Chocolate Chips, Chopped Pistachios: Offer a delightful crunch and additional flavor contrast.
• Additional Powdered Sugar: Provides a final touch of sweetness and decorative finish.

How to Prepare Mini Cannoli Cups

Step 1: Warm Up the Oven

Set your oven to a toasty 425°F. This high temperature will help create perfectly crispy pastry shells for your delightful treats.

Step 2: Transform Pie Crusts

• Turbinado sugar
• Ground cinnamon

Use a rolling pin to gently press the sweet spices into the dough.

Grab a 2½-inch cookie cutter and create round pastry shapes. Press each round into ungreased mini muffin cups.

Keep cutting and fitting rounds until you have 48 cute little cups.

Step 3: Bake the Pastry Shells

Slide the muffin pans into the hot oven.

Bake for about 10 minutes until the edges turn a beautiful golden brown. Let the shells cool completely in the pan for 15 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling.

Step 4: Whip Up the Creamy Filling

• Whole-milk ricotta cheese
• Powdered sugar
• Granulated sugar
• Citrus zest
• Vanilla extract

Whip with an electric mixer until smooth and creamy. Transfer the filling to a large zip-top bag and chill in the refrigerator.

Step 5: Assemble the Delightful Cups

Just before serving, snip a corner of the filling bag. Pipe a generous dollop into each cooled pastry shell.

• Mini chocolate chips
• Chopped pistachios

Dust with a light layer of powdered sugar for extra elegance.

Step 6: Serve and Enjoy

Present these mini cannoli cups immediately.

The crisp shells and creamy filling are best enjoyed fresh and at their most delicious moment.

Tips to Perfect Mini Cannoli Cups

• Ensure pie crusts are at room temperature for easier rolling and handling.
• Use a light touch when pressing pastry rounds into muffin cups to prevent tearing.
• Drain ricotta cheese thoroughly overnight in a fine-mesh strainer to achieve a creamier, less watery filling.
• Try flavor variations by adding orange or lemon zest for a citrusy twist.
• Prepare filling up to 24 hours in advance and store in the refrigerator to save time during serving.

Variations to Refresh Mini Cannoli Cups

• Gluten-Free Cannoli Cups: Replace pie crusts with gluten-free pie crusts or almond flour pastry for a celiac-friendly version that maintains the classic cannoli taste.
• Vegan Cannoli Cups: Swap ricotta with cashew cream cheese, use coconut whipped cream, and select vegan pie crust to create a plant-based alternative that captures the traditional dessert's essence.
• Chocolate Lovers' Cannoli Cups: Incorporate cocoa powder into the filling, use chocolate pie crust, and top with dark chocolate shavings for an intense chocolate experience that transforms the original recipe.
• Low-Sugar Cannoli Cups: Substitute powdered sugar with monk fruit sweetener, use sugar-free chocolate chips, and reduce overall sugar content while maintaining the authentic cannoli flavor profile.

Pairing Suggestions for Mini Cannoli Cups

• A sweet, bubbly Italian wine perfectly complements the rich, citrusy cannoli cups, enhancing their delicate flavor profile and cutting through the creamy filling.
• A shot of bold, robust espresso provides a perfect contrast to the sweet cannoli cups, cleansing the palate and highlighting the dessert's subtle citrus notes.
• This almond-flavored Italian liqueur adds depth and complexity, harmonizing beautifully with the nutty pistachios and sweet ricotta filling.
• A piece of high-quality dark chocolate alongside the cannoli cups creates a luxurious taste experience, balancing the sweetness with its slightly bitter undertones.

Storage Tips for Mini Cannoli Cups

• Refrigerate: Store filled cannoli cups in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Keep the filling separate from the crusts to prevent sogginess.
• Freeze Unfilled: Preserve empty pastry cups in a freezer-safe container for up to 1 month. Thaw at room temperature before filling.
• Reheat Crusts: Warm gently in a 300°F oven for 3-5 minutes to restore crispness. Avoid microwaving to prevent softening.
• Quick Filling Tip: Prepare filling just before serving to maintain the best texture and prevent the crusts from becoming soggy.

FAQs

• Why use pie crusts instead of traditional cannoli shells?

Pie crusts offer a quick and easy alternative to traditional cannoli shells, providing a similar crispy texture while saving time and reducing complexity in preparation.

• Can I make the filling ahead of time?

Yes, you can prepare the ricotta filling up to 2 days in advance and store it in the refrigerator in a sealed bag or container until you’re ready to assemble the cannoli cups.

• How do I prevent the pie crust from becoming soggy?

Bake the pie crust cups completely until golden brown and let them cool entirely before adding the filling. This helps maintain their crisp texture and prevents sogginess.

Mini Cannoli Cups Recipe

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4.8 from 11 reviews

• Total Time: 30 minutes
• Yield: 4 1x

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Description

Sicilian-inspired mini cannoli cups bring creamy ricotta and crisp pastry together in one delightful bite. Chocolate-dipped edges and sweet filling create an irresistible dessert you can savor with friends and family.

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Ingredients

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• 1 container (15 oz or 425 g) whole-milk ricotta cheese
• 1 box (2 count) refrigerated pie crusts
• 3 tbsps turbinado sugar (raw sugar)
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• 2 tbsps granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips or finely chopped pistachios
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp finely grated orange or lemon zest
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• Additional powdered sugar (as required)

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Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 425°F, creating an ideal environment for transforming delicate pie crusts into crisp, golden vessels.
2. Dust pie crusts with turbinado sugar and ground cinnamon, gently pressing the aromatic mixture into the dough using a rolling pin. Strategically cut 2½-inch rounds and carefully nestle each into ungreased mini muffin cups, repurposing dough scraps to maximize yield.
3. Bake pastry rounds for 10 minutes until achieving a rich golden hue. Allow cups to cool completely in the muffin pan for 15 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to ensure thorough cooling and maintain structural integrity.
4. Create a luxurious filling by whipping ricotta cheese with powdered sugar, granulated sugar, citrus zest, and vanilla extract using an electric mixer. Blend until achieving a smooth, creamy consistency. Transfer mixture to a zip-top bag and refrigerate until serving time.
5. Moments before presentation, pipe approximately 1 tablespoon of chilled filling into each crisp pastry cup. Embellish with mini chocolate chips or chopped pistachios, then dust generously with powdered sugar for an elegant finishing touch.
6. Serve immediately to experience the perfect harmony of crisp pastry and creamy filling, ensuring maximum flavor and textural enjoyment.

Notes

• Embrace the art of gentle rolling when embedding sugar and cinnamon into pie crusts to prevent tearing and ensure even distribution.
• Opt for whole-milk ricotta to achieve a richer, creamier filling that provides authentic Italian cannoli texture and depth of flavor.
• Chill the filling beforehand to help it set and maintain structural integrity when piping into delicate pastry cups.
• For gluten-free variations, substitute pie crusts with almond flour or gluten-free pastry dough to accommodate dietary restrictions without compromising taste.

• Prep Time: 20 minutes
• Cook Time: 10 minutes
• Category: Desserts, Snacks
• Method: Baking
• Cuisine: Italian

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 4
• Calories: 417 kcal
• Sugar: 33 g
• Sodium: 323 mg
• Fat: 23 g
• Saturated Fat: 12 g
• Unsaturated Fat: 9 g
• Trans Fat: 0.2 g
• Carbohydrates: 39 g
• Fiber: 1 g
• Protein: 8 g
• Cholesterol: 65 mg