Cannoli Bites
This Post May Contain Affiliate Links. Please Read Our Disclosure Policy.
If you come and visit me sometime in Boston, I’m bound to be your tour guide and take you around to all my favorite places. And one of them is strolling through the North End. Basically Boston’s Little Italy. We will sit down at any of their restaurants (I’ve never NOT had a good meal!) and indulge in some seriously good pasta.
But save room. Because when we are done feasting, we will have to make a stop at Mike’s Pastry. And we have to get a cannoli. It’s a must stop. I’m sorry you’re full. Too bad. We will wait in their long lines, and push and shove our way to the front to get our hands on one of their cannolis. You’ll thank me tomorrow.
Ok, so that’s if you come and visit. But what if you can’t. What if you want cannolis now? Making homemade cannolis is well a pain. So instead I came up with a fun easy version. These cannoli bites. Little pie cups filled with a sweetened ricotta filling instead. So much easier. So delicious. No lines. Yup, I’m in cannoli heaven.
The original recipe I found on Pillsbury.com. The recipe actually comes from a fellow recipe blogger, Arlene Cummings, from her site, “Cooking With Sugar! How cool is that! After reading some reviews, I took some of the advice and decided to strain the ricotta cheese overnight. Other claimed their filling never set up and Arlene suggested straining the ricotta before making the filling. Because I was making these for a get together with co-workers the last thing I wanted was soupy filling. The ricotta cheese I used was actually quite thick, so it might not have been necessary. I would recommend straining if your ricotta cheese is liquidy.
I changed the filling recipe slightly by adding some almond extract. I am in love with almond extract. I think the little bit of almond extract was the ticket to making the filling taste like these cannolis in the North End of Boston.
Ingredients for these cannoli cups
- Ricotta cheese – I used part skim, but you can use full fat. And I strained mine overnight so my filling was nice and thick.
- Powdered sugar – It’s kind of a must to get a sweet smooth filling.
- Granulated sugar – Just a little extra granulated sugar is all you need!
- Vanilla – Of course, you need some vanilla to flavor these with.
- Almond extract – This was my secret little addition that I think gives it more of the authentic cannoli filling taste that I adore.
- Pie crust – You can make your own Double Pie Crust Recipe or use store-bought!
- Miniature semi-sweet chocolate chips – My favorite are Enjoy Life (nothing weird added just great chocolate) and free of the top 8 allergens. I use these for a little garnish.
- Sprinkles – These are optional, but I love making this dessert for the holidays so it’s fun to use decorative sprinkles!
How to make these Cannoli Bites
- Strain your ricotta cheese. I do this overnight. I simply place my ricotta cheese into a strainer set over a bowl and then pop in the fridge. The next day I make the filling.
-
In large bowl, beat all filling ingredients with electric mixer on medium speed until creamy. Place filling in 1-gallon resealable food-storage plastic bag; refrigerate while making cups.
-
Heat oven to 425°F. On lightly floured work surface, unroll pie crusts. With 2 1/2- to 3-inch round cutter, cut out pastry rounds. Lightly press each pastry round into ungreased mini muffin cup.
-
Bake about 10 minutes or until pastry cups are golden brown. Cool completely in pans, about 15 minutes. Remove from muffin cups to cooling racks.
-
Just before serving, remove filling from refrigerator. Cut 1 bottom corner off bag; pipe scant tablespoon filling into cooled pastry cups. Sprinkle with chocolate chips and sprinkles. Serve immediately. Store any remaining pastry cups at room temperature and filling in refrigerator.
Cannoli Cups
Ingredients
Filling
- 1 container 15 oz part skim ricotta cheese
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 2 Tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
Cups
- 1 package of store-bough pie crust
Topping
- 1/4 cup miniature semi-sweet chocolate chips
- Sprinkles optional
Instructions
- Strain your ricotta cheese. I do this overnight. I simply place my ricotta cheese into a strainer set over a bowl and then pop in the fridge. The next day I make the filling.
- In large bowl, beat all filling ingredients with electric mixer on medium speed until creamy. Place filling in 1-gallon resealable food-storage plastic bag; refrigerate while making cups.
- Heat oven to 425°F. On lightly floured work surface, unroll pie crusts. With 2 1/2- to 3-inch round cutter, cut out pastry rounds. Lightly press each pastry round into ungreased mini muffin cup.
- Bake about 10 minutes or until pastry cups are golden brown. Cool completely in pans, about 15 minutes. Remove from muffin cups to cooling racks.
- Just before serving, remove filling from refrigerator. Cut 1 bottom corner off bag; pipe scant tablespoon filling into cooled pastry cups. Sprinkle with chocolate chips and sprinkles. Serve immediately. Store any remaining pastry cups at room temperature and filling in refrigerator.
Notes
This is going to be a crazy thought but could you instead of using the pie shell pastry dough, actually use the dough of the cannoli shell pastry? I know they usually fry the shell but is there a way to bake them like what you have suggested which would still keep the integrity of the original cannoli flavor? I am from the Boston area, but now living in SC and miss the true flavor of the north end of Boston.
I don’t think it would work with baking instead of frying but haven’t tried myself. And there’s nothing like a cannoli from the North End!! Agreed!
Hello,
May I make a suggestion? When trying to copy one of your recipes you have a little square box in front of your recipe ingredients. Trying to delete them is impossible and it takes me forever to correct my recipe to not included them. I have to type it myself instead of copying. Maybe they serve a good purpose for others, but it is time consuming for me. Maybe others as well. I don’t know but thought I’d mention it.
Thank you for your dedication to your job suppling recipes.
Hi Diana, I believe that’s from the ad company. I’ll look into it and see if it can be modified so it doesn’t block the recipe. THank you for letting me know 🙂
How long does the filling last in the fridge?
Hi Theresa, should last a few days but if they are filled the pastry cups could soften over time. So if not serving right away keep them seperate then fill before serving is my best suggestion. Enjoy!