Mini Cannoli Cups. Think overly crispy pie crusts covered in cinnamon and sugar hugging a gooey center of sweetened ricotta cheese and topped with chocolate chips or pistachios. Not just desserts, these bite-sized wonders are a celebration of flavors, a dance of textures and a journey to the heart of Italian culinary charm. Procrastination Payout: Make like the streets of Sicily and serve these Mini Cannoli Cups with crisp pastry and creamy ricotta filling. The golden cups, dusted with cinnamon and raw sugar, hold a filling of whole-milk ricotta, powdered sugar and citrusy zest. Mini Cannoli Cups Topped with Miniature Chocolate Chips or Pistachios You can really lose yourself in these mini cannoli cups, which manage to combine the standard buttery, chocolate-covered shells of Italian sweets into one bite. 
Try our 4-Ingredient Slow Cooker Caramel Apple Dump Cake next.
Ingredients List:
Filling:
1 container (15 oz) whole-milk ricotta 1/2 cup powdered sugar 2 tablespoons of granulated sugar 1 tsp finely grated orange or lemon zest 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract If you like this, you'll love our Christmas Cherry Bars.
Cannoli Cups:
1 box (2 count) MRS. SMITH’S® refrigerated pie crusts, softened as directed on box 3 T turbinado sugar (raw sugar) 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Garnish:
1/4 cup mini semisweet chocolate chips or finely chopped pistachios Additional powdered sugar 
For another easy option, see our 3 INGREDIENT APPLE PIE CAKE.
Instructions :
Cue the sweet smells wafting out of your kitchen, preheat to golden 425°F, sprinkle ground cinnamon and raw sugar all over two unrolled pie crusts to prep for the Mini Cannoli Cups that await in each delicate round. The sugar and cinnamon meld into the dough with a gentle roll from the rolling pin. These pastry rounds, kissed with that sugary affection, are nestled in the arms of mini muffin cups, a delightful convergence of textures and flavors. While the cups bake, the kitchen becomes a theater of golden perfection. After just 10 minutes, the cannoli cups are here, golden brown and poised to hold the magic inside. As the cups cool, you make the filling — a creamy mixture of whole-milk ricotta, powdered sugar, zesty citrus (I like lemon and/or orange), and spicy vanilla extract. And this heavenly mixture gets placed inside a zip-lock bag and becomes swirls of joy. At the last minute, pipe in the filling of choice into the cooled pastry cups, each one a vessel of pure sugar ecstasy. Frost them with mini chocolate chips or pistachios, and provide the finishing touch with a flurry of powdered sugar.
Tips and Notes:
For an added dose of decadence, dip the edges at the top of the cups in melted chocolate before you fill. Fill only once the cups are completely cooled so their lovely crispness is preserved. Keep any leftover pastry cups at room temperature and the filling in the fridge until ready to serve. You might also like our 4-Ingredient Turtle Bars.
Substitutions and Variations:
Some. But, Ricotta flavored with, say, chocolate or citrused for a whimsical alternative. You can swap the pecans for other nuts, say almonds or hazelnuts, for a personalized garnish. Try our 3-Ingredient Lemon Bars next.
Notes:
To ensure they remain crunchy, fill the cups immediately before serving. Satisfy your carnal appetites with these Mini Cannoli Cups – a texture and flavor combination with the spirit of Italy in each bite. Serve them at your next get-together, and transport your guests to an Adriatic seaside café in Sicily. . If you like this, you'll love our Baileys Irish Cream Chocolate Chip Cookies.
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For another Italian pastry, try Cannoncini, crisp puff pastry horns filled with vanilla pastry cream.
FAQ
Can I make these mini cannoli cups without a mini muffin tin?
Yes! If you don’t have a mini muffin tin, you can use a regular muffin tin – just cut your pie crust circles a bit larger and gently press them into every other cup to give them room. You could also use small oven-safe ramekins or even clean, empty tuna cans. The cups might be a little bigger, but they’ll still taste amazing. Just keep an eye on the baking time since larger cups might need an extra minute or two.
How do I keep the pastry cups from puffing up too much while baking?
Great question! The best trick is to gently press the pastry down into the muffin cups and prick the bottom with a fork a few times before baking. If you notice them puffing up during baking, you can carefully press them down with the back of a spoon halfway through. Don’t worry if they’re not perfectly shaped – the rustic look is part of their charm, and the filling will hide any imperfections.
The recipe says to put the filling in a zip-top bag – is that really necessary?
It’s not absolutely necessary, but it makes filling the cups so much easier! Just snip off one corner of the bag and you’ve got an instant piping bag. If you don’t have one handy, you can use a small spoon to carefully fill each cup, or even a regular piping bag if you have one. The zip-top bag method just gives you more control and less mess.
How long do these stay fresh, and can I make them ahead?
The assembled cannoli cups are best eaten within a few hours since the pastry can get soggy from the ricotta filling. But here’s the good news – you can totally prep ahead! Bake the pastry cups up to 2 days in advance and store them in an airtight container at room temperature. Keep the filling covered in the fridge for up to 3 days. Then just fill them right before serving for the perfect crispy-creamy combo.
What’s the best way to store leftovers if I have any?
If you have leftover filled cups, store them in the fridge in a covered container, but know that the pastry will lose some of its crispness. They’ll still taste good for about 2 days, just a bit softer. For the best results, try to separate any unfilled pastry cups and store those at room temperature, keeping the ricotta filling separate in the fridge so you can assemble fresh cups later.
MINI CANNOLI CUPS
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Ingredients
- Filling:
- 1 container 15 oz whole-milk ricotta cheese
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon finely grated orange or lemon zest
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Cannoli Cups:
- 1 box 2 count refrigerated pie crusts, softened as directed on box
- 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
Instructions
- As your kitchen transforms into a haven of sweet aromas, preheat the oven to a golden 425°F. Picture the dance of cinnamon and raw sugar over unrolled pie crusts, each delicate round becoming a canvas for the Mini Cannoli Cups.
- With a gentle roll of the rolling pin, the sugar and cinnamon become one with the dough. The pastry rounds, adorned with this sweet embrace, find their place in the embrace of mini muffin cups, creating a symphony of textures and flavors.
- As the cups bake, the kitchen becomes a stage for golden perfection. After a mere 10 minutes, the cannoli cups emerge, golden brown and ready to cradle the magic within.
- While the cups cool, prepare the filling – a creamy blend of whole-milk ricotta, powdered sugar, citrusy zest, and the warmth of vanilla extract. This heavenly mixture finds its place in a zip-top bag, ready to transform into swirls of delight.
- Just before the grand unveiling, pipe the filling into the cooled pastry cups, each one becoming a vessel of sweet ecstasy. Top them with miniature chocolate chips or pistachios, and let a snowfall of powdered sugar complete the masterpiece.
Notes
Nutrition
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Nutrition values are estimates based on the listed ingredients and serving count. Actual values vary with brands, cuts and portion sizes.
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