Description
These delightful Mini Cannoli Bites are a perfect no-fuss dessert featuring a flaky homemade pie crust cup filled with a creamy ricotta and mascarpone blend, studded with mini chocolate chips. Ready in under 30 minutes, they deliver the classic flavors of traditional cannoli in a bite-sized treat that’s easy to make and irresistible to eat.
Ingredients
Scale
Pie Crust Cups
- 1 premade pie crust
Filling
- 1/2 cup whole milk ricotta cheese, strained
- 1/4 cup mascarpone cheese
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/3 cup powdered sugar
- 1/3 cup mini chocolate chips, plus more for topping
Instructions
- Prepare Pie Crust Cups: Unroll the pie crust onto a lightly floured surface. Using a 2 ½ inch round biscuit or cookie cutter, cut out 12 rounds. Place each round into an ungreased mini muffin tin, gently pressing them to form cup shapes.
- Bake the Cups: Preheat the oven to 400°F (204°C). Bake the pie crust rounds for 10-12 minutes until light golden brown. Remove from oven and let them cool completely for about 15 minutes so they set well.
- Make the Filling: In a medium bowl, combine the strained whole milk ricotta, mascarpone, powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and 1/3 cup mini chocolate chips. Mix until smooth and fully incorporated.
- Fill the Pie Cups: Spoon the ricotta mixture into the cooled pie crust cups. For a cleaner look, put the filling into a piping bag fitted with a star tip and pipe into each cup evenly.
- Garnish and Serve: Top each filled cup with additional mini chocolate chips and a light dusting of powdered sugar. Serve immediately and enjoy these creamy, crunchy cannoli bites!
Notes
- Straining the ricotta is important to ensure the filling is smooth and creamy without excess moisture.
- For extra crunch, bake the pie crust cups until they are a nice golden brown but watch carefully to prevent burning.
- The filling can be prepared a few hours ahead and refrigerated; fill the cups just before serving.
- Use a piping bag to fill the cups for a more elegant presentation.
- Mini chocolate chips can be swapped with finely chopped dark chocolate or white chocolate chips for variation.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian
Keywords: Mini Cannoli Bites, cannoli dessert, ricotta dessert, bite-sized cannoli, easy Italian dessert, mascarpone filling, baked pastry cups
