Mini Cannoli Cups

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Bring a touch of Italian festivity to your Christmas celebrations with these delightful Mini Cannoli Cups! These bite-sized treats feature a crisp, cinnamon-sugar pastry shell filled with a creamy, citrus-kissed ricotta filling, topped with mini chocolate chips or pistachios for an extra festive crunch. Perfect for holiday parties or a cozy family gathering, these mini cups are a sweet way to add a bit of elegance to your dessert table. 🎄✨🍬

Ingredients

For the Shells:

  • 1 box (2 counts) refrigerated pie crusts, softened as directed on the box
  • 3 tablespoons turbinado sugar (raw sugar)
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

For the 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

Toppings:

  • 1/4 cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips or finely chopped pistachios
  • Additional powdered sugar for garnish

Directions

Prepare the Pastry Shells:

  1. Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C).
  2. Lightly flour a work surface and unroll the pie crusts.
  3. Sprinkle each crust with turbinado sugar and cinnamon. Use a rolling pin to gently press the sugar and cinnamon into the dough.
  4. Using a 2½-inch round cookie or biscuit cutter, cut out pastry rounds and press each round into ungreased mini muffin cups.
  5. Bake for 10 minutes or until golden brown. Allow the pastry shells to cool completely in the pan for about 15 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack.

Prepare the Filling:

  1. In a large mixing bowl, beat together the ricotta cheese, powdered sugar, granulated sugar, orange or lemon zest, and vanilla extract until creamy.
  2. Transfer the filling to a 1-gallon zip-top resealable bag and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Assemble the Cannoli Cups:

  1. Just before serving, snip off one corner of the zip-top bag and pipe about 1 tablespoon of filling into each cooled pastry cup.
  2. Sprinkle with mini chocolate chips or chopped pistachios and dust with additional powdered sugar. Serve immediately.

Prep Time: 20 minutes | Cook Time: 10 minutes | Total Time: 30 minutes

These Mini Cannoli Cups are the perfect festive treat to share during the holiday season, bringing a little bit of sweetness and a lot of joy to your Christmas gatherings! 🎄🧁✨

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