Healthy Recipes Dessert Cookies Cannoli Cookies 3.0 (1) 1 Review These light and airy cookies take their flavor inspiration from cannoli, a Sicilian dessert featuring a crisp pastry shell filled with creamy ricotta. Orange zest adds a nice citrus flavor, while chopped pistachios provide crunch. Serve these cookies for any holiday gathering. By Pooja Makhijani Pooja Makhijani See More Pooja Makhijani is a writer and editor in New Jersey. Her bylines have appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, NPR, Real Simple, The Atlantic, WSJ.com, The Cut, Teen Vogue, Epicurious, Publishers Weekly, ELLE, Bon Appétit, The Kitchn, BuzzFeed and Catapult, among others. Her essay, "The Path to an American Dream, Paved in Vienna Fingers," was named Notable in The Best American Food Writing 2019. EatingWell's Editorial Guidelines Updated on November 25, 2025 Reviewed by Dietitian Nadine Bradley, RD, CNSC Reviewed by Dietitian Nadine Bradley, RD, CNSC Nadine Bradley is a registered dietitian nutritionist and certified nutrition support clinician who performs nutrition reviews on EatingWell recipes. She first got into nutrition as a competitive athlete, primarily focusing on how to nourish her body for peak performance. EatingWell's Editorial Guidelines Save Rate PRINT Share Close Credit: Sara Haas Active Time: 1 hr Total Time: 3 hrs Servings: 15 Nutrition Profile: Soy-Free Vegetarian Jump to Nutrition Facts Ricotta cheese in the dough adds a creamy texture and rich flavor.Enhance bone health with vitamin C from orange zest, promoting collagen production.Store the cookies at room temperature for up to 5 days for convenient snacking. Keep Screen Awake Ingredients 1/2x 1x 2x Oops! Something went wrong. Our team is working on it. This recipe was developed and tested at its original yield and has not been tested at other yields. Note that only the ingredient list is scaled, so you may need to make adjustments to ingredient amounts, cooking times and equipment sizes in the recipe steps. Scaling could also impact the nutrition analysis. Original recipe (1X) yields 15 servings 8 tablespoons unsalted butter (1 stick), softened 1 cup granulated sugar 1 cup whole-milk ricotta cheese 3 teaspoons finely grated orange zest, divided 2 teaspoons vanilla extract ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg 1 large egg 2 cups all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon baking soda ¼ teaspoon sea salt 1 cup confectioners' sugar 2 tablespoons milk ¼ cup finely chopped unsalted pistachios Directions Cream 8 tablespoons butter and 1 cup granulated sugar in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment on medium speed until light and fluffy. Add 1 cup ricotta, 2 teaspoons orange zest, 2 teaspoons vanilla, ½ teaspoon cinnamon and ¼ teaspoon nutmeg; mix until combined. Add 1 large egg, mixing and scraping down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed. Add 2 cups flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda and ¼ teaspoon salt; mix until the dough comes together in a smooth ball. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Using a 1-tablespoon cookie scoop, scoop the dough into 30 balls, placing them 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets. Bake until pale golden on the bottom, 15 to 16 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes on the pans before transfering to a wire rack to cool completely. Whisk 1 cup confectioners' sugar, 2 tablespoons milk and the remaining 1 teaspoon orange zest in a small bowl. Spread the icing on the cooled cookies. Sprinkle with ¼ cup pistachios. Let the cookies set for 20 minutes before serving. To make ahead Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days, or freeze for up to 6 months. Equipment Parchment paper Originally appeared: EatingWell.com, December 2022 Save Rate Print Nutrition Facts (per serving) 247 Calories 10g Fat 36g Carbs 5g Protein Show Full Nutrition Label Hide Full Nutrition Label Nutrition Facts Servings Per Recipe 15 Serving Size 2 cookies Calories 247 % Daily Value * Total Carbohydrate 36g 13% Dietary Fiber 1g 4% Total Sugars 22g Added Sugars 21g 42% Protein 5g 10% Total Fat 10g 13% Saturated Fat 6g 30% Cholesterol 37mg 12% Vitamin A 286IU 6% Vitamin C 1mg 1% Vitamin D 5IU 1% Folate 53mcg 13% Vitamin K 1mcg 1% Sodium 153mg 7% Calcium 47mg 4% Iron 1mg 6% Magnesium 7mg 2% Potassium 47mg 1% Nutrition information is calculated by a registered dietitian using an ingredient database but should be considered an estimate. * Daily Values (DVs) are the recommended amounts of nutrients to consume each day. Percent Daily Value (%DV) found on nutrition labels tells you how much a serving of a particular food or recipe contributes to each of those total recommended amounts. Per the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the daily value is based on a standard 2,000 calorie diet. Depending on your calorie needs or if you have a health condition, you may need more or less of particular nutrients. (For example, it’s recommended that people following a heart-healthy diet eat less sodium on a daily basis compared to those following a standard diet.) (-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a special diet for medical reasons, be sure to consult with your primary care provider or a registered dietitian to better understand your personal nutrition needs.