Gluten Free Cannoli Cookies

Cannoli is one of those desserts that seems hard to make gluten free. The shell is usually the tricky part. So instead of fighting with that, I turned the whole thing into a cookie.

These gluten free cannoli cookies have a light, slightly crisp base made with almond flour. The almond flavor actually works perfectly here since traditional cannoli shells are nutty too.

The best part is the topping. It’s a whipped ricotta and mascarpone cream with chocolate chips folded in. It’s rich, smooth, and tastes exactly like the filling from your favorite Italian bakery.

You finish them off with chopped pistachios and extra chocolate chips. They honestly look like something from a dessert shop.

Whether you eat gluten free or just want a fun twist on a classic Italian treat, these cookies are a great choice. They come together pretty quickly and don’t need any unusual ingredients.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

All the Cannoli Flavor Without the Fuss – You get that classic ricotta and chocolate chip cannoli taste without deep-frying a single thing.

The Cookie Base Is Naturally Gluten Free – Almond flour and tapioca starch make a perfectly crisp cookie without any weird gluten free flour blends.

That Creamy Topping Is Unreal – The mix of ricotta and mascarpone creates a filling so rich and smooth it rivals any Italian bakery cannoli.

Almond Flour Adds Real Flavor – Unlike plain flour cookies the almond flour gives these a nutty depth that pairs perfectly with the cannoli filling.

Ingredients

For the Cookies

• 1 1/4 cups Almond Flour
• 1/2 cup Tapioca Starch
• 1/2 tsp Baking Powder
• 1/4 tsp Cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp Salt
• 1/4 cup Unsalted Butter, softened
• 1/2 cup Granulated Sugar
• 1 Large Egg
• 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
• 1/2 tsp Almond Extract
• 1/3 cup Mini Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips

For the Cannoli Topping

• 1 cup Whole Milk Ricotta Cheese
• 4 oz Mascarpone Cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup Powdered Sugar
• 1/2 tsp Vanilla Extract
• 1/4 cup Mini Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
• Chopped Pistachios, for garnish

How to Make

Step 1

Preheat your oven to 350F (175C) and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. In a medium bowl, whisk together the almond flour, tapioca starch, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt.

Step 2

In a large bowl, beat the softened butter and granulated sugar together until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the egg, vanilla extract, and almond extract and beat until smooth. Gradually add the dry ingredients and stir until a dough forms, then fold in the 1/3 cup mini chocolate chips.

Step 3

Scoop the dough into 1.5 tablespoon-sized balls and place them 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets. Bake for 11 to 13 minutes until the edges are golden and the centers are set. Let the cookies cool completely on the baking sheets, then transfer to a wire rack. The cookies must be fully cooled before adding the topping.

Step 4

While the cookies cool, prepare the cannoli topping. Place the ricotta cheese in a fine-mesh strainer set over a bowl and press gently with a paper towel to remove excess moisture. This step ensures the filling is thick and not watery.

Step 5

In a medium bowl, beat the strained ricotta, mascarpone, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract with an electric mixer until smooth and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Fold in the 1/4 cup mini chocolate chips.

Step 6

Transfer the cannoli filling to a piping bag fitted with a large star tip. Pipe a generous swirl of filling onto the center of each cooled cookie. Sprinkle with chopped pistachios and a few extra mini chocolate chips.

Step 7

Serve immediately or refrigerate for up to 2 hours before serving. The combination of the crisp almond cookie and the creamy, sweet ricotta filling tastes just like a classic cannoli.

My Tips

Drain the Ricotta Well

This is the most important step for the topping. If your ricotta is too wet, the filling will be runny and it’ll slide right off the cookies instead of holding a nice swirl.

Put it in a fine-mesh strainer and press it with paper towels for at least 5 minutes. You’ll be surprised how much liquid comes out, even from brands that look thick in the container.

If you have time, you can even drain it in the fridge for 30 minutes to an hour with a paper towel on top and something light pressing it down. The drier the ricotta, the better your topping will pipe and hold its shape.

Use Room Temperature Ingredients

Make sure the butter, egg, and mascarpone are all at room temperature before you start. Cold butter won’t cream properly with the sugar, and cold mascarpone will leave lumps in your filling.

Take the butter and mascarpone out of the fridge about 30-45 minutes before you start. For the egg, you can place it in a bowl of warm water for 5-10 minutes if you forgot to take it out ahead of time.

Room temperature ingredients blend together smoothly, which means a fluffier cookie dough and a silky cannoli topping with no chunks.

Don’t Overbake the Cookies

These cookies go from perfectly done to overbaked fast because almond flour browns quicker than regular flour. Start checking at 11 minutes and pull them when the edges are just barely golden.

They’ll look slightly underdone in the center when you take them out, but they firm up a lot as they cool on the baking sheet. If you wait until they look fully done in the oven, they’ll end up dry and crunchy instead of having that soft, slightly chewy center.

More Tasty Recipes

• Gluten Free Cannoli Dip
• Gluten Free Italian Ricotta Cake
• Gluten Free Tiramisu Cookies
• Gluten Free Chocolate Dipped Almond Biscotti
• Gluten Free Soft Snickerdoodle Cookies

FAQ

Can I make the cannoli topping ahead of time?

You can make the topping up to 24 hours in advance and store it in the fridge in an airtight container. Just give it a quick stir or re-whip it for a few seconds before piping, since it may firm up a bit after chilling.

However, don’t pipe the topping onto the cookies until you’re ready to serve them. The moisture from the ricotta filling will soften the cookies if they sit too long.