I’ve always wanted to make cannoli at home, but the thought of heating a pot of oil and then cleaning up the greasy splatter afterward kept me from ever trying.
A few days ago, while testing a honey florentine cookie recipe, I rolled one of the warm lace cookies around the handle of a whisk and realized something wonderful.
That thin, crispy cookie held its shape perfectly, and it felt sturdy enough to hold a creamy ricotta filling.
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So here we are. This Florentine Cannoli uses homemade florentines, also called lace cookies, as the shells, and they are filled with an easy ricotta chocolate chip filling.
The shells are thinner and crispier than a standard cannoli shell, yet they hold up beautifully to the filling. Plus, they are much easier to make than traditional fried shells, and there is no oil to strain or throw away at the end.
You can serve these for the holidays or any time you want something a little fancy on the dessert table. If you would rather skip the rolling step, the florentines are just as lovely left flat and eaten as plain cookies. Each cannoli comes in around 89 calories, so they feel light at the end of a big meal.
This dessert has two simple components: the florentine shells and the ricotta filling.
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Most of the shell ingredients are pantry staples you probably already have on hand, and the filling comes together in one bowl. The only step that needs a little planning is draining the ricotta, and it is worth every minute.
For the florentines
The florentine batter calls for unsalted butter, light brown sugar, honey, all purpose flour, salt and vanilla. The brown sugar is what gives the cookies their caramel flavor, and it works together with the honey to create that lovely lacy spread in the oven.
Use real honey with a floral taste and smell. Cheaper grocery store honey is often blended with less expensive syrups such as corn syrup, and in a cookie this simple you will taste the difference. All purpose flour is what I use and recommend.
The recipe has not been tested with gluten free flour, so I cannot promise the same result if you swap it in.
Ingredient
Amount
Unsalted butter
4 tablespoons (1/4 cup)
Light brown sugar
1/4 cup
Honey
3 tablespoons
All purpose flour
1/4 cup
Salt
1/4 teaspoon
Vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon
For the cannoli filling
The filling uses ricotta, powdered sugar, vanilla, optional orange zest and mini chocolate chips. Those chips also go on the ends of the cannoli, and finely chopped pistachios make a lovely garnish.
Draining the ricotta is the one step I beg you not to skip. Removing as much moisture as possible keeps the filling thick instead of watery and thin, and it protects the sturdiness of the florentines.
Powdered sugar adds sweetness, and you can adjust it up or down to taste. Orange zest is technically optional, but a small amount adds a bright note that pairs so well with ricotta, chocolate and honey.
Ingredient
Amount
Ricotta, drained well
2 cups
Powdered sugar
1 cup
Vanilla extract
1 teaspoon
Orange zest (optional)
1 teaspoon
Mini chocolate chips
1/3 cup
Mini chocolate chips, for serving
as needed, optional
Finely chopped pistachios, for serving
as needed, optional
How to Make this Florentine Cannoli Recipe
There is a little prep at the start, then everything moves quickly. Here is the full method, step by step.
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Drain the ricotta. Lay out 2 pieces of paper towel on a flat surface and spread the ricotta in a thin layer on top of them. Cover with more paper towel and press down until it feels wet. Let it sit for 30 minutes, replacing the paper towel once halfway through. This is the step that gives you a thick, pipeable filling.
Heat the oven and prep the pans. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F and line two sheet pans with parchment paper.
Melt the butter, sugar and honey. In a small saucepan over medium heat, whisk the butter, brown sugar and honey together until melted.
Whisk in the rest of the batter. Take the pan off the heat and whisk in the flour, salt and vanilla until the mixture is smooth with no lumps.
Portion the batter. Optionally let the dough cool so it is easier to work with, and I place mine in the freezer for 20 minutes. Each dollop of batter should be a heaping 1/2 teaspoon, which is roughly 3/4 teaspoon. Place the dollops on the sheet pan and leave at least 3 inches of space between each cookie because these spread a lot.
Bake. Bake for 6 to 8 minutes, until golden brown. Remove from the oven and carefully transfer the parchment paper and cookies to a cooling rack right away. I slide the whole sheet of parchment off the pan onto the rack.
Shape the shells. Let the florentines cool for about 30 seconds, just until they are cool enough to handle. Using the handle of a spatula or whisk, and mine has a 3/4 inch circumference, carefully wrap the florentine around the handle so the circle overlaps. It will harden pretty quickly.
Repeat and rescue any firm ones. Work through the remaining florentines. If they start to solidify too quickly, pop them back in the oven for 15 seconds to make them pliable again.
Make the ricotta filling. In a mixing bowl, mix together the drained ricotta, powdered sugar, vanilla, orange zest and mini chocolate chips until well combined.
Fill the shells. Using a round piping tip, pipe the ricotta mixture into the florentine shells. Fill one side halfway, then flip and fill the other side.
Finish them. Optionally dip each end in more mini chocolate chips or chopped pistachios.
From start to finish this takes about 1 hour, with 30 minutes of prep and 30 minutes of cook time, and the recipe makes about 30 cannoli.
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Work quickly once the florentines come out of the oven. They stay pliable for less than 2 minutes, and a 15 second return to the oven fixes any that harden before you get to them.
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Storage
Unfilled florentine cookie shells can be stored at room temperature for up to 3 days, in the refrigerator for up to a few weeks, or in the freezer for up to 3 months. They are fairly fragile, so stack them carefully and handle them gently.
Once filled, the cannoli are best eaten within a few hours. The filling can soften the shells over time, so fill them close to serving if you can.
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The ricotta filling on its own keeps well. Store it in an airtight container or in a piping bag for up to 5 days, then pipe it into the shells just before serving. That way the shells stay crisp and you can put out a fresh batch whenever you like.
Top tip
Chilling the florentine dough in the freezer for 20 to 30 minutes makes it easier to work with. Once chilled, the dough can be rolled into balls for perfectly round, uniform cookies. Warm dough is harder to shape and may produce misshapen florentines.
I keep a small bowl of the batter in the freezer between batches, and it makes a real difference in how evenly the cookies spread.
More tips
The florentine shells are thin, crispy and a little fragile, so handle them gently. Once the ricotta filling goes in, they become a bit sturdier and easier to hold. If you are serving a crowd, plan for a few broken ones, because the cookies are delicate before filling.
Leave plenty of space on the sheet pan because the florentines spread quite a bit. Baking more batches with fewer cookies per sheet is much better than risking the dough running together. The cookies cook very quickly, so those extra batches do not take much time at all.
Roll the florentines quickly. They harden in less than 2 minutes, and if they set before you finish shaping them, return them to the oven for 15 to 20 seconds to make them pliable again.
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Toppings are where you can have fun. Mini chocolate chips and pistachios are the classics, and you can also dip the ends in sprinkles, candied citrus pieces, English toffee pieces or toasted coconut.
For a fancier finish, dip the ends of the shells in melted chocolate and add your favorite toppings, or dust the finished cannoli with powdered sugar just before serving.
Finally, do not skip draining the ricotta. A watery filling can soften the cannoli shell and it will not pipe as neatly. Give it the full 30 minutes and you will be rewarded with a filling that holds its shape.
FAQs
What is a Florentine cannoli?
A Florentine cannoli is a creative twist on the classic Italian dessert that uses thin, caramelized lace cookies known as Florentines as the shell instead of traditional fried dough. This baked shell is filled with a creamy ricotta mixture typically containing powdered sugar, vanilla, orange zest, and mini chocolate chips. The result is a lighter, crispier alternative to traditional cannoli with a unique crunch and flavor.
How do you make Florentine cannoli shells?
To make the shells, whisk together 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, 1/4 cup light brown sugar, and 3 tablespoons honey in a saucepan over medium heat until melted. Remove from heat and whisk in 1/4 cup all-purpose flour, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla. Drop heaping 1/2 teaspoon dollops onto parchment-lined baking sheets, leaving 3 inches of space. Bake at 375°F for 6 to 8 minutes until golden brown, then immediately wrap each warm cookie around a 3/4-inch handle to form a tube shape.
How do you keep Florentine cannoli shells crispy?
The key to keeping Florentine cannoli shells crispy is to fill them only shortly before serving, ideally within one to two hours. Unfilled shells can be stored at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 3 days. It is also essential to drain the ricotta thoroughly for the filling by spreading it on paper towels for 30 minutes, as excess moisture from a wet filling will soften the shells.
What is the best ricotta for Florentine cannoli filling?
Whole milk ricotta is the best choice for cannoli filling as it provides richer flavor and a creamier texture compared to part-skim varieties. In the United States, brands like Calabro or Poli, or fresh ricotta from an Italian deli, are excellent options. Regardless of the brand, the ricotta must be drained to remove excess moisture; this is essential to prevent a watery filling that would soften the delicate Florentine shells.
Florentine Cannoli I’ve always wanted to make cannoli at home, but the thought of heating a pot of oil and then cleaning up the greasy splatter afterward kept me from ever trying. A few days ago, while testing a honey florentine cookie recipe, I rolled one of the warm lace cookies around the handle of a whisk and realized something wonderful.
Total Time:60 min
Yield:Makes ~30 cannoli
Ingredients
Scale
Florentines 4 tablespoons unsalted butter ¼ cup light brown sugar 3 tablespoons honey ¼ cup all purpose flour ¼ teaspoon salt ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Cannoli Filling 2 cups ricotta, drained to remove as much moisture as possible 1 cup powdered sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 teaspoon orange zest ⅓ cup mini chocolate chips mini chocolate chips pistachios, finely chopped
Instructions
1-Drain the ricotta: Drain the ricotta: Lay out 2 pieces of paper towel on a flat surface. Spread the ricotta in a thin layer on top of the paper towel. Top with more paper towel and press down until it feels wet. Let sit for 30 minutes, replacing the paper towel once halfway through. 2-Preheat oven to 375˚F and line two: Preheat oven to 375˚F and line two sheet pans with parchment paper. 3-In a small saucepan over medium heat,: In a small saucepan over medium heat, whisk together the butter, brown sugar and honey until melted. 4-Remove from heat and whisk in the: Remove from heat and whisk in the flour, salt and vanilla until no lumps remain. 5-Optional: Optional: Let the dough cool so it’s easier to work with (we place ours in the freezer for 20 minutes). Each dollop of batter should be a heaping ½ teaspoon (~¾ teaspoon). Place the dollops of batter on the sheet pan, making sure to leave at least 3 inches of space between each cookie. (These spread a LOT!) 6-Bake for 6-8 minutes, until golden brown: Bake for 6-8 minutes, until golden brown. Remove from oven and carefully transfer the parchment paper + cookies to a cooling rack right away (we slide it off the pan to the cooling rack). 7-Let the florentines cool for about 30: Let the florentines cool for about 30 seconds just until they are cool enough to handle. Using the handle of a spatula or whisk (ours has a ¾-inch circumference), carefully wrap the florentine around the handle so the circle overlaps. It will harden pretty quickly. 8-Repeat with remaining florentines – if they: Repeat with remaining florentines – if they start to solidify too quickly, pop them back in the oven for 15 seconds to make them pliable again. 9-Make the ricotta filling: Make the ricotta filling: In a mixing bowl, mix together the drained ricotta, powdered sugar, vanilla, orange zest and mini chocolate chips until well combined. 10-Using a round piping tip, pipe the: Using a round piping tip, pipe the ricotta mixture into the florentine shells. Fill one side halfway, then flip and fill the other side. 11-Optional: Optional: dip each end in more mini chocolate chips or chopped pistachios. Enjoy!
Last Step:
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