Cannoli Cream Filled Chocolate Chip Cookie Cups #ChocolateParty

Cannoli Cream filled Chocolate Chip Cookie Cup | Bakewell Junction

Oh, no!  I missed the last two weeks of the 12 Weeks of Christmas Treats blog hop and haven’t posted in a while because my laptop went kaput.  Not fun.  A nasty virus took over the entire machine and blocked me from doing anything.  While it was an old machine anyway, I was trying to eek out some more time with it.

On to better things with this month’s #ChocolateParty.  The theme for the December Chocolate Party is any type of chocolate cookie.

I love Cannoli Cream filling but I was never fond of the Cannoli shell.  To me, the shell is only a vehicle to get my fill of Cannoli Cream yumminess.  I’ve made cookie cannoli shells before but they were very delicate.  I thought that making the shell out of my favorite chocolate chip cookie dough would be less fragile.  My attempt failed because I couldn’t shape the cookies after they were baked.  They broke instead of curling into a cylinder.  I had to change plans quickly, so I changed the shape with the remaining dough into cookie cups using a regular sized cupcake pan.  Boy, you can get a whole lot of Cannoli Cream into those cookie cups!  Yum!

These would be wonderful as an addition to your New Year’s dessert table.  You will need to begin preparing the ingredients ahead of time and assemble just before serving.  I served them as one of the desserts for Thanksgiving and there was no talking as everyone was eating them, just mmmmm’s from the very first bite.  Great endorsement, wouldn’t you agree?

Cannoli Cream filled Chocolate Chip Cookie Cups

Yield:  30 servings                  Cook Time:  15 minutes

Dough:

• 4 ounces chocolate bar (I used Hershey’s)
• 1 cup room temperature butter (2 sticks)
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups flour
• 2 1/4 cups old fashioned oatmeal
• 2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips (I used Ghirardelli’s)

Cannoli Cream Filling:

• 2 lb container Polly-O ricotta cheese, drained overnight in a 2-ply cheesecloth (it drains best at room temperature, provided it’s cooler than 70 degrees)
• 1 1/2 t vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 c powdered sugar, sifted
• 2/3 c mini chocolate chips; plus some additional for garnish

Topping:

• mini chocolate chips (I prefer Ghirardelli)
• Chocolate sprinkles or colored sprinkles (Holiday colored)

Directions:

Step 1:  For the Cannoli Cream filling:  at least three days before serving, mix drained ricotta, vanilla and sugar together.  Move the mixture to a food processor (I used a small Kitchen Aid chopper) and mix until the filling is smooth and is the right consistency.  Depending on the size of your food processor or chopper, you may need to mix in small batches.

Step 2:  Fold in the mini chocolate chips, cover loosely and store at least overnight (better yet two nights) in the refrigerator.  When ready to fill, transfer the filling to a gallon size Ziploc bag make a 1/2 inch cut on one corner of the Ziploc bag.  Use as a pastry bag to fill the chocolate chip cookie cups.

Step 3:  For the cookie cups:  Grate the chocolate bar and set aside.  Grind the oatmeal to a fine powder in a blender, food processor or mini chopper.  Since I only have a mini chopper, I grind this in two batches.  This isn’t mandatory but to make sure the oatmeal is ground finely enough, I put the oatmeal through a sieve and whatever is left gets ground again.  I repeat this process until my mini chopper can’t grind it anymore.  At the end if there’s a small amount that can’t be ground finely enough, I discard it.  In a large bowl, combine the ground oatmeal, flour, salt, baking powder and baking soda and set aside.

Step 4:  With an electric mixer beat the butter and sugars together for about 4 to 5 minutes until the mixture is fluffy.  Beat the eggs and vanilla into the butter mixture.  Add in the flour mixture using a spatula or wooden spoon until incorporated.  Mix in the chocolate chips and grated chocolate bar.  Optionally chill dough for several hours to overnight.  This helps the flavors meld.  Try not to eat too much of the dough.

Step 5:  Line a regular sized cupcake pan with paper cupcake liners.  Lightly press about a tablespoon of cookie dough into the bottom of each liner.  Add about another tablespoon of cookie dough for the sides of the cup.  Carefully spread the cookie dough evenly around the sides.  Bake in a preheated 375 degree oven for 10 minutes.  Lower the oven temperature to 350 degrees and bake for another 5 minutes.  The cookie cups will be puffed up and look like cupcakes.  Cool 5 minutes.  Using a mini ladle (1 or 2 ounce size), press the cup side down into the cookie cups to make a well in the center.  You can also use the back of a spoon or a pestle to create the well.  Let the cookie cups cool completely.  Repeat for the remaining dough.

Step 6:  Fill the cookie cups with Cannoli cream.  Top with mini chocolate chips, chocolate sprinkles and or red and green Christmas sprinkles.  Serve immediately.

Storing:  Store empty cookie cups in a sealed plastic container for a few days.

Enjoy!!!

Recipe adapted from the fake Neiman Marcus Cookie recipe e-mail that’s been all over the internet.

Our #ChocolateParty December theme is any type of chocolate cookies.  If you’d like to join in, please follow these rules:

1.)  Blog about your chocolate treat.  Your recipe must include the two ingredients we choose.  It can be a simple no bake treat or a sophisticated layer cake; the complexity level of the recipe is totally up to you.
2.)  Include a link back to the Chocolate party page.  Optionally, add the Chocolate Party logo in your blog post or on your sidebar.
3.)  Your recipe must be published during the current month.  Please do not link old recipes, they will be deleted.

I hope you’ll join our party and bake along with us.  Also, if you’d like to know what are we up to and what ingredients we pick for the next parties, join our Facebook group.

All submitted posts will be pinned to the Chocolate party Pinterest board and will be promoted on other social media platforms using the #chocolateparty hashtag.

Add your link to the Chocolate Cookies Party.  Your link will be displayed on the Roxana’s Home Baking site.

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