Cannoli Chocolate Chip Cookies

(makes about 30 cookies)

Cookie Ingredients:

• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
• 1 cup sugar
• ½ cup butter, room temperature (one stick)
• 1 teaspoon orange zest
• 1 cup whole milk ricotta cheese
• 1 large egg
• ½ cup chopped semi sweet chocolate (mini chocolate chips work too)
• ½ cups shelled pistachios, lightly chopped
• 1 tablespoon powdered sugar, for dusting (if not frosting)

Orange Glaze Ingredients:

• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 2 tablespoons milk (I used Orange Juice and no zest)
• ½ teaspoon grated orange zest
• pistachios and mini chocolate chips for topping (optional)

Directions:

1. Line a baking pan with a baking mat or parchment paper; set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg; set aside.
3. In a large bowl, use an electric mixer on medium/high to mix together the sugar, butter, and orange zest, until mixture is light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Beat in the ricotta, and egg, and mix until combined. Add in the flour mixture and mix until just combined. Fold in the chopped chocolate and pistachios.
4. Cover the cookie dough with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours.
5. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Remove cookie dough from refrigerator and use a cookie scoop to measure out about a tablespoon of batter and roll into a ball. Place on preapred baking sheets leaving about 2 inches between cookie balls.
6. Bake for 12-14 (try like 15) minutes or until the bottom of the cookie starts to brown slightly. Note that the cookies will not change color much. Cool in pan for 5 minutes before removing to wire rack to cool completely. cannoli cookies cooling on a wire cooling rack.
7. Once cooled, use a fine mesh sieve to dust the top of the cookies with the powdered sugar or orange glaze (step 8).
8. For the orange glaze, whisk together the powdered sugar, milk and zest in a small bowl. Dip the top of the cookies in the icing and top with pistachios and chocolate chips.

Notes

See cannoli muffins for related recipe