These gluten free baked cannoli bites are a great handheld dessert that are great for entertaining. You will love that these little-baked cannoli cups are baked, and not fried. It makes them much healthier.
If you love dessert as much as I do, you will want to check out some of my best gluten free dessert recipes.
Since going gluten free, the one thing I have missed has been cannoli. It is flaky, crunchy, and just plain delicious. These baked cannoli bites are delicious and easy to make. These bite-sized desserts are perfect for entertaining and they look extra fancy on a dessert buffet.
You get all of that yummy cannoli flavor in a finger food portion!
Some of that crunch comes from frying the cannoli in oil. I have tried to re-create cannoli several times, but I wanted to try to make a healthier version that didn't need to be fried in oil.
I hope you will like these baked cannoli shells...trust me they are absolutely delicious!
Instructions:
Mix up your gluten free dough and then roll out the cold gluten free dough and use a small round cookie cutter to shape the dough.
What gluten free flour?
I have made this recipe successfully with both Bob's Red Mill 1 to 1 GF Blend and King Arthur GF Measure for Measure. If you are going to use a mix that is different, please ensure it contains Xanthan Gum. If it doesn't contain Xanthan Gum or Guar Gum, you will want to add 1 teaspoon to your mix.
The colder the dough, the easier it is to work with.
Press each circle into a mini muffin tin. Push in the middle to make cups. Bake until they are crispy and hard. Allow these gluten free cannoli cups to cool fully before adding the cannoli filling.
Can you make traditionally shaped cannoli rolls with this dough?
I did try to make traditionally shaped cannoli shells with this recipe but they didn't keep their shape well during baking. You could try to push an aluminum foil roll into the middle and see if it will hold its shape a little better.
Can I use other fillings?
You can use these cups for lots of different fillings. Here are a few ideas:
- Fill with a creamy mousse. My popular fresh raspberry mousse is a great choice!
- This homemade chocolate custard would make a great filling as well!
- Add a fresh strawberry and drizzle with melted chocolate.
I put the gluten free cannoli bites onto a rack and spooned in the mascarpone filling. You can also pipe the filling with a frosting bag and piping tip.
Top with sprinkles, or even dip the cannoli cups in dark chocolate...the sky is the limit with this dessert.
Are sprinkles gluten free?
Unfortunately, some sprinkles are NOT gluten free because they are made on shared equipment. If you are really sensitive to gluten as I am, you will want to use one of these gluten free sprinkle brands: Supernatural, Sweetapolita, or Unpretentious Baker.
More delicious party foods to try:
- These Gluten Free Mini Champagne Cupcakes look fabulous on a dessert buffet.
- If you haven't tried Gluten Free Chocolate Cake Pops, they are a fun dessert to make.
- Something a little different, this Gluten Free Mango Sushi is a fun dessert sushi!
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Gluten Free Baked Cannoli Bites
Ingredients
- 2 cups Bob's Red Mill 1 to 1 Gluten Free Flour Blend (*Note, my flour blend has xanthan gum included. If yours doesn't, add 1 teaspoon.)
- 3 tablespoons sugar
- ½ teaspoon cardamom
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup cold butter
- 1 large egg
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 6 tablespoons cold water
- For Filling:
- 8 ounces mascarpone cheese
- ½ teaspoon cardamom
- 3 tablespoons powdered sugar
Instructions
- In a large bowl, add all dry ingredients.
- Whisk to blend.
- Add cold butter and cut in with a pastry blender.
- Cut butter into flour mixture until it looks like large crumbs.
- Add remaining wet ingredients and mix well.
- On a floured surface, roll out dough to ¼ inch thickness.
- Use a round cookie cutter to cut out small circles.
- Press dough cut outs into mini muffin tin. Press center down with fingers to make bowls.
- Bake at 350 degrees for 10-15 minutes until done.
- Move to cooling rack and allow to cool.
- Filling
- Mix mascarpone cheese with sugar and cardamom.
- Use a spoon to fill each cup with mascarpone filling.
- Top with sprinkles.
- Spoon fill
Nutrition
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(*Note, this post was updated from an older June 2015 post.)
Brenda
If I wanted to omit the cardamom, what would you suggest using instead> These look great.
Sandi Gaertner
You can easily leave out the cardamom Brenda. Have a great holiday!
Mary Kvech
do they come out chewable. I tried something like this a while back and they were hard to bit through
Sandi Gaertner
Hi Mary, The baked shells are a little hard, but not so hard they are difficult to bite into. Frying definitely adds air bubbles and crispiness that can't be duplicated by baking.
Denisse | Le Petit Eats
This is a really cute idea!
Sandi Gaertner
Thank you so much Denise 🙂
Amanda
Ohhh, I love bite-size desserts! They're so cute and fun to eat. Will definitely have to give these a try!
Sandi Gaertner
These are perfectly bite-sized. I love them on a dessert buffet 🙂
Annissa
I love the process photos! They make it so much easier for people to understand how to make the recipe!
Sandi Gaertner
I am so glad this is helpful Annissa 🙂