Thanks so much to everyone for the bday wishes! We’re continuing the celebration this weekend by going out for dinner and on a little shopping spree! There’s something about the seasons changing that makes me want to buy a whole new wardrobe.
It feels like summer is almost over, but a few weeks ago during the hottest weekend of the year, my baby brother drove up to visit us after a business trip in NYC! It was his first time in Boston, so we went on a Duck Boat tour and checked out parts of the Freedom Trail, harbor, and Harvard Square. Two of the highlights were visiting the Harpoon Brewery (where they let you sample as many kinds of beer that you’d like on tap for free!) and indulging in a delicious Italian feast in the North End. After dinner we decided to have a throwdown and bought cannolis from both Mike’s Pastry and Modern Pastry, which have a bit of a rivalry. The ricotta filling is sweeter at Modern and the shells are more crispy because they fill them as you order them. But, the cannolis at Mike’s are double the size for the same price and are covered in more chocolate, which is always a good thing! In the end, I voted for Modern, Richard voted for Mike’s, and Apolinaras couldn’t pick a favorite, so it was a tie. The moral of the story is that you really can’t go wrong with either choice!
I was inspired by our cannoli battle to make these cute little cannoli chips! I decided to use pita chips as the base since they’re so crispy, and then topped them with sweetened ricotta cheese and mini chocolate chips. Not quite as good as the real thing, of course, but a very satisfying treat that comes together quickly and is perfect for using up that last bit of ricotta at the bottom of the tub! I suggest making the entire batch of ricotta at once and then topping just the chips you’re going to eat that day so they don’t get soggy.
Cannoli Chips
Printable Recipe
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups part-skim ricotta cheese
1/4 cup powdered sugar
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
24 pita chips
1/4 cup mini chocolate chips
Directions:
Mix ricotta cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract in a medium bowl until smooth. Spread 1 tablespoon of ricotta mixture onto each pita chip and sprinkle mini chocolate chips evenly on top. Makes 24 cannoli chips (4 servings).
Nutrition: 309 calories, 14.3g fat, 1.1g fiber, 13.5g protein per serving
Cost: $0.73 per serving
Cake, Batter, and Bowl features my original recipes for quick, healthy, and inexpensive weeknight meals and indulgent weekend treats. Enjoy!
Aww, how cute! And I meant the cannoli chips AND the three of you! You guys looked adorable in those pics and I’m glad your bro had fun. Have a blast on your shopping spree…I wish it were me! Enjoy the long weekend. -Nicole
This is such a cute idea! Now that I know how easy it is to make ricotta, I’m trying to find a bunch of new recipes to use it, and I love this one!
genius! I like how there’s a “moral” to the story that basically says eat conollis. yes, please!
these look great. glad you’re continuing the celebration
I LOVE this idea! So creative, and I’m sure very yummy. My husband and I have a friend from NYC coming up this weekend, and both the Harpoon Brewery and the North End are on our list of things to do. A cannoli is definitely a must as well – we’ll have to decide whether to go to Modern or Mike’s… thanks for the taste test review!
I love this! great idea , these canolli chips…
Great idea! It sounds like the perfect little bite. It would work really well as an apetizer for a coctail party. Yum! Happy birthday again, and I completely relate to the wardrobe change desire. I am the same way.
What delicious little treats!! I love them!
I love how cute and easy these seem to be! When I lived in Boston, I wasn’t too excited about Mike’s Pastries but I’ve been spoiled by the cannolis here in NYC. I never got to Modern. When I was in the North End, I usually tended towards gelato instead!
These would be great to serve at a dinner party.
I love this idea! The cannoli chips look like such scrumptious cute little sweet bites!
These look great! I’m usually not a fan of cannolis. I don’t like the cheese to pastry ratio. These look like a perfect thing for me to try!
Awesome…what a fabulous idea! Although I think I’d have a hard time eating just one. Or two. Or three….
That is very creative indeed, Kerstin! Very cute and perfect finger dessert!
They look delicious. I’m not a ricotta fan though but they look delish. Still need to get some plantains and get round to making the gnocchi. I am enamoured by that recipe considering I’ve only every had Plantains savoury (in all my 33 years on this glorious earth). You get my award for revolutionalising African cooking! Well done
Wow, nutrition facts and cost per serving, that is great that you provide such valuable information.
I just found some actual cannoli shells at a deli close to my house so I was excited to recreate creations I’ve seen in chic pastries too! Loving the ricotta, I bet they were delcious! I was wondering what I would do if I found a great filling but worried what I would do if I ever moved since I had never seen them before and wondered if I could ever find them again. I guess Pita chips is the answer, I’ll use pita chips!
Oh. My. Word. Those look absolutely amazing!!!!! I love cannoli. I think I need to make these immediately. And happy birthday! I’m glad you’re having fun celebrating.
Again — YUM!!
WHAT a great idea! cannoli chips! thank you for your creativity!
Shopping spree and Mike’s cannoli, how can you go wrong? My in-laws laws in Boston and we always go to B&G when we’re there…I’m glad you had a good time with your brother. Hey, thanks for the PBO support, I really really appreciate it. When did you leave Chicago?
What a neat idea this is!!
The food looks so lovely!! Cute too!
What a fabulous idea and they look simply darling! Very creative.
Sounds like you’re having a great weekend! Great idea with the cannoli chips. They look so cute with the mini choc chips.
oowww thats so cute! chips look hmmm…delicious!
I want to try those chips, so cute.
I am craving cannolis at this very minute….I’ve never made them; always bought them. You are my inspiration!
Whoaaa… really a good idea and creation! Yummm….
What a fabulous idea — they look scrumptious!!
What a great (and cute) idea!
These pictures are cracking me up – it looks like you two have so much fun together!
Cannoli chips are an awesome idea!
Haha nice pictures!
These sound like a good snack. I loooove cannoli.
Anything with the word cannoli in it HAS to be great!!!
That’s a great idea! I don’t have any pita chips, but I have vanilla wafers, I wonder if that would work??
And happy belated birthday!!!
Such a great idea! I love it!
These are soooo cute!!! What a great idea! I’ve actually never had cannoli before since they’re usually covered in nuts, I never really thought to make something similar at home! Love your pictures too!!!
How cool!! Thanks for the recipe, I will def try these out.
Happy Birthday! Looks like you had a blast! And cannoli chips are genius!!!!
Aww how adorable! I hope you had a wonderful bday!
Monica told me the other day you had this recipe up! YUM, I LOVE cannoli filling. I don’t need the shell but I really like the idea of a chip. I’m thinking I can toast cut up and toast some tortillas sprinkled with a little sugar as I always have some on hand. Thank for sharing!
Btw, It looks like you guys had a blast!
~ingrid
These are so cute! I love cannoli anything, so I know I would love these. Yum. Hope you had a great birthday!
I love cannolis! Especially the triple chocolate ones at Mike’s! This is such an adorable idea. I bet those cinnamon sugar Stacy’s pita chips would make great bases too!
This is soooooo coooool!! Awesome idea, hard to resist…Way to go!! Nice to see you three having fun
!!
Thanks everyone! I’m glad our goofy pictures made people smile
Megan – Great idea to use the cinnamon sugar pita chips, I’ll have to try that next time!
I haven’t yet tried those cannolis, but i do love them
looks like you had fun!!
Adorable idea – those would be sooo cute for a party!
great idea!! they look soo pretty and cute! a must make
Oh my. I’m totally trying these tonight. What a great idea!
Yummy! I’ve got to try this recipe out. Would make a perfect last minute summer dessert.
These look amazing. What kind of Pita chips are best for these? The only ones I can find are triangular but I’d love some round ones!