Cottage Cheese Protein Cannoli Cups

If you love the taste of classic cannoli but want something a little lighter, these cottage cheese protein cannoli cups are for you.

They give you that creamy, sweet filling in a crisp little shell, without a lot of fuss.

The cottage cheese is the real star here. Once you blend it, it turns silky smooth and gives the filling a rich, creamy texture that feels just like the real thing.

These cups are also high in protein, so they make a nice treat that still feels a bit more filling than your average dessert.

A touch of orange zest and cinnamon adds warmth, and the chocolate chips and pistachios on top finish them off perfectly.

Why I Love This Recipe

All The Cannoli Flavor – You get that classic creamy cannoli taste with vanilla, orange zest, and cinnamon in every single bite.

Packed With Protein – Cottage cheese, Greek yogurt, and protein powder team up to make this treat surprisingly filling and satisfying.

Super Creamy Filling – Blending the cottage cheese for a minute or two turns it silky smooth with no lumps at all.

That Perfect Crunch – The crisp phyllo shells and chopped pistachios give a satisfying crunch against the soft filling.

The Ingredients

For The Cannoli Filling

• 2 cups Full Fat Cottage Cheese
• 1/2 cup Plain Greek Yogurt
• 1/3 cup Vanilla Protein Powder
• 3 tbsp Powdered Sugar
• 1 tsp Pure Vanilla Extract
• 1 tsp Fresh Orange Zest
• 1/4 tsp Ground Cinnamon
• 1/3 cup Mini Dark Chocolate Chips

For The Cups

• 12 Mini Phyllo Shells
• 1/4 cup Chopped Roasted Pistachios
• 1 tbsp Powdered Sugar

How to Make This Recipe

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 350 F. Arrange the phyllo shells on a baking sheet and bake for 4 to 5 minutes, until crisp and lightly golden.

Step 2

Cool the phyllo shells completely so the filling will remain thick and the shells will stay crisp.

Step 3

Blend the cottage cheese, Greek yogurt, vanilla protein powder, powdered sugar, vanilla, orange zest, and cinnamon for 1 to 2 minutes, until silky.

Step 4

Fold half of the mini chocolate chips into the cottage cheese filling. Refrigerate the filling for 30 minutes to firm it slightly.

Step 5

Spoon the chilled cannoli filling generously into the cooled phyllo shells shortly before serving.

Step 6

Finish the cannoli cups with the remaining chocolate chips, chopped pistachios, and a light dusting of powdered sugar.

Quick Tips

Strain The Cottage Cheese For A Thicker Filling

Full fat cottage cheese still holds a lot of liquid, and that water can make your filling runny once it sits in the shells.

My favorite trick here is to let the cottage cheese sit in a fine mesh strainer for about 10 minutes before blending. This pulls out the extra liquid so your filling comes out thick and scoopable, just like a real cannoli.

Blend Until Completely Smooth

Cottage cheese has those little curds, and if you stop blending too soon, your filling will feel lumpy instead of creamy.

I recommend blending for the full 1 to 2 minutes and scraping down the sides once or twice. You want it silky with no visible bits of curd before you fold anything in.

This is what makes the filling taste like classic cannoli cream instead of just sweetened cottage cheese.

Don’t Skip Chilling The Filling

That 30 minutes in the fridge is not just a suggestion, it really firms things up so the filling holds its shape in the shells.

From my experience, filling the shells while the mixture is still soft leads to a soupy mess that soaks into the phyllo. Give it the full chill time and you’ll get clean, pretty scoops.

More Favorites

• Cottage Cheese Protein Strawberry Cheesecake Cups
• Cottage Cheese Protein Tiramisu Cups
• Cottage Cheese Protein Chocolate Mousse
• Cottage Cheese Protein Lemon Cheesecake
• Cottage Cheese Protein Cinnamon Roll Cheesecake Bars

Quick Answers

Why does the cottage cheese need to be blended?

Cottage cheese has a lumpy, curdy texture on its own, so blending it turns it into a smooth and creamy filling that actually feels like real cannoli cream.

Give it a full 1 to 2 minutes until it looks silky, since a quick blend will leave it a little grainy.