Cannoli

User Reviews

5.0

21 reviews
Excellent
  • Prep Time

    1 hr

  • Additional Time

    1 hr

  • Total Time

    2 hrs

  • Servings

    25 cannoli

  • Calories

    154 kcal

  • Course

    Dessert

  • Cuisine

    Italian

Cannoli

Learn how to make my flawless homemade Cannoli recipe from scratch! My recipe yields homemade shells that are perfectly thin and crisp and a rich and creamy filling. Recipe includes a how-to video!

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Ingredients

Servings
  • 1 lb whole milk ricotta cheese

Cannoli Shells

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 Tablespoons granulated sugar
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 Tablespoon unsalted butter cold
  • 1 large egg yolk
  • cup marsala wine (see note)
  • 2 teaspoons white vinegar
  • vegetable oil for frying

Cannoli Filling

  • Strained ricotta cheese, from above
  • 2 cups powdered sugar divided
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 cup heavy cream, very cold
  • Mini chocolate chips or chopped pistachios for decorating optional
  • powdered sugar for dusting, optional
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Instructions

Strain Ricotta First:

  1. Place a large strainer in a mixing bowl, making sure there’s at least an inch of space between the bottom of the strainer and the bottom of the bowl. Line the strainer with two layers of cheesecloth (or you may use paper towels) then add the ricotta, wrap the cheesecloth around the ricotta and place something heavy over the cheesecloth to help squeeze the liquid out. Press firmly and then allow this to sit in the refrigerator for several hours or overnight.

Cannoli Shells

  1. Combine flour, sugar, salt, and ground cinnamon in the basin of a food processor and pulse to combine.
  2. Add the butter and briefly pulse until it’s cut into the mixture.
  3. Add egg yolk, wine, and vinegar and pulse until the dough is just combined. It will be a very dry, crumbly dough but if you take a spoonful of it and press it between your thumb and fingers it should cling together (see photos or video for visual if needed). If the dough is too dry you can add a splash more wine.
  4. Form the dough into two smooth disks, wrap each in plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for a minimum of 30-60 minutes.
  5. About 10 minutes before dough is finished chilling, fill a heavy-bottomed pot 2-3” deep with oil and heat over medium heat. Fix a candy thermometer on the side and monitor the temperature (you are aiming for a steady temperature of 375F (190C)).
  6. Remove one disk of dough from refrigerator and use a rolling pin to roll it as thin as you possibly can, aim for paper-thin thickness (though it’s likely you won’t be able to get it quite this thin).
  7. Use a 3.5” round cookie cutter to cut out as many circles as you can from the dough, then repeat with the other half of your dough. While you can re-group the scraps and re-roll them out, the shells tend to puff and look craggy and thick when this is done, so try to get as many cuts as possible out of each first roll.
  8. Wrap the dough around the length of the cannoli tube so the ends overlap. Keep a dish of water nearby and dab a bit of water on the seam to press the edges together firmly so they stick and don’t pop apart when frying (see image or video for visual).
  9. Once oil reaches a steady 375F (190C), use a pair of tongs to carefully lower 2-3 shells into the oil. Cook for 90-120 seconds or golden brown. Use tongs to carefully remove them from the oil and place on a cooling rack (place paper towels underneath for easy cleanup!).
  10. Allow to cool for several minutes then carefully remove the tube from the shell (you’ll need to wipe clean and reuse the tubes). I do this by using two paper towels to avoid having to touch the hot shell or tube.
  11. Repeat with remaining dough until you have fried all of your shells (always make sure oil returns to temperature before frying the next round of shells), then prepare your filling.

Cannoli Filling

  1. Place your strained ricotta in a large bowl and stir in 1 ¾ cup (215g) powdered sugar and vanilla extract. In a separate bowl, combine heavy cream and ¼ cup (35g) powdered sugar and beat until you achieve stiff peaks.
  2. Stir together the ricotta mixture and the whipped cream until combined. Refrigerate in an airtight container until ready to fill and serve your shells.
  3. Pipe filling into cannoli shells (I used a Wilton 4B tip but any tip that fits into the shell will work!). If desired, sprinkle ends with mini chocolate chips or finely chopped nuts and dust shells with powdered sugar. Enjoy!

Notes

  • Marsala wine is ideal for this recipe for the best taste & texture of the cannoli shell, but I have successfully substituted water.
  • Ideally, fill the cannoli shells shortly before serving as they can become soggy.
  • The dough for the shells may be prepared 3-5 days in advance of frying. Fried shells may be prepared and stored in an airtight container at room temperature for several days or in the freezer for several months before using. Filling may be assembled and stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 3-5 days before using.
  • I don’t recommend freezing filled cannoli as the texture/quality of the filling may degrade.

Nutrition Information

Show Details
Serving 1cannoli Calories 154kcal (8%) Carbohydrates 19g (6%) Protein 3g (6%) Fat 7g (11%) Saturated Fat 4g (20%) Trans Fat 1g Cholesterol 31mg (10%) Sodium 43mg (2%) Potassium 41mg (1%) Fiber 1g (4%) Sugar 11g (22%) Vitamin A 245IU (5%) Vitamin C 1mg (1%) Calcium 47mg (5%) Iron 1mg (6%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 25cannoli

Amount Per Serving

Calories 154 kcal

% Daily Value*

Serving 1cannoli
Calories 154kcal 8%
Carbohydrates 19g 6%
Protein 3g 6%
Fat 7g 11%
Saturated Fat 4g 20%
Trans Fat 1g 50%
Cholesterol 31mg 10%
Sodium 43mg 2%
Potassium 41mg 1%
Fiber 1g 4%
Sugar 11g 22%
Vitamin A 245IU 5%
Vitamin C 1mg 1%
Calcium 47mg 5%
Iron 1mg 6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

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5.0

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