Wanderzest

  • Home
  • Recipes
    • Appetizers
    • Bread
    • Breakfast
    • Dessert
    • Drinks
    • Dinner
    • Side Dishes
    • Toppings and Sauces
  • About
  • Subscribe
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Memorial Day
  • Recipes
  • Travel
  • About
  • Subscribe
subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • Memorial Day
  • Recipes
  • Travel
  • About
  • Subscribe
×
Home » Recipes » Dessert

Homemade Cannoli

Updated: Mar 13, 2025 · Published: Jul 17, 2020 by Ashley Amundsen · This post may contain affiliate links. · Leave a Comment

Pinterest pin for homemade cannoli.
↓ Jump to Recipe
Pin the Recipe

These Homemade Cannoli are made with crisp and flaky fried shells filled with a creamy and sweet ricotta filling and dipped in mini chocolate chips. It's a classic Italian dessert that looks as good as it tastes and will impress everyone who tries it!

A stack of homemade cannoli on a white plate.

Cannoli is one dessert that always intimidated me. Surely, making homemade cannoli shells AND filling would be complicated and time-consuming, right? Oh, was I so wrong! These are actually so easy to make. While they take a little bit of time and patience, they aren't hard!

Honestly, the hardest part about making this Italian pastry is learning how to fry the shells without them falling off the cannoli forms. But, don't let that stop you! I will teach you the ways!

With a little bit of practice and the right tools, you can become a cannoli master in no time (and impress your friends with your new pastry-making skills!)

Jump to:
  • 🥘 Ingredients
  • 🔪 Instructions
  • 💭 FAQs
  • 🍝 More Italian-Inspired Recipes
  • 📋 Recipe
  • ⭐ Reviews
A white plate with homemade cannoli.

🥘 Ingredients

  • Flour
  • Sugar
  • Salt
  • Butter
  • Egg
  • White wine or white grape juice
  • Ricotta cheese
  • Powdered sugar
  • Cinnamon
  • Vanilla
  • Mini chocolate chips

🔪 Instructions

Shells:

  1. Add flour, sugar, and salt to a mixing bowl. Combine ingredients. Add in butter and mix with mixer until no large clumps remain.
  2. Mix in wine and egg.
  3. Transfer dough to a greased bowl.
  4. Heat a large pot with vegetable oil
  5. Roll dough out and cut with a cookie cutter.
  6. Wrap dough circles around cannoli forms.
  7. Carefully place each shell in the oil. Fry until golden.
  8. Remove shells from oil using metal tongs. Allow shells to cool before filling.

Filling:

  1. Mix together ricotta, powdered sugar, cinnamon, and vanilla.
  2. Scoop filling into a pastry bag.
  3. Pipe filling into the cannoli shells.
  4. Dip each end of cannoli with chocolate chips and dust with powdered sugar.
A line of homemade cannoli on a white plate.

💭 FAQs

Can You Buy Cannoli Shells?

If you want to take the easy route, you can buy premade cannoli shells. But what's the fun in that?! I find homemade cannoli shells are fresher and taste more authentic, but if you're pressed for time (or don't want to put in the extra effort) there is no shame in buying premade. I won't judge!

How Do You Thicken Up Cannoli Filling?

I've found that the number one reason why cannoli filling isn't thick is that the ricotta cheese wasn't drained. This one simple step is SO important if you want a thick filling! And it's so easy to do!

To drain the ricotta, you simply line a fine mesh strainer with a cheesecloth and place it over a bowl. Scoop the ricotta into the strainer and place the strainer and bowl in the fridge with a heavy object on top (I usually use something I already have in the fridge, like a container of sour cream). I've found this is easiest to do the night before you plan on making the ricotta.

How Long Can You Keep Homemade Cannoli Filling in the Fridge?

Cannoli filling can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.

🍝 More Italian-Inspired Recipes

  • Stracciatella Gelato
  • Lemon Italian Ricotta Cookies
  • Chocolate Tiramisu
  • Easy Peach Tiramisu
  • Garlic and Rosemary Focaccia Bread

If you make this recipe, let me know what you think! I’d love it if you could add a star rating ★ and a comment below. Be sure to follow me on Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook, too!

📋 Recipe

A stack of homemade cannoli on a white plate.

Homemade Cannoli

Ashley Amundsen
These homemade cannoli are made with crisp and flaky fried shells filled with a creamy and sweet ricotta filling and dipped in mini chocolate chips. It's a classic Italian dessert that looks as good as it tastes, and it's sure to impress everyone who tries it!
No ratings yet
Print Recipe Pin Recipe Save Saved!
Prep Time 40 minutes mins
Cook Time 25 minutes mins
Total Time 1 hour hr 50 minutes mins
Course Dessert
Cuisine Italian
Servings 28 cannoli
Calories 89 kcal
Prevent your screen from going dark

Ingredients
  

Shells

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 ½ tablespoon granulated sugar
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 2 tablespoon unsalted butter
  • 1 egg
  • ½ cup white wine or white grape juice + 1 tablespoon vinegar

Filling

  • 2 cups ricotta cheese drained
  • ¾ cup powdered sugar
  • ½ teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • mini chocolate chips for garnish

Instructions
 

  • CannoliAdd flour, sugar and salt to a mixing bowl. Combine ingredients. Add in butter and mix with mixer until no large clumps remain. Mix in wine (or grape juice) and egg.
  • Transfer dough to a greased bowl and allow to rest for 30 minutes.
  • Heat a large pot with vegetable oil. Oil should reach 345-355F.
  • Roll dough out onto a floured surface. Dough should be very thin (about 1/16-inch). Use a 4 inch cookie cutter to cut dough out.
  • Grease cannoli forms and wrap dough circles around each form. Brush half of the dough with an egg white and press dough around the form.
  • Carefully place each shell in the preheated oil. Fry until golden brown, about 1-2 minutes.
  • Remove shells from oil using metal tongs. Place on a paper towel. Use paper towels to remove the shells from the cannoli forms.
  • Allow shells to cool before adding filling.
  • FillingScoop the ricotta into a fine mesh strainer lined with a cheesecloth. Place the strainer over a bowl, cover the ricotta with the cheesecloth and then place a heavy object on top (like a can or container). Refrigerate for 12 hours to allow the liquid to drain.
  • Mix together ricotta, powdered sugar, cinnamon and vanilla. Scoop filling into a pastry bag. Pipe filling into the cannoli shells.
  • Dip filled cannoli into chocolate chips and sprinkle with powdered sugar.

Notes

Adapted from Cooking Classy
  • Cannoli does not store well as the shells get soggy, so it's best to enjoy this dessert right away.
  • If you don't plan on eating the cannoli right away, you can store the filling and shells separately and then assemble them right before consuming.

Nutrition

Calories: 89kcalCarbohydrates: 11gProtein: 3gFat: 3gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.2gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0.03gCholesterol: 17mgSodium: 39mgPotassium: 33mgFiber: 0.3gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 112IUVitamin C: 0.02mgCalcium: 40mgIron: 1mg
Did you try the recipe?Leave us a review!

More Delicious Easy Desserts

  • Butterbeer Crepes (Epic Universe Copycat)
  • Dulce de leche snickerdoodles broken in half and placed in a stack.
    Dulce de Leche Snickerdoodles
  • Drizzling salted caramel sauce on top of a piece of bread pudding. The pan with the rest of the pudding is in the background.
    Irish Bread Pudding with Salted Caramel Sauce
  • Pani Popo (Samoan Coconut Sweet Rolls)

Comments

No Comments

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




Ashley

Hi, I'm Ashley! I created Wanderzest as a place to share traditional foods and fusion recipes inspired by different cultures. I hope you enjoy experiencing the world through food with me!

More about me →

Memorial Day

  • Coconut Lemongrass Tea

  • Thai Peanut Sauce

  • Thai Cucumber Salad

  • Chicken Satay on a black surface.
    Baked Chicken Satay

  • Chicken gyro on a wood surface.
    Greek Chicken Gyros

  • Greek tzatziki in a white bowl next to cucumbers and carrots.
    Greek Tzatziki

See more Memorial Day →

Featured On

Trending Recipes

  • Stroopwafels in a stack with a spoon drizzling caramel on top.
    Dutch Stroopwafels

  • A stack of homemade cannoli on a white plate.
    Homemade Cannoli

  • Piece of mochi with a bit taken out of it.
    Custard Mochi (Daifuku)

  • Pita bread on a plate next to a bottle of olive oil.
    Homemade Pita Bread

  • A piece of hagelslag bread on a white plate.
    Dutch Hagelslag

  • How to Cook Frozen Chicken in the Instant Pot

Footer

As Seen On...

↑ back to top

About

  • Privacy Policy
  • Disclaimer
  • Terms & Conditions
  • Accessibility Policy

Recipes

  • Dinner
  • Dessert
  • Side Dishes

Contact

  • Work with Me
  • Press
  • Contact

As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Copyright © 2025 Wanderzest

  • 122
1.1K shares

Rate This Recipe

Your vote:




A rating is required
A name is required
An email is required