cannoli

Cannoli recipe with crisp shells and creamy ricotta filling, ready in under 90 minutes. Learn how to get that signature crunchy texture in your own kitchen.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Total Time 1 31

Servings: 12 pieces

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: Italian

Calories: 250

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

Shells

2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
0.25 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons unsalted butter cold, cut into small pieces
1 large egg
0.5 cup dry white wine or water
1 tablespoon white vinegar
1 liter vegetable oil for frying

Ricotta filling

2 cups ricotta cheese drained overnight
0.75 cup powdered sugar
0.5 teaspoon vanilla extract
0.25 cup mini chocolate chips
0.25 cup candied orange peel optional

To finish

0.25 cup powdered sugar for dusting

Method

Making the shells

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, and salt.
Add the cold butter and rub it in with your fingers until the mixture looks sandy, with a few small pea-sized bits left.
Beat together the egg, wine, and vinegar. Stir into the flour mixture. Work it until you get a shaggy dough, then knead by hand for 3-4 minutes, till smooth.
Cover with plastic wrap and let rest for 30 minutes. Don’t skip this step — it makes the dough easier to roll thin.
Divide dough in half. On a lightly floured surface, roll each half as thin as you can (2 mm is ideal). Cut into 10 cm circles (an upside down bowl works if you don’t have a cutter).
Wrap each circle around a metal cannoli tube, sealing the edge with a bit of water or beaten egg white. Don’t overwrap — the shells need to be hollow enough for filling.
Heat oil in a wide pot to 180°C (350°F). Fry 2-3 cannoli at a time for 1-2 minutes, turning with tongs, until deeply golden and blistered. Drain on paper towels. Let cool, then carefully slide out the tubes. (If they stick, gently twist; don’t force or they may crack.)

Making the ricotta filling

In a medium bowl, stir together drained ricotta, powdered sugar, and vanilla until smooth.
Mix in mini chocolate chips and candied orange peel (if using).
If the filling feels runny, set in the fridge for 10–15 minutes. The cold helps it firm up.

Filling and finishing

Just before serving, pipe or spoon the filling into both ends of each shell. Don’t fill ahead or the shells will soften.
Dip the ends in more chocolate chips or a little chopped pistachio, if you want.
Dust generously with powdered sugar right before eating. Don’t be shy — the crunch and sweetness are the whole point.

Notes

I only make cannoli at home when I want that fresh-from-the-fryer crunch you never get with pre-filled store versions. The texture is the whole reason to go through the little bit of trouble here.

Tips that save time and headache

Letting the dough rest really does make it easier to roll thin — I tried skipping it, and what I got was stubby, tough shells. Two minutes with the rolling pin feels like forever, but you want them close to see-through before you fry. If you don’t have metal tubes, use a few layers of rolled-up foil — not as pretty, but it works in a pinch.

Drain the ricotta overnight in a fine sieve (just set a bowl underneath and refrigerator it). If you skip this, the filling will seep out and make the shells soggy in under 20 minutes. Learned that one the hard way.

Substitutions and variations

Mascarpone sounds fancy, but honestly ricotta is the classic and gives the right texture. You can swap in chopped dark chocolate or pistachios for the mini chips. Just don’t use regular chocolate chips — they’re bulky and throw off the bite.

If orange peel isn’t your thing, a few drops of orange zest brightens the filling without making it sweet.

Storing cannoli

Don’t fill shells ahead — even an hour in the fridge and they go limp. I keep the fried shells in an airtight tin (not plastic, it traps moisture) for up to three days. Prep the filling and just pipe right before eating. Shells not crisp enough? Pop them in a 180°C oven for 3 minutes to revive the crunch.