Homemade cannoli coated with cinnamon and sugar and stuffed with a sweet cream cheese cannoli filling is a true to-the-point dish! This cannoli recipe can be fried, air-fried or baked!
Cannoli Recipe
I used to think cannoli were for special occasions. One at an Italian restaurant. Definitely something I always looked forward to at my favorite Italian bakery.
Then I learned how to make it at home. This fancy dessert was much easier than I thought it would be. It takes time, but the results are definitely worth the effort.
What is a cannoli?
A cannoli is an Italian pastry that features a crispy tube-shaped crust filled with a sweet, creamy filling made from ricotta.
A cannoli is made up of two parts: the cannoli shell and the cannoli filling. The cannoli shell is made with marsala wine, which gives the dough a unique flavor and helps give the shell its excellent fluffiness.
The rolls are usually fried, but can also be air-fried or baked. The three methods are described below.
What is cannoli filling?
Cannoli are famous for their creamy filling made from ricotta (sometimes mascarpone) and chocolate chips. It is delicate and sweet and can be enjoyed as a dip on its own. Serve with your favorite crackers and fresh fruit.
Tip! If you don’t have cannoli tubes (molds) and buying them is a hassle, you can easily make your own using aluminum foil. Simply make a tube shape out of aluminum foil and wrap the shells around it. It is easy and completely safe.
Ingredients for the cake roll recipe
There are only five ingredients for the shells and five for the filling. The chocolate coating is optional in this cannoli recipe, but it is delicious. You can find the full printable recipe on the recipe card at the bottom of this article. Let’s see what you need.
Ingredients for Pancake Roll Shells
- Medium-strength flour (for the base of the cannoli shells)
- Fine granulated sugar… For sweetening.
- Salted butter – If using salted butter, add 1/4 teaspoon salt.
- Eggs – Eggs will separate.
- Marsala wine (white wine or white grape juice may be substituted).
Ingredients for the frittata filling
- Fresh cream … To give the filling a light texture.
- Ricotta – to give the cannoli filling its characteristic texture and creamy flavor.
- Vanilla essence: to give flavor and balance to the filling.
- Cinnamon powder
- Mini chocolate chips
Chocolatey coating
- Butter
- White sugar
- Cinnamon
How to Make Cannoli
The first step in making cannoli is to make the shell. There are three methods: deep frying (the traditional method), air frying, and baking. The three methods are explained below, so you can choose the method that works best for you. You will find all the printable recipes on the recipe card at the bottom of this article.
Roll Cake Dough
- In the bowl of a food processor, add the flour, sugar, and butter. Pulse until the mixture is the size of peas.
- Add the egg yolks and Marsala wine and form a batter.
- Wrap tightly in cling film. Chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes and up to 4 hours.
- Roll out on a lightly floured table to about 215-1/16 inch thick.
- Cut out 3-inch circles with a round cookie cutter. Gather remaining dough and stretch again to obtain as much cannoli as possible.
- In a small bowl, beat egg whites until very loose. Set aside.
Air Fryer Pancake Rolls Instructions
To make cannoli shells in an air fryer.
- Preheat air fryer to 400°F.
- Lightly spray a cannoli tube with nonstick spray and loosely roll the dough around the tube. Brush one end of the dough with egg white and press the other end on top to seal one side. Do the same with the remaining dough.
- Place in air fryer and cook until shell is firm and crisp, 5 to 7 minutes.
- Remove from the mold and cool completely on a wire rack.
Frying procedure (traditional method)
Fry the shells.
- Heat oil in a Dutch oven or large saucepan to 350°F.
- Spray a cannoli tube with nonstick spray and roll the dough into a circle. Brush one side of the dough with egg white and press the other side over the top to seal one side.
- Fry for 1-2 minutes until golden brown, then place on paper towels to absorb excess oil.
- Transfer to a rack and let cool completely before adding the filling.
Baking.
Bake the shells.
- Lightly spray a cannoli tube with nonstick spray and roll the dough loosely around it. Brush one end of the dough with egg white and press the other end on top to seal one side.
- Bake at 375 degrees F for 15 to 17 minutes or until golden brown.
- Remove cannoli from molds and cool completely on a wire rack before filling.
Cannoli Filling.
- If ricotta is very wet, strain or spread on paper towels to absorb excess moisture. You can place a paper towel on the bottom and another on top of the ricotta and press down gently to release excess water.
- Beat the cream at high speed to stiff peaks.
- Add the squeezed ricotta, vanilla extract, cinnamon, and mini chocolate chips and mix until combined.
- Place in a squeeze bag and refrigerate until firm.
Churro coating and assembly
This process is completely optional, but delicious! Try it at least once.
- In a large bowl, melt butter. In another large bowl, mix together the cinnamon and sugar.
- Brush the outside of the pastry with melted butter and roll in the cinnamon and sugar mixture.
- Fill cannoli with tipped piping bag. Sprinkle with crushed pistachios or additional mini chocolate chips at the end and serve immediately.
Frequently asked questions about cannoli recipes
Do I have to use Marsala wine?
No. You can use white wine. You can substitute white wine. Also, if you do not want to use alcohol, use white grape juice.
Can I make the cannoli ahead of time?
Cannoli can be made a week in advance. Store in an airtight container at room temperature. Canoli fillings can be made 4 days in advance and should be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Do not assemble until ready to serve.
Variations.
- Dip the filling in the chocolate before adding the filling.
- Add a little orange zest to the cannoli filling.
- Place the cannoli on a tray and dust with cocoa powder or powdered sugar.
- You can use commercial shells to make it quicker.
Churro Cannolis (Cannoli Recipe and Cannoli Filling)
These homemade cannoli are coated with cinnamon and sugar and filled with a sweet and creamy ricotta cannoli filling. This cannoli recipe can be fried, air fried, or baked!
Course : Dessert
Cuisine : Italian
Keyword : cannoli filling, cannoli filling recipe, cannoli recipe, cannolis
Prep Time 20 minutes Cook Time 15 minutes Servings 12 Calories 198kcal
Ingredients
Cannoli Shells
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons salted butter
- 1 large egg separated
- ¼ cup marsala wine
Cannoli Filling
- ¼ cup heavy whipping cream
- 1 cup ricotta cheese strained
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 3 tablespoons mini chocolate chips
Cinnamon Sugar Coating
- 4 tablespoons butter
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Garnish
- finely chopped pistachios, mini chocolate chips optional
Instructions
Cannoli Shells
- Add flour, sugar and butter to the bowl of a food processor. Pulse together until the mixture forms small pea-sized pieces.
- Pulse in the egg yolk and marsala wine just a ball of dough forms.
- Remove the dough from the food processor and tightly wrap with plastic wrap. Place in the fridge to chill for at least 30 minutes or up to 4 hours.
- Remove the dough from the fridge and roll out on a lightly floured surface until it is about ⅛ to 1/16” thick. (If sticky, flour your rolling pin as well as your surface.) Use a round cookie cutter to cut out 3 inch circles. Gather leftover dough and roll out again to get as many cannolis as you can. (Note: Cannolis can be made larger or smaller depending on your preference. Feel free to use a 2 inch cutter if you prefer.)
- In a small bowl, beat egg white until nice and loose. Set aside.
Air Fryer Instructions
- Preheat your air fryer to 400°F.
- Lightly spray a cannoli tube with nonstick spray and loosely wrap a dough circle around it. Brush one end of the dough with egg white and press the other end on top, sealing it together on one side. Repeat with remaining dough.
- Place the cannolis in the air fryer and cook them for 5 to 7 minutes until the shells are firm and crisp.
- Remove the cannolis from the molds and allow them to cool completely on a wire rack.
Frying Instructions
- Add enough vegetable oil to a large pot or dutch oven to fill the pot to about 2 inches deep. Heat oil to 350°F.
- Lightly spray a cannoli tube with nonstick spray and loosely wrap a dough circle around it. Brush one end of the dough with egg white and press the other end on top, sealing it together on one side. Repeat with remaining dough.
- Use tongs to pick up the cannoli tubes and place in the hot oil. Fry until golden brown, about 1 to 2 minutes. Use the tongs to carefully remove shells and place on paper towels to absorb excess oil. If the shell does not slide off easily, use another set of tongs to carefully pull shells off of the tubes. Do not add too many shells a time to the oil as it will reduce the temperature. Keep the oil at 350°F. Let the tubes cool before wrapping dough on them again.
- Transfer shells to a rack to let cool completely before filling.
Baking Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
- Lightly spray a cannoli tube with nonstick spray and loosely wrap a dough circle around it. Brush one end of the dough with egg white and press the other end on top, sealing it together on one side. Repeat with remaining dough.
- Place on prepared baking sheet and bake for 15 to 17 minutes or until golden brown.
- Remove the cannolis from the molds and allow them to cool completely on a wire rack before filling.
Cannoli Filling
- Strain ricotta (allow time for this) if very wet or spread ricotta on paper towels to absorb excess moisture. I like to do a layer of paper towels on the bottom and another layer on top of the ricotta and gently press to release any extra moisture.
- Using a hand or stand mixer, whisk the heavy whipping cream on high speed until stiff peaks form, about 3 to 4 minutes.
- Fold in the strained ricotta, vanilla extract, cinnamon, and mini chocolate chips until incorporated.
- Transfer the mixture to a piping bag and set aside in the fridge until ready to use.
Coat & Assemble
- Just before serving, melt the butter in a large bowl. Combine the cinnamon and sugar in another large bowl. Brush the outside of the cannolis with melted butter and then roll in the cinnamon-sugar mixture.
- Use the piping bag with a tip to fill the cannolis. Sprinkle the ends of the cannolis with crushed pistachios or additional mini chocolate chips and serve immediately.
Nutrition
Calories: 198kcal | Carbohydrates: 18g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 47mg | Sodium: 78mg | Potassium: 49mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 368IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 58mg | Iron: 1mg
