Cannoli Recipe: How to Make Classic Italian Cannoli
Written by MasterClass
Last updated: Dec 11, 2024 • 2 min read
A cannoli is a pastry consisting of a crispy, fried tubular shell with a creamy cheese filling and a topping of nuts or chocolate.
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What Is a Cannoli?
A cannoli is a pastry from Sicily, Italy, made of a crispy, tubular shell with a creamy cheese filling. Pastry chefs typically dip the sides of cannoli shells in pistachios and chocolate chips. The filling of cannoli shells is often ricotta or mascarpone cheese (or both) with orange zest.
Homemade cannoli use ingredients you can find at the grocery store, but seek out a specialty shop for cannoli shell molds. The dessert components are best stored separately. When making them ahead of time, store the filling in the refrigerator and store the fried shells in an airtight container at room temperature.
Origins of Cannoli
Cannoli originated in the Sicilian regions of Palermo and Messina around 1091 AD. Originally, it was baked as a fertility symbol during the Carnival season before Lent. Eventually, due to its rise in popularity, it became a year-round mainstay in Italy.
Classic Italian Cannoli Recipe
makes
12 cannoliprep time
2 hrtotal time
2 hr 15 mincook time
15 minIngredients
For the shells
For the filling and assembly
- 1
Make the shell dough. In a large bowl, combine the granulated sugar, salt, and flour.
- 2
Add cold butter and work with your fingers until it resembles coarse crumbs (or, pulse ingredients in a food processor).
- 3
Add marsala wine and 1 egg and knead until combined.
- 4
Press the dough into a disc and wrap in plastic wrap; refrigerate for at least 1½ hours.
- 5
Roll out the dough. On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough with a rolling pin until it’s ⅛-inch thick.
- 6
Using a cookie cutter, cut out 12 4-inch circles.
- 7
Wrap each circle around the cannoli tubes and brush with the remaining egg.
- 8
Fry the cannoli shells. In a Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot, pour enough oil to reach 3 inches high. Heat over medium until the oil reaches 360 degrees Fahrenheit.
- 9
Line a plate with paper towels.
- 10
In batches, use tongs to carefully lower cannoli forms into the oil and fully submerge. Cook, occasionally turning, until golden brown, 1–2 minutes.
- 11
Transfer the fried shells to the prepared plate, carefully remove cannoli molds, and cool shells to room temperature.
- 12
Make the filling. Using cheesecloth, strain the ricotta.
- 13
Combine the ricotta, mascarpone, powdered sugar, vanilla, and orange zest in a medium bowl.
- 14
Transfer the cannoli filling to a piping bag fitted with a large tip.
- 15
Fill the cannoli. Using the pastry bag, pipe the cannoli cream into the shells. Dip the ends of exposed cannoli cream in pistachios and/or chocolate chips.
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