Easy Cannoli Recipe – The Cookie Rookie®

A super delicious and super Easy Cannoli recipe, with only a handful of ingredients needed! A creamy ricotta filling, encased in a crispy golden cannoli shells, top them with whatever your heart desires!

up close image of cannoli cream with orange, ginger, and chocolate chips

Make Cannolis at Home

This is such a foolproof and Easy Cannoli recipe you won’t believe how gorgeous these come out, with so little effort. The creamy cannoli filling is divine and provides that perfect counterpoint to the crunchy cannoli shells Perfect for parties, after dinner, before dinner, during dinner…whenever!

If you’re looking for other deliciously sweet treats, why not also try my S’mores Cookies or my Apple Pie Cupcakes.

Why you’ll love this Easy Cannoli recipe

Foolproof Cannolis! These beauties come together so easily, only a handful of ingredients needed.
A deliciously creamy cannoli filling. The filling can be whipped up in a flash, it’s light with a zest of orange and packed with chocolate chips.
An elegant dessert. These gorgeous golden tubes of loveliness are so simple to make but look like they should adorn a patisserie shop window – perfect for parties.
Versatile. Cover with your favorite toppings!

How to make this Easy Cannoli recipe

Be sure to see the recipe card below for full ingredients & instructions!

Make the filling – Mix your filling ingredients (except the ginger and chocolate), mix on high speed for a couple of minutes. Then add in the ginger and chocolate. Refrigerate for 2 hours.
Fill the shells – Using a piping bag, fill the cannoli shells.
Add your favorite toppings, serve and enjoy!

straight on picture of cannolis on plate

overhead image of cannolis filled with homemade cannoli cream

What is a Cannoli?

A Cannoli is a type of pastry that comes from Sicily. Most cannoli consist of – tube-shaped – deep fried pastry shells. They are filled with a slightly sweet and creamy filling, usually made with ricotta cheese.

Do I have to drain the ricotta?

Yes, this a really important step. If you use fresh riccota as is, your cannoli cream filling will be grainy, wet and will make your shells soggy.

If using fresh ricotta or ricotta that has extra liquid (whey), it is important to strain it from the ricotta. To do this, place a paper towel over the ricotta still in the container. Turn the ricotta & container upside down and set it in a wire mesh sieve for 30 minutes. Discard the excess whey.

What toppings are good for cannolis?

This Easy Cannoli recipe plays well with lots of toppings – you can really have fun! You can dip the ends into chopped pistachios or other nuts, mini chips, melted chocolate even sprinkles would be great and add a pop of color.

Tips!

If using BelGioioso Whole-Milk (or a dry(ish) ricotta) it isn’t necessary to strain the ricotta.
If using fresh or wet ricotta make sure to drain it.
When mixing your filling, it should come out a little fluffier than at first.
Make sure to refrigerate the filling in an airtight container at least 2 hours before piping into shells.
You can omit the orange zest if you like, they still taste great!
I used store bought cannoli shells, they are pretty common in most grocery stores. You can of course make your own if you desire.
Use a piping bag fitted with a piping tip just smaller than the opening of the cannoli shells.
Keep the filled cannolis refrigerated in an airtight container until ready to serve.
The cannolis are best served within 2 hours of filling.
Powdered sugar is optional but adds a lovely look to the cannolis and provides a subtle sweetness to complement the tangy filling.