Homemade Sicilian Cannoli (Shells and Filling)
Every year for Christmas I get pastries and biscotti from Del Prete pastry shop in Bridgeport. Everything there is great, but they make the best cannoli in Connecticut. So you can imagine my disappointment to find out they had a fire and are temporarily closed, so I need to get my cannoli for the holidays elsewhere. While I am sure I could find a pastry shop that has a decent cannoli, I took this opportunity to just try making them myself.
Cannoli are a classic Sicilian dessert, and there’s a reason they’ve become so beloved. That contrast between the crispy, delicate shell and the smooth, sweet ricotta filling is hard to beat. Making them at home might seem intimidating, but once you get the hang of it, you’ll see that it’s really not that difficult. And if you want to skip making the shells(the most time consuming part), you can always buy pre-made cannoli shells and just focus on the filling—you’ll still end up with something much better than what most bakeries are selling.
The Three Things That Matter
Use confectioners sugar, not granulated. This is the difference between a smooth, creamy filling and a gritty one. Powdered sugar dissolves completely into the ricotta. Granulated sugar never fully breaks down and you will feel it on your tongue. This one swap changes everything.
Fill as close to serving as possible. A cannoli shell starts losing its crunch the moment filling goes in. Fill them 5 to 10 minutes before you serve, no earlier. If you fill them ahead and refrigerate, the moisture from the ricotta will soften the shell and you will have a soggy cannoli. Nobody likes a soggy cannoli.
Roll the dough thin. The shells need to be paper-thin before they wrap around the form. If the dough is too thick, the shells will be bready and dense instead of crispy and delicate. Roll each round a second time after cutting. You want to almost see through it.
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Homemade Sicilian Cannoli Recipe
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: Makes 16 cannoli 1x
Ingredients
Shells:
- 1 3/4 cups flour
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- pinch of salt
- 2 tablespoons of butter, melted
- 3/4 cup Marsala wine
- egg white
- 2 quarts vegetable oil for frying
Filling:
- 1 pound Ricotta cheese, preferably whole milk
- 3/4 cup of confectioners sugar
- 1 teaspoon of vanilla
- 1/4 cup of mini chocolate chips
- extra confectioners sugar for dusting
Instructions
- In a mixing bowl combine flour, sugar and salt. Add the melted butter and marsala wine. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until well mixed.
- Wrap dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 to 3 hours.
- Roll out the dough until very thin. Using a cookie cutter or the rim of a glass, cut dough into 4-inch rounds, and roll again until very thin.
- Roll each piece tightly around a cannoli tube. Seal with egg white.
- Heat the vegetable oil in a deep 3.5 quart pot to 350 degrees.
- Place the dough forms in the hot oil and fry until golden brown, 2-3 minutes. Place on paper towels to drain.
- Cool and gently twist tube to remove shell from form.
- In a large mixing bowl whip sugar, vanilla and ricotta together until smooth, then stir in the chocolate chips.
- Spoon filling into a pastry bag with a large round tip. Pipe the ricotta cream into the pastry shells, dust with confectioners sugar and serve immediately.
- Prep Time: 30 Minutes
- Cook Time: 15
Substitutions
- Ricotta. Use whole milk ricotta for the richest filling. If your ricotta is watery, drain it in a fine mesh strainer lined with cheesecloth overnight in the refrigerator before using.
- Marsala wine. Marsala is traditional in the dough and adds subtle sweetness. If you do not have it, dry white wine works as a substitute.
- Chocolate chips. Mini chips are traditional in Italian-American cannoli. For a more Sicilian approach, use chopped dark chocolate or candied orange peel.
- Pre-made shells. If you want to skip the shell-making entirely, buy pre-made cannoli shells and focus on the filling. No shame in it. The filling is what matters most.
- Pistachios. Dip the ends of filled cannoli in chopped pistachios for color and crunch. This is common in Sicily.
Make Ahead, Storage, and Reheating
- Shells (unfilled): Can be fried up to 3 days ahead and stored in an airtight container at room temperature. They will stay crispy as long as no moisture gets in.
- Filling: Can be made up to 2 days ahead and refrigerated. Stir before piping.
- Filled cannoli: Do not make ahead. Fill immediately before serving. Once filled, you have about 15 to 20 minutes before the shells start to soften.
- Freezing: Fried shells can be frozen for up to 1 month in an airtight container. Thaw at room temperature before filling. Do not freeze the filling.
FAQ
Traditional cannoli filling is ricotta cheese, confectioners sugar, and vanilla, with mini chocolate chips folded in. Some versions add candied orange peel or chopped pistachios. The key is using whole milk ricotta and powdered sugar for a smooth, creamy texture.
Fill them immediately before serving. The moisture from the ricotta filling will soften the shells within 15 to 20 minutes. Store unfilled shells in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
Marsala is traditional and adds a subtle depth to the dough. If you do not have it, dry white wine is an acceptable substitute. The alcohol evaporates during frying.
Yes. If you want to skip the most time-consuming part, pre-made shells work well. Focus your effort on the filling, which is where the real difference is. Fill them just before serving and they will still be better than most bakery cannoli.
I am looking forward to making cannolis this year!
Did you mean 2 quarts of egg white?
That was a formatting issue. The 2 quarts came up from the next bullet point, the vegetable oil. Thanks for pointing that out. I fixed it.