Authentic Italian Cannoli
Make real Italian Cannoli with this Authentic Cannoli Recipe with authentic ingredients and tons of tips and tricks straight out of Italy! This Sicilian Cannoli recipe will help you nail down the art of Cannoli, no matter your skillset or where you live!
Ingredients
For the Cannoli Dough
- 2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 whole egg room temperature
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil plus more for frying (about 8 cups)
- 1 tablespoon white granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup marsala wine
- 3 tablespoon milk room temperature
- 1 egg white beaten, for sealing the edges
For the Filling
- 32 oz (910 g) sheep ricotta do not use cow milk ricotta
- 1 and 1/2 cups (185 g) powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon orange blossom water or to taste (I like
this one) - 3/4 cup (130 g) mini chocolate chips
Decorating options
- Mini chocolate chips
- Crushed pistachios unsalted
- Candied fruits cherries or orange zest
Instructions
For the Cannoli Dough
- Make the dough. In a mixing bowl (or the bowl of a stand-mixer fitted with a dough hook), add the flour, egg, oil, sugar, wine, and milk. Mix until a dough starts forming. Knead or mix until smooth.
- Roll out the dough. Divide the dough into 2 equal pieces. Using a rolling pin, roll out the first piece. The rolled out dough should be about 1/8" inch thick. Repeat the process with the second piece. Cover the rolled out dough with a clean kitchen towel to prevent it from drying out.
- Cut the dough into circles. Use a 4-inch cookie cutter, glass, or cup to cut the dough into circles.
- Shape into cannoli. Wrap each circle of dough around a stainless steel cannoli mold and seal the edges using the beaten egg white.
- Fry the cannoli shells. Fill a deep pot halfway with vegetable oil. Once the oil is hot (345F-355F, I recommend using a kitchen thermometer for this step), start frying. Carefully drop 3-4 cannoli into the hot oil and use a fork to hold them down the oil to ensure even frying. Fry each batch for 1-2 minutes or until golden brown and crisp, then remove the cannoli from the oil and place them on a plate lined with multiple layers of paper towels. Carefully separate the cannoli molds from the cannoli shells and fry the remaining ones. Allow the cannoli to cool down to room temperature before filling them or the filling will melt.
For the Cannoli Filling
- Drain the ricotta. Place the cheese in a cheesecloth or a colander and allow it to drain in the refrigerator for 1 hour.
- Make the filling. In a large bowl, add the drained ricotta, powdered sugar, mini chocolate chips, and orange blossom water. Mix until fully combined and smooth. Transfer the filling into a piping bag fitted with a round tip (make sure the tip is large enough for the chocolate chips to get through without blocking it) and pipe the filling into your prepared cannoli shells.
- Decorate! Dip the ends of the filled cannoli into crushed pistachios or chocolate chips or top them off with candied fruit! Dust with powdered sugar and serve immediately.
Notes
Make-Ahead Instructions: you can make the filling ahead of time and let it chill in the refrigerator overnight. This is actually very encouraged as it allows the filling to soak up all the flavors. You can also make the cannoli shells and fry them ahead of time. Once they have cooled down to room temperature you can store them in an air-tight container and keep them in a cool, dry spot for up to 4 days. Do not fill the cannoli shells ahead of time because they will get soft/soggy. Try your best to fill them right before serving!
Storing Instructions: I don't recommend storing filled cannoli as the shells will get soft/soggy over time but if you do have leftovers, you can store them in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to 2-3 days. Do not leave the cannoli out of the refrigerator overnight as the filling is fresh and shouldn't be kept at room temperature for longer than a couple of hours. Do not freeze cannoli as the filling doesn't freeze well.
Nutrition
Calories: 176kcalCarbohydrates: 21gProtein: 6gFat: 7gSaturated Fat: 4gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0.01gCholesterol: 27mgSodium: 42mgPotassium: 61mgFiber: 0.4gSugar: 12gVitamin A: 194IUVitamin C: 0.03mgCalcium: 90mgIron: 1mg
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