Cuisine European Italian Desserts Cannoli 4.5 (134) 109 Reviews 50 Photos This cannoli recipe was invented on July 31st, 2005. I spent a lot of time looking for a good recipe for cannoli shells and filling. Since no two were alike, and since instructions were a bit sketchy, I worked with a friend, Ana, to come up with a good recipe, including some tips that we came up with along the way. Special equipment is needed such as cannoli tubes, a pasta machine, and a pastry bag to help make these cannoli come out just like the ones at Italian restaurants and bakeries. Start with 1/2 cup of confectioners' sugar, and then add more to taste. Submitted by Lydia Nacawa Updated on November 10, 2023 Tested by Allrecipes Test Kitchen Tested by Allrecipes Test Kitchen The Allrecipes Test Kitchen staff are a team of culinary pros who make and vet recipes using only equipment you'd find in a home kitchen. Staff credentials vary but include training at the Culinary Institute of America; kitchen stints in fine dining restaurants; and countless hours in the test kitchen itself. Meet the Allrecipes Test Kitchen Save Rate Print Share 50 50 50 50 50 Prep Time: 45 mins Cook Time: 1 hr Additional Time: 2 hrs Total Time: 3 hrs 45 mins Servings: 30 Yield: 30 cannoli Jump to Nutrition Facts You might be intimidated by the idea of making cannolis at home, but you shouldn’t be! This cannoli recipe proves anyone can make the iconic Italian treat. What Is a Cannoli? A cannoli is a tube-shaped Italian dessert that consists of fried pastry dough stuffed with a sweet, creamy cheese filling. Learn more: What Is a Cannoli and What Does It Taste Like? Allrecipes Video How to Make Cannolis You'll find a detailed ingredient list and step-by-step instructions in the recipe below, but let's go over the basics: What’s In a Cannoli? These are the ingredients you’ll need for this classic cannoli recipe: For the shells: all-purpose flour, white sugar, ground cinnamon, shortening, Marsala wine, water, distilled white vinegar, one whole egg, one egg yolk, one egg white, and a quart of oil for fryingFor the filling: ricotta cheese, confectioners’ sugar, chopped semisweet chocolate (optional), and lemon zest How Do You Make Cannolis? Here’s a brief overview of what you can expect when you make these homemade cannolis: Make the cannoli dough. Cover with storage wrap and chill for at least an hour.Divide the dough into three balls and flatten each one. Roll each ball through the pasta machine until it has reached the thinnest setting.Use a cutter to cut the dough into circles. Dust with flour and roll around cannoli tubes. Seal with egg white and fry the tubes in hot oil. Remove the tubes. Make the filling and pipe it into the cooled shells. Dust with sugar to serve. Cook’s Note Having a few people on cannoli duty helps keep the process moving along, with one person rolling and cutting, one person dusting and placing onto metal tubes, and one person frying the shells and removing the tubes. If you have 8 tubes on hand, the process will go well.Orange zest, lime zest, or chopped candied citron can be used in place of the lemon zest in the filling. Other variations include using small chocolate chips, maraschino cherries, or dipping the ends of cannoli in chopped pistachios. Test Kitchen Tips “If you’re feeling the need to channel your inner Italian grandmother or if you’re just looking for the perfect cannoli recipe, this is the one to try,” according to culinary producer Nicole McLaughlin (a.k.a. NicoleMcMom). Here are a few of her best cannoli tips: No pasta maker? No problem! While it’ll be harder to reach the right thinness, Nicole says you can use a plain rolling pin to roll out the dough. The key to a great filling, according to Nicole, is to get whole milk ricotta. Don’t get the skim stuff, she warns. Store-bought ricotta tends to be a bit thinner than homemade ricotta, so Nicole likes to drain it before incorporating it into the rest of the filling ingredients. Do Cannolis Need to Be Refrigerated? Yes, cannolis need to be refrigerated. Don’t leave them at room temperature for more than two to three hours at a time. Store them in an airtight container lined with paper towels in the refrigerator for up to one week. Allrecipes Video Can You Freeze Cannolis? You can freeze cannolis for up to three months. Thaw them overnight in the refrigerator. Allrecipes Community Tips and Praise “Thanks for this recipe, it reminds me of my grandfather's recipe,” says touchofspice. “Delish! It also brought back many wonderful childhood memories!” “They were so delicious that I even surprised myself,” according to Itza Mee. “The recipe was easy to follow and I will definitely be making them again.” “The shells are very easy and flavorful,” raves MariaC. “You do need to roll out the dough very thin. I don't have a pasta maker, but I do use my tortilla press and it works great at achieving a thin disk. Editorial contributions by Corey Williams Ingredients Shells: 3 cups all-purpose flour ¼ cup white sugar ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon 3 tablespoons shortening ½ cup sweet Marsala wine 2 tablespoons water 1 tablespoon distilled white vinegar 1 large egg 1 egg yolk 1 egg white 1 quart oil for frying, or as needed Filling: 1 (32 ounce) container ricotta cheese, drained ½ cup confectioners' sugar 4 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped (Optional) 1 teaspoon lemon zest, or to taste Directions Make shells: Mix flour, sugar, and cinnamon together in a medium bowl. Cut in shortening until crumbly. Dotdash Meredith Food Studios Make a well in the center and add Marsala wine, water, vinegar, egg, and egg yolk. Dotdash Meredith Food Studios Mix with a fork until the dough becomes stiff, then finish kneading it by hand on a clean surface, adding a bit more water if needed for about 10 minutes. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 to 2 hours. Dotdash Meredith Food Studios Divide cannoli dough into three balls; flatten each one just enough to get through the pasta machine. Roll a ball of dough through successively thinner settings until you have reached the thinnest setting. Dust lightly with flour if necessary. Dotdash Meredith Food Studios Dotdash Meredith Food Studios Place the sheet of dough on a lightly floured surface. Using a cutter or large glass, cut out 4 to 5-inch circles. Dotdash Meredith Food Studios Dust the circles with a light coating of flour. This will help you later in removing the shells from the tubes. Roll dough around cannoli tubes, sealing the edge with a bit of egg white. Repeat with remaining dough balls. Dotdash Meredith Food Studios Heat oil in a deep fryer or deep skillet to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Fry shells on the tubes in hot oil, a few at a time, until golden, about 2 to 3 minutes. Use tongs to turn as needed. Remove shells carefully using tongs, and place them on a cooling rack set over paper towels. Dotdash Meredith Food Studios Cool just long enough that you can handle the tubes, then carefully twist the tube to remove the shell. Using a tea towel may help you get a better grip. Wash or wipe off the tubes, and use them for more shells. Cooled shells can be placed in an airtight container and kept for up to 2 months. You should only fill them immediately or up to 1 hour before serving. Dotdash Meredith Food Studios Make filling: Mix ricotta cheese and confectioners' sugar together in a large bowl until well combined. Fold in chocolate and lemon zest. Dotdash Meredith Food Studios Transfer mixture into a pastry bag and pipe into shells, filling from the center to one end, then doing the same from the other side. Dust with additional confectioners' sugar to serve, if you like. Dotdash Meredith Food Studios I Made It Print Nutrition Facts (per serving) 402 Calories 35g Fat 18g Carbs 5g Protein Show Full Nutrition Label Hide Full Nutrition Label Nutrition Facts Servings Per Recipe 30 Calories 402 % Daily Value * Total Fat 35g 44% Saturated Fat 6g 32% Cholesterol 22mg 7% Sodium 43mg 2% Total Carbohydrate 18g 6% Dietary Fiber 1g 2% Total Sugars 6g Protein 5g 11% Vitamin C 0mg 0% Calcium 86mg 7% Iron 1mg 6% Potassium 59mg 1% * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs. ** Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available nutrient data. (-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a medically restrictive diet, please consult your doctor or registered dietitian before preparing this recipe for personal consumption. Powered by the ESHA Research Database © 2018, ESHA Research, Inc. All Rights Reserved