Free recipe Italian

Sicilian Cannoli

Name: Sicilian Cannoli
Prep time: 90 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 120 min
Yield: 24 servings
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 2 lb whole-milk ricotta cheese, drained overnight; 2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for rolling; 2 tbsp granulated sugar; 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon; 1/2 tsp kosher salt; 3 tbsp unsalted butter, cold, cut into pieces; 1 large egg, plus 1 large egg white for sealing; 1/2 cup marsala wine, plus more if needed; 2 quarts vegetable oil, for frying; 1 cup powdered sugar, plus more for dusting; 1 tsp vanilla extract; 1 tsp orange zest, finely grated; 1/2 cup mini semisweet chocolate chips; 1/4 cup candied orange peel, finely chopped, optional; 1/3 cup pistachios, shelled and finely chopped

Crisp, blistered homemade shells filled to order with sweet, orange-scented ricotta cream, chocolate chips and pistachios.

By Priya Hollis, Head of Shop & Product Published May 29, 2026

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Prep: 1 hr 30 min
Cook: 30 min
Total: 2 hrs
Servings: 24
Level: Advanced

In Sicily, cannoli are filled right before they are eaten so the shells stay shatteringly crisp. This recipe walks you through the whole process: a marsala-spiked dough rolled thin, wrapped around tubes and fried until bubbly and golden, then piped full of sweet ricotta cream.

The filling is only as good as the ricotta, so use a rich whole-milk cheese and drain it overnight. That step turns it thick and creamy, never runny.

Making the shells takes some time, but they keep for days in an airtight tin. Fill a platter of them for a party, dip the ends in chopped pistachios and watch them disappear.

Homemade blistered crisp shells
Drained ricotta cream filling
Pistachio and chocolate ends

Directions

The night before, spoon the ricotta into a fine-mesh strainer lined with cheesecloth, set it over a bowl, cover and refrigerate to drain for 8 to 24 hours.
For the shells, pulse the flour, granulated sugar, cinnamon and salt in a food processor. Add the butter and pulse to fine crumbs, then add the whole egg and marsala and process until a firm dough forms, adding more marsala by the teaspoon if it is dry.
Knead the dough on a floured surface for 3 to 4 minutes until smooth and elastic. Wrap and rest at room temperature for 1 hour.
Divide the dough in half and roll each piece very thin, about 1/16 inch, using a pasta machine or rolling pin. Cut into 4-inch rounds.
Wrap each round around a greased metal cannoli tube, dab the overlapping edge with egg white and press firmly to seal. Flare the ends slightly.
Heat the oil in a heavy pot to 360 degrees F. Fry 3 or 4 shells at a time for 1 1/2 to 2 minutes, turning, until blistered and deep golden.
Lift out with tongs, drain on paper towels and let cool for 1 minute, then carefully slide the shells off the tubes using a towel. Cool the tubes and repeat with the remaining dough.
For the filling, beat the drained ricotta, powdered sugar, vanilla and orange zest with a spatula or on low speed until smooth and creamy.
Fold in the chocolate chips and candied orange peel, if using. Cover and chill until ready to serve.
Just before serving, spoon the filling into a piping bag fitted with a large plain tip and pipe it into each shell from both ends.
Dip the ends into the chopped pistachios, dust with powdered sugar and serve right away.

Test-kitchen tips

Unfilled shells keep in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week, and the filling keeps covered in the refrigerator for 3 days. Fill only what you will serve within an hour.
Roll the dough as thin as you can. Thin dough fries into light, bubbly shells, while thick dough stays tough and chewy.
For a traditional Sicilian filling, use sheep's milk ricotta, or replace 1/2 cup of the ricotta with mascarpone for an extra-silky cream.