Sicilian Cannoli with Ricotta Filling - Mangia Bedda (2024)

The most iconic of Sicilian desserts, Sicilian Cannoli! My favorite are filled with a lightly sweetened ricotta cream filling. Follow my step by step instructions to make the best cannoli shells with this authentic recipe directly from Sicily. There’s nothing like homemade!

Please note that this post was updated on December 21, 2021. The recipe remains the same, however the photographs and instructions have been updated to better serve you.

If you’re searching for an authentic Sicilian cannoli recipe, look no further! This recipe is directly from Sicily, just like my mother’s family has always made in the town of Naso, Sicily.

Cannoli are an iconic dessert loved all over the world and without a doubt Sicily’s most famous export (next to arancini, of course!). Cannoli were, and still are, served for all special occasions and holidays when my mom was growing up in Sicily.

Why is this the best cannoli recipe, you may ask? Just take a look at the bubbles on these shells! This is what you are looking for in the perfect cannoli shells and I’m sharing step by step instructions with lots of tips so you can make the best homemade cannoli every time.

What do I need to make this recipe?

To make cannoli shells, cannoli forms or molds are required to wrap the dough around for frying. My mother brought back these bamboo moldsfrom Sicily years ago and they are nicely weathered, shiny and slick from years of use. Priceless!

Alternatives to bamboo molds for making cannoli:

If you don’t have bamboo molds, here are some alternatives:

• You can purchase stainless steel cannoli molds here.
• Some readers have shared that they sanded and cut old broom handles into pieces and then boiled them to sterilize them. Not something I have tried before!
• Shape strips of aluminum foil into rolls.

Ingredient list:

For the shells:

• All-purpose flour
• Granulated sugar
• An egg: plus an egg white for sealing the dough
• Milk
• Red wine:may be replaced with Marsala
• Vegetable oil: both in the dough and for deep frying the shells. Sunflower or canola oil may be used instead

For the ricotta filling:

• Whole milk ricotta: strained if it is too watery
• Powdered sugar: dissolves much better than granulated sugar in the ricotta
• Ground cinnamon: for a touch of flavor
• Dark chocolate chips: for garnishing (optional)
• Chopped pistachios: for garnishing (optional)
• Powdered sugar: for dusting prior to serving

The following are step by step instructions with images to guide you through this recipe. Please scroll to the end of this post for the detailed printable recipe card.

Step by Step Instructions:

Prepare the ricotta cream filling:

• If using a brand of ricotta that has a lot of moisture, place the ricotta in a fine mesh sieve lined with cheese cloth over a bowl. Refrigerate and let drain for at least 2 hours.
• Place the strained ricotta in a bowl, add powdered sugar, cinnamon and whisk until smooth.
• Please note that ricotta is known for it’s grainy texture and therefore it is normal that the mixture will not be smooth as mascarpone cheese, for example, or whipped cream.
• I prefer my ricotta filling not too sweet. Taste the filling and add additional sugar, if necessary, according to taste.
• Refrigerate while you prepare the cannoli shells.

Prepare the dough:

• Stir together flour and sugar in a large bowl.
• Make a well in the center and pour in the milk; vegetable oil; red wine and egg.
• Use a fork to beat the wet ingredients and slowly begin to incorporate the dry ingredients to form a dough.
• Knead on a lightly floured surface until smooth, about 5 minutes.

Shape the cannoli shells:

• This dough does not require a resting period and can be rolled immediately.
• Divide the dough into 4 pieces. Work with one piece of dough at a time and keep the remaining pieces covered to prevent from drying out.

• Use a pasta roller or a rolling pin to roll out the dough as thin as possible, until second to last setting if using a pasta roller.
• Sprinkle the dough with flour, as needed, to prevent from sticking.

• Cut 4-inch dough circles with a cookie cutter. Alternately, use anything you have on hand with a similar sized opening such as this cup my mom uses!
• Reroll scraps of dough and continue until all the dough is used up.
• Wrap the circles around the cannoli molds and use a beaten egg white to seal the ends.

Fry the cannoli shells:

• Heat about 2 inches of vegetable oil (canola or sunflower oil work well) in a large heavy bottomed pot, or deep fryer if you have one. To verify if the oil is hot enough, try out my mother’s technique: place the handle of a wooden spoon in the center of the pot. If the oil immediately begins to bubble vigorously around the handle, it is hot enough!
• Carefully place 3 or 4 shells at a time, without overcrowding the pot, in the hot oil.
• The challenge in frying the shells is that they sometimes roll over when you try to flip them to brown the opposite side. We often found ourselves keeping one side down with a fork or thongs.
• If they were not adequately sealed with the egg white, some shells may unwrap themselves from the molds while frying. You can use those to make deconstructed cannoli by simply layering two or three with ricotta filling in between!
• The shells are ready when they are golden brown and bubbly.
• Use 2 paper towels to carefully separate the molds from the shell. Be careful, they will be extremely hot! You may want to purchase an additional set of cannoli molds to have enough on hand.
• Rewrap the remaining dough circles around the molds and continue frying.

Fill the cannoli shells:

• Only fill the cannoli shells with the ricotta cream once they are completely cooled.
• Fill a pastry bag, fitted with a star or round tip attachment, with the ricotta cream.
• Alternately, use a freezer bag with the tip cut off.
• Pipe the cream at both ends of each cannoli shell making sure that the cream reaches the center of the shell.
• Top the ends with chopped pistachios and chocolate chips (optional).
• Dust with powdered sugar before serving.
• Fill up to 2 hours before serving.
• Refrigerate filled cannoli.

Frequently Asked Questions

Substitutions and Variations:

• Fill with pastry cream or biancomangiare (Sicilian milk pudding) instead of ricotta.
• Make your own homemade ricotta for the filling.
• Dip each end of the cannoli shells in melted dark chocolate.
• Add candied orange peel to the filling.

Why did my shells not bubble during frying?

• Roll the dough thin for best results.
• This may occur if your oil is not hot enough. To test if it’s hot enough, try out my mom’s easy technique: place the handle of a wooden spoon right in the center of your pot with oil. If it immediately begins to bubble vigorously around the handle it is ready for frying.

How to fix shells that are no longer crisp?

• If you follow this recipe exactly as is, you should have perfect crisp cannoli shells. However, if after storing them you feel they have not kept their crisp texture simply warm them in a300 degrees F preheated oven for 5 minutes. Let cool completely before filling with cream.

Storage:

• Cannoli shells keep well up to 2 weeks stored in an air tight container lined with paper towels to absorb any moisture in a cool dry space.

Can the ricotta cream be prepared in advance?

• The ricotta cream can be kept refrigerated up to 3 days prior to filling the cannoli.

How long ahead of serving can the cannoli shells be filled?

• To prevent the cannoli shells from becoming soggy, fill the shells up to 2 hours before serving them.

If you try out this recipe for the best Sicilian cannoli, please let me know how much you enjoyed them by rating them in the recipe card below!

To all my readers, family andfriends, Buon Natale!

Check out more delicious ricotta filled sweets:

Mom’s Sicilian Ricotta Pie

Cartocci Siciliani with Ricotta Filling

Sicilian Cassatelle with Ricotta

Sweet Ricotta Easter Calzone

Rhubarb Ricotta Almond Tart

Blueberry Lemon Ricotta Cake

Fig Jam, Ricotta and Pistachio Crostata

Ricotta Pistachio Roll Cake

Pizzelle Cannoli with Ricotta Filling

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