Cannoli Desserts: 15 No-Fry Treats From Cannoli Dip to Cannoli Cake That Taste Like an Italian Bakery at Christmas

Cannoli desserts are the sweet way to bring an Italian bakery home this Christmas, and you never have to heat a pot of oil. Searches for cannoli keep climbing every December, because that creamy sweet ricotta filling with chocolate chips is pure nostalgia for anyone who grew up near a pastry shop. The secret most home cooks miss is that the filling is the star, and it goes far beyond a shell. Below are 15 ideas, from a five-minute cannoli dip and a towering cannoli cake to cheesecake bars, stuffed strawberries, a pistachio Christmas Eve platter and the classic Sicilian original. Every one uses store-bought shells, pie crust or cake instead of frying. Drain the ricotta, chill the cream, fill at the last minute and watch the tray disappear..

Christmas Cannoli Platter, the Star of All Cannoli Desserts

This is the tray that makes everyone at the party stop and reach. Crisp golden shells, a thick sweet ricotta filling, and three different ends: mini chocolate chips, chopped pistachios and a bright red candied cherry. A snowfall of powdered sugar turns it into a Christmas centerpiece. Cannoli come from Sicily, where they were once a Carnival treat, and you can read the full history of cannoli on Wikipedia. Buy the shells, make the cream, and fill them right before serving..

You will need: 12 store-bought cannoli shells, 2 cups whole milk ricotta (drained overnight), 1 cup powdered sugar, 1/2 cup mascarpone, 1 tsp vanilla, 1/2 tsp cinnamon, 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips, chopped pistachios, candied cherries, extra powdered sugar.

How to make it: 1. Drain the ricotta in a sieve lined with paper towels overnight in the fridge. 2. Beat ricotta, mascarpone, powdered sugar, vanilla and cinnamon until smooth. 3. Fold in half the chocolate chips and chill 1 hour. 4. Pipe into shells from both ends just before serving. 5. Dip the ends in chips, pistachios or a cherry, then dust with powdered sugar.

Five-Minute Cannoli Dip With Broken Shell Chips

If you only make one of these cannoli desserts, make this. All the flavor of a cannoli lives in one big bowl, so nobody has to wait for shells to be filled. Whip the ricotta with mascarpone until it is fluffy, swirl it into a bowl and surround it with broken cannoli shells, cinnamon sugar pie crust chips, strawberries and vanilla wafers. It sits happily on a buffet for an hour, and it is the first bowl scraped clean at every holiday party.

You will need: 1 1/2 cups drained ricotta, 8 oz mascarpone, 3/4 cup powdered sugar, 1 tsp vanilla, zest of 1 orange, 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips, broken cannoli shells, pie crust chips, strawberries, vanilla wafers.

How to make it: 1. Beat ricotta and mascarpone together until very smooth. 2. Add powdered sugar, vanilla and half the orange zest and beat 1 minute more. 3. Fold in most of the chocolate chips. 4. Spread in a shallow bowl, swirl the top and add the remaining chips and zest. 5. Serve cold with shell pieces, crust chips and fruit for dipping.

Cannoli Cake With Ricotta Filling Between Every Layer

Of all the cannoli desserts here, this is the cake that gets photographed before it gets cut. Three soft vanilla layers are stacked with thick cannoli cream, the outside is frosted in whipped cream, and the sides are pressed with crushed cannoli shells for crunch. Mini shells and cream rosettes on top tell everyone what is inside. It is a perfect birthday or Christmas Eve cake for the person who always asks for the bakery box. A boxed vanilla cake mix works perfectly here, so the only real work is the filling.

You will need: 1 box vanilla cake mix (plus eggs, oil and water on the box), 2 cups drained ricotta, 1/2 cup mascarpone, 1 cup powdered sugar, 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips, 2 cups heavy cream, 1/4 cup sugar, 4 cannoli shells crushed, 4 mini shells for the top.

How to make it: 1. Bake the cake mix in three 8-inch pans and cool completely. 2. Beat ricotta, mascarpone and powdered sugar, then fold in the chips. 3. Whip the cream with the sugar to stiff peaks. 4. Stack the layers with ricotta filling between them. 5. Frost with whipped cream, press crushed shells on the sides and top with rosettes and mini shells. Chill 2 hours.

Cannoli Cheesecake Bars That Feed a Crowd

Cheesecake and cannoli finally met in one of the best make-ahead cannoli desserts, and the result is a pan of bars that slices clean and travels well. A crunchy cinnamon crumb crust holds a creamy ricotta and cream cheese layer studded with chocolate chips, and a sheet of crescent dough on top bakes into a flaky, shell-like crust. A drizzle of dark chocolate and a dusting of powdered sugar finish them. They are made a day ahead, which makes them ideal for cookie swaps, potlucks and the office party.

You will need: 2 cans refrigerated crescent dough sheets, 8 oz cream cheese, 1 1/2 cups drained ricotta, 3/4 cup sugar, 1 egg, 1 tsp vanilla, 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips, 2 tbsp melted butter, 2 tbsp cinnamon sugar, 1/4 cup melted chocolate, powdered sugar.

How to make it: 1. Heat oven to 350 F and press one dough sheet into a greased 9×13 pan. 2. Beat cream cheese, ricotta, sugar, egg and vanilla, then fold in the chips. 3. Spread over the dough and top with the second sheet. 4. Brush with butter, sprinkle cinnamon sugar and bake 30 to 35 minutes. 5. Cool, chill 3 hours, drizzle with chocolate and cut into squares.

Cannoli Stuffed Strawberries for Holiday Parties

These little red cannoli desserts look like they came from a fancy dessert table, and they take about twenty minutes. Hollow out big strawberries, pipe in a swirl of cannoli cream, and top each one with mini chips and a crumb of crushed shell. Dip the bottoms in dark chocolate if you want them to look even more festive. They are lighter than a full cannoli, naturally gluten free if you skip the shell crumbs, and they make the whole platter look bright red and white for Christmas.

You will need: 20 large strawberries, 1 cup drained ricotta, 1/4 cup mascarpone, 1/2 cup powdered sugar, 1/2 tsp vanilla, 1/4 cup mini chocolate chips, 2 crushed cannoli shells (optional), 1/2 cup melted dark chocolate, mint leaves.

How to make it: 1. Wash and dry the strawberries, cut off the tops and hollow them with a small spoon. 2. Trim a sliver off the bottoms so they stand up. 3. Beat ricotta, mascarpone, powdered sugar and vanilla until smooth. 4. Dip the bottoms in melted chocolate and let them set. 5. Pipe the filling into each berry and top with chips and shell crumbs.

Mini Cannoli Desserts With Store-Bought Shells

Mini shells from the bakery aisle are the real shortcut to cannoli desserts at home. Two bites each, no frying, no rolling dough, and kids can help fill them. Dip the shell edges in melted chocolate first and let them set, which also keeps the shells crisp a little longer. Set out a bowl of filling, a piping bag and toppings, and turn it into a fill-your-own cannoli bar for movie night or a holiday open house.

You will need: 24 mini cannoli shells, 1/2 cup melted chocolate, 2 cups drained ricotta, 3/4 cup powdered sugar, 1 tsp vanilla, 1/2 tsp orange zest, mini chocolate chips, sprinkles.

How to make it: 1. Dip both ends of each shell in melted chocolate and set them on parchment until firm. 2. Beat the ricotta, powdered sugar, vanilla and zest until smooth. 3. Spoon the filling into a piping bag with a wide star tip. 4. Pipe into each shell from both ends. 5. Press the ends into mini chips or sprinkles and serve within an hour.

Chocolate-Dipped Cannoli Tower for a Party Table

Stacking cannoli desserts into a pyramid is an old Italian bakery trick, and it still stops people in their tracks. Dip the shells in chocolate, fill them with plenty of cream, then build the stack on a long platter, wider at the bottom. The chocolate coating acts like a little barrier that keeps the shell from going soft, so the tower holds up longer on the table. Put it in the middle of the dessert spread and let guests pull from the top.

You will need: 20 cannoli shells, 1 cup melted semisweet chocolate, 3 cups drained ricotta, 1 cup powdered sugar, 1 tsp vanilla, 1/2 tsp cinnamon, 1/2 cup finely chopped chocolate, powdered sugar for dusting.

How to make it: 1. Dip half of each shell in melted chocolate and let them set. 2. Beat ricotta, powdered sugar, vanilla and cinnamon until creamy. 3. Fold in the chopped chocolate. 4. Fill the shells with a piping bag. 5. Arrange in layers on a long platter, each row a little shorter than the last, and dust with powdered sugar.

Giant Cannoli Shell With Cream Rosettes and Chocolate Drizzle

This is the restaurant-style way to serve cannoli desserts when you want something plated. A big crisp shell sits on a drizzle of chocolate sauce, with puffs of sweet cream piped along the top and sides. It is dramatic enough for a dinner party and takes about five minutes per plate. Large shells are sold at many Italian delis, or you can bake broken pie crust strips into shell shapes, and the cream can be made the night before.

You will need: 4 large cannoli shells, 1 1/2 cups drained ricotta, 1/2 cup mascarpone, 1/2 cup powdered sugar, 1 tsp vanilla, 1/2 cup heavy cream, 1/3 cup chocolate sauce, cocoa or powdered sugar for dusting.

How to make it: 1. Whip the heavy cream to soft peaks. 2. Beat ricotta, mascarpone, powdered sugar and vanilla, then fold in the whipped cream. 3. Drizzle chocolate sauce across each plate in thin lines. 4. Fill each shell and set it on the sauce. 5. Pipe rosettes of cream along the top and dust right before serving.

Sicilian Bakery Cannoli With Cherries and Chocolate Chips

This is what the trays look like in a real Sicilian pastry shop, photographed at a cafe in Alcamo. The shells are thin and blistered, the ricotta is sheep milk, and every end gets a candied cherry or a row of chocolate chips. Sheep milk ricotta is tangier and silkier, but whole milk cow ricotta drained overnight gets you very close. The heavy dusting of powdered sugar is not just for looks; it helps keep the shells dry.

You will need: 12 cannoli shells, 2 cups ricotta (sheep milk if you can find it), 1 cup powdered sugar, 1/2 tsp cinnamon, 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips, 6 candied cherries halved, powdered sugar.

How to make it: 1. Drain the ricotta overnight, then push it through a fine sieve for a silky texture. 2. Stir in powdered sugar and cinnamon. 3. Fold in half the chips and chill 1 hour. 4. Fill the shells and finish one end with a cherry half and the other with chips. 5. Dust generously with powdered sugar.

Candied Orange Peel Cannoli, the Way Nonna Made Them

Before chocolate chips were everywhere, Sicilian cannoli were finished with candied orange peel, and many families still make them that way. The bright citrus cuts through the rich ricotta and makes these old-school cannoli desserts taste festive. Look for good candied orange in the baking aisle around the holidays, or mix a little fresh orange zest into the cream. If you love Italian sweets, our gallery of Italian desserts beyond tiramisu has more nonna favorites to try next.

You will need: 12 cannoli shells, 2 cups drained ricotta, 3/4 cup powdered sugar, 1 tsp orange zest, 1/4 cup finely chopped candied orange peel, 12 strips candied orange for the ends, 1/4 cup mini chocolate chips.

How to make it: 1. Beat the ricotta with powdered sugar and orange zest. 2. Fold in the chopped candied peel. 3. Chill the filling for at least 1 hour. 4. Pipe into the shells. 5. Press a strip of candied orange into one end and chips into the other, then serve.

Pistachio Cannoli Desserts for the Feast of the Seven Fishes

Italian American families often end the Christmas Eve Feast of the Seven Fishes with a plate of cannoli, and pistachio ones are the showstoppers. These minis were served at a New Orleans restaurant’s seven fishes dinner, with chopped pistachios on the ends and a light caramel drizzle. Dip the ends in finely chopped, unsalted pistachios so the green color pops. A spoonful of pistachio cream folded into the filling makes them taste even more like Sicily.

You will need: 16 mini cannoli shells, 1 1/2 cups drained ricotta, 1/2 cup powdered sugar, 2 tbsp pistachio cream (optional), 1/2 tsp vanilla, 1/2 cup finely chopped unsalted pistachios, 1/4 cup caramel sauce.

How to make it: 1. Beat ricotta, powdered sugar, pistachio cream and vanilla until smooth. 2. Chill for 1 hour. 3. Pipe into the mini shells. 4. Dip both ends in chopped pistachios. 5. Arrange on a plate and drizzle lightly with caramel just before serving.

Chocolate Crunch and Toasted Almond Cannoli

Why choose one topping when each end can be different? These rustic cannoli desserts get chocolate cookie crumbs on one end and toasted chopped almonds on the other, then a stripe of powdered sugar across the middle. The crunch on both ends is the best part, because it plays against the soft, cool ricotta inside. Toast the almonds in a dry pan for three minutes until they smell nutty, and crush chocolate wafer cookies in a bag with a rolling pin.

You will need: 10 cannoli shells, 2 cups drained ricotta, 3/4 cup powdered sugar, 1/2 tsp almond extract, 1/2 cup chopped almonds (toasted), 1/2 cup crushed chocolate wafer cookies, powdered sugar for dusting.

How to make it: 1. Toast the chopped almonds in a dry skillet over medium heat for 3 minutes, then cool. 2. Beat ricotta, powdered sugar and almond extract until smooth. 3. Pipe into the shells. 4. Dip one end in chocolate crumbs and the other in almonds. 5. Lay a strip of paper over the ends and dust the middle with powdered sugar.

Chocolate-Topped Cannoli Dessert Plate

A single cannolo dressed up with a ribbon of dark chocolate on top becomes a proper sit-down dessert. This one was served on a long plate with a spoon of extra ricotta on the side and a little chocolate sauce. The trick is to pipe melted chocolate along the top of the filled shell and chill it for ten minutes so it sets into a snap. Serve with espresso for the most grown-up ending to a holiday dinner.

You will need: 4 cannoli shells, 1 1/2 cups drained ricotta, 1/2 cup powdered sugar, 1/2 tsp vanilla, 1/2 cup melted dark chocolate, 2 tbsp chocolate sauce, extra ricotta for serving.

How to make it: 1. Beat ricotta, powdered sugar and vanilla until smooth. 2. Fill the shells. 3. Pipe or spoon melted chocolate along the top of each shell. 4. Chill 10 minutes until the chocolate sets. 5. Plate each one with a small scoop of ricotta and a swipe of chocolate sauce.

Cassata Siciliana, the Ricotta Cake Cousin of Cannoli Desserts

Cassata is the cake Sicilians make for Easter and big celebrations, and it is filled with the very same sweet ricotta cream as cannoli. Sponge cake soaked in liqueur or juice is layered with ricotta and chocolate, covered in icing and crowned with candied fruit. It looks like a jewelry box and tastes like the inside of a cannolo. A simplified version with store sponge and a jar of candied fruit is surprisingly easy and makes a stunning holiday centerpiece.

You will need: 1 store-bought sponge cake (two layers), 1/3 cup orange juice, 2 cups drained ricotta, 3/4 cup powdered sugar, 1/3 cup mini chocolate chips, 2 cups white icing, assorted candied fruit, candied cherries.

How to make it: 1. Brush the sponge layers with orange juice. 2. Beat ricotta and powdered sugar, then fold in the chips. 3. Spread the filling between the layers. 4. Cover the cake with white icing and smooth the sides. 5. Decorate the top with candied fruit and cherries and chill 4 hours before slicing.

Snowy Make-Ahead Cannoli Desserts for Christmas Eve

The biggest cannoli complaint is soggy shells, and the fix is simple: make every part ahead, but keep them apart. Store the filling in a covered bowl for up to three days, keep the shells in an airtight tin, and fill them only when guests arrive. A thick layer of powdered sugar on top looks like fresh snow and soaks up extra moisture. With the work done early, you can enjoy Christmas Eve instead of standing at the counter.

You will need: 12 cannoli shells, 2 1/2 cups drained ricotta, 1 cup powdered sugar plus more for dusting, 1 tsp vanilla, 1/2 tsp cinnamon, 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips.

How to make it: 1. Up to 3 days ahead, drain the ricotta and mix with powdered sugar, vanilla and cinnamon. 2. Fold in the chips, cover and refrigerate. 3. Keep the shells in an airtight container. 4. When guests arrive, stir the filling and pipe it into the shells. 5. Dust thickly with powdered sugar and serve.