Cannoli — Ad-Free Recipe, Ingredients First

Drain the ricotta overnight in cheesecloth or the filling turns to soup and softens the shell; the drier the cheese, the better. Fill the shells only right before serving, because a filled cannolo goes soggy in under an hour.

The Ingredients — and where to get them

Cook for 12 cannoli

Ricotta

Whole-milk ricotta, drained overnight; the filling is basically just this so quality is everything.

2 cups (16 oz)

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Flour

The base of the shell dough, rolled thin for a crust that blisters and shatters.

2 cups

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Unrefined sugar

Sweetens the ricotta; sift it in so the filling stays smooth.

3/4 cup

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Chocolate

Mini chips folded through the filling and pressed into the open ends.

1/2 cup mini chips

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Butter

A little cut into the dough for tenderness before frying.

2 tbsp

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Egg, wine, and orange zest

One egg and a splash of Marsala bind the dough; orange zest brightens the ricotta.

1 egg, 1/4 cup Marsala, 1 tsp zest

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The Rundown

Greedometer ●●●●● Full-send decadent

No notes. Pure, unrepentant comfort. · plan ahead — needs marinating, soaking, or resting time

EffortSome doing

Cook it with

Instant PotSlow cookerOne-pot

The Method

Drain the ricottaSet ricotta in cheesecloth over a bowl in the fridge overnight until thick and dry, then whisk with sugar and zest.
Make the doughMix flour, butter, egg, and Marsala into a stiff dough, wrap, and rest 30 minutes so it rolls out thin.
Fry shellsRoll paper-thin, cut circles, wrap around metal tubes, and fry at 360F until blistered and gold, about 90 seconds. Cool and slide off.
Fill to orderFold chips into the ricotta and pipe into the shells only just before serving. Dip the ends in more chips.

The Toolkit

Cannoli tubes · Cheesecloth · Piping bag · Heavy pot

Straight Answers

Can you make Cannoli in an air fryer? — Yes, with an insert

Not on its own — an air fryer can’t hold a pool of liquid. You can simmer it in an oven-safe dish or a silicone insert made to fit the basket, but the broth won’t reduce or brown the way it does on the stove, and that insert comes out scorching, so use oven mitts. For real depth, a pot on the stove wins.

Can you freeze Cannoli? — Yes

Yes — it freezes well. Cool it fully, portion into airtight containers, and it keeps a few months; thaw in the fridge and reheat gently.

Can you make Cannoli ahead of time? — Yes

Yes — it holds well and often tastes better the next day. Make it ahead and reheat gently before serving.

Is Cannoli gluten-free? — Not as written

Not as written — it contains gluten. Make it gluten-free: swap in a gluten-free flour blend (check the other labels too).

Is Cannoli vegan? — Vegetarian, not vegan

It’s vegetarian but not vegan as written — it has dairy and egg. Make it vegan: use plant milk, oil, or a vegan cheese for the dairy, and a flax or aquafaba egg for the egg.

Community Notes

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Cannoli, and where to source it