Cannoli Recipe: Authentic Sicilian Ricotta Pastry Classic 2026

Cannoli (or cannolo in the singular) are a classic dessert from Sicilian cooking: crisp, golden fried pastry tubes filled with a silky ricotta cream. They are a staple of Carnival celebrations in Sicily, yet today they are enjoyed all over the world at any time of year.

The traditional filling is ricotta sweetened with powdered sugar, though you will also find versions with candied orange, chocolate chips or pistachios. With so many options, choosing the tastiest filling is almost impossible.

This is a very simple recipe, though rolling the dough around the metal tubes takes a little patience. Keeping the frying oil at 180 °C (356 °F) is the key to a perfect texture: cooler oil makes them greasy, while oil that is too hot browns them before they cook through.

Ingredients for Cannoli

This recipe makes 8 cannoli and uses 8 cannoli tubes.

• 100 g wheat flour
• 25 g semolina
• 2 g unsweetened cocoa powder
• 15 g white sugar
• 15 g butter, at room temperature
• 40 g sweet Marsala wine
• 20 g beaten egg
• Sunflower oil, for frying
• 250 g drained ricotta
• 30 g powdered sugar
• 50 g chopped pistachios
• Powdered sugar, to taste

How to Make Cannoli Step by Step

1. Mix the dough ingredients

Combine 100 grams of wheat flour, 25 grams of semolina, 2 grams of unsweetened cocoa powder, 15 grams of white sugar, 15 grams of room-temperature butter, 40 grams of sweet Marsala wine and 20 grams of beaten egg.

2. Form a ball and chill

Shape the resulting dough into a ball, cover it with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 hours until cold.

3. Roll out the dough

Roll the dough out as thinly as possible with the help of a rolling pin.

4. Cut into circles

Cut the dough with a 10 cm cutter. If necessary, knead the scraps again, roll out and cut until you have 8 circles.

5. Wrap the dough around the tubes

Wrap each cannoli tube with a circle of dough.

6. Brush the edge with egg

Brush the end of the dough with beaten egg.

7. Press to seal

Press the dough lightly so the seam is well sealed.

8. Fry the cannoli

Heat the oil to 180 °C (356 °F) and fry the cannoli until golden and crisp.

9. Drain and remove the tubes

Drain them on paper towels to remove excess frying oil. Once cool, slide out the metal tubes.

10. Mix the ricotta and powdered sugar

For the filling, mix 250 grams of drained ricotta and 30 grams of sifted powdered sugar until you have a smooth cream.

11. Fill the cannoli

Transfer the ricotta cream to a piping bag and fill the cannoli.

12. Serve or decorate

At this point you could already enjoy this delicious Sicilian dessert.

13. Decorate with pistachios

You can also decorate the finished cannoli with pistachios and powdered sugar or other ingredients to taste, for extra color and flavor. To do so, scatter 50 g of chopped pistachios over the ricotta filling.

14. Dust with powdered sugar

Then sprinkle powdered sugar to taste over all the cannoli.

15. Serve

Serve the cannoli with pistachios and powdered sugar freshly made.

Tips for the Best Cannoli

Control the frying temperature

Keep the oil at 180 °C (356 °F). Frying at a lower temperature leaves the shells greasy, while oil that is too hot browns them before they are cooked through.

Roll the dough thinly and evenly

Roll the dough as thin as you can and seal the seam firmly with beaten egg, so the shells stay crisp and hold their shape while frying.

Fill just before serving

Fill the shells shortly before serving so they keep their crunch. Decorate with pistachios and powdered sugar for extra color and flavor.

30 Top Recipes I Keep Coming Back to at Home

Like a lot of home cooks, I like having a go-to rotation that covers cozy comfort plates, well-known dishes from around the world, and sweets that please a crowd.

When a rich, indulgent treat is what I'm after, my picks are usually this La Viña Molten Cheesecake recipe, this refined Original French Crème Brûlée recipe, or a luscious Chocolate Mousse Cake recipe. And on days when I want something fruity and cozy, this timeless French Tarte Tatin recipe is the one I reach for.

Mornings and lighter plates call for these airy Oatmeal and Banana Pancakes recipe, a hearty Stuffed Sweet Potato recipe, or these bright Eggs Stuffed with Avocado and Salmon recipe. And for a gluten-free staple I can keep on hand, this no-fuss Gluten-Free Rice Flour recipe does the job.

Tapas and Mediterranean cooking are a mood I return to often, and I tend to cycle through this punchy Basque Tuna with Tomato recipe, these crackly Patatas Bravas Air Fryer recipe, a velvety Tirokafteri Greek Dip Sauce recipe, and a cool Burrata Salad with Tomato and Pesto recipe. This chilled Italian Vitello Tonnato recipe also makes the table when I feel like something a bit more elevated.

Come lunch or a slow dinner at home, I'm quick to suggest this warming Meatballs in Spanish Sauce recipe, a time-honored Meatballs in Almond Sauce recipe, a deep-flavored Italian Bolognese Sauce recipe, and silky Chicken Croquettes in Thermomix recipe. When hunger runs bigger, I'll bake this Greek Pastitsio Pie recipe, a homey Potatoes and Squid Stew recipe, or the deeply comforting French Boeuf Bourguignon recipe.

Street-food cravings and party spreads usually mean this saucy Homemade Chicken Doner Kebab recipe, golden Salchipapas recipe, a punchy Mexican Pork Carnitas recipe, or these crisp Korean Hobak Jeon recipe. These simple Air Fryer Zucchini Rings recipe also work nicely as a light starter or snack.

And when guests are coming and drinks are part of the plan, dinner often gets paired with a cool Original Cuban Mojito recipe, a strong Long Island Iced Tea recipe, or a jug of this fruity Bleeding Spanish Sangria recipe. To fill out the spread, I like setting out this zesty French Remoulade Sauce recipe alongside, or ending with this eye-catching Mediterranean Black Rice with Squid recipe.

Even More Tasty Recipes the Whole Family Will Enjoy

After years of trying, tweaking, and remaking dishes in my own kitchen, I've come to see that the ones that stick around are built on straightforward steps, methods you can trust, and serious flavor.

What follows is the set of recipes I keep circling back to—whether it's a fast plate just for me or a bigger spread for the people I love.

On the sweet side, the rich, silky Orange Chocolate Mousse Recipe is one I turn to when I want something that feels fancy without much fuss. Another dessert I adore is the caramelized Trdelnik Slavic Pastry Recipe, modeled on the well-known Central European chimney cake. If baking is your thing, knowing how to make syrup for better texture in desserts comes in handy, and my Inverted Sugar Recipe walks through exactly how I do it at home.

For something light and uncomplicated, I'll usually reach for the timeless Italian Caprese Salad Recipe or a flawlessly cooked Simple Poached Egg Recipe. And for heavier comfort plates, my usual picks are the filling Meatball Sandwich Recipe, the velvety Russian Stroganoff Beef Recipe, and the speedy weeknight go-to One Pot Pasta Recipe.

I'm just as happy sharing dishes with roots in other countries, like the genuine Sorropotún de Bonito Fish Stew Recipe, crunchy Chilean Pumpkin Sopaipillas Recipe, and Spain's own Cochifrito Segovian Fried Pig Recipe.

Air fryer cooking is another area I use all the time, since it cuts down on effort while still giving you excellent results. The ones I make most are Air Fryer Pork Ribs Recipe, Air Fryer Chicken Thighs Recipe, Air Fryer Sweet Potatoes Recipe, Air Fryer Baked Potatoes Recipe, Air Fryer Peppers Recipe, Air Fryer Mixed Sandwich Recipe, Air Fryer Toasted Bread Recipe, and Air Fryer Hard-Boiled Eggs Recipe.

And for those steering clear of wheat, my cozy Gluten-Free Lasagna Recipe shows that a baked pasta classic can still be creamy, cheesy, and completely satisfying without any gluten.

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