Name: Sicilian cannoli
Prep time: 60 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 615 min
Yield: 16 cannoli
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 165 g Tipo 00 flour (150 g for the shells; reserve 15 g for dusting the board and rolling pin.); 200 g Sugar (50 g for the shells and 150 g for the ricotta filling.); 25 g Lard (For the shells. Softened, for the shell dough.); 10 g Cocoa powder (For the shells. For the shell dough.); 1 piece Eggs (For the shells. Separate it; reserve 1 teaspoon of white for sealing and use the yolk and remaining white in the dough.); 15 ml Marsala (Dry Marsala. For the shells. For the shell dough.); 1,000 ml Extra-virgin olive oil (For frying. Choose oil suitable for frying; most remains in the pan.); 500 g Sheep’s-milk ricotta (For the filling. Weight after draining in a sieve in the refrigerator for 8 hours; buy a little extra to allow for lost whey.); 2 ml Vanilla extract (For the filling.); 40 g Dark chocolate (Finely chopped, for the filling.); 40 g Candied orange peel (For finishing. Cut into thin strips for the ends.); 25 g Unsalted pistachios (For finishing. Finely chopped, for the ends.); 10 g Powdered sugar (For finishing. For dusting the filled cannoli.)

Drain the ricotta overnight and keep it cold. Roll the shells thinly, seal the overlap carefully and let them cool completely before filling.

Make ahead Drain the ricotta in the refrigerator for 8 hours before starting. The total includes this, 30 minutes of dough resting and about 20 minutes for the shells to cool. Keep shells and filling separate until serving.

By Italia Magnifica · Updated October 2026

Prep: 1 hr
Cook: 25 min
Rest: 8 hr 50 min
Yield: 16 cannoli
Difficulty: Medium

Sicilian cannoli

Prep 1 hr · Cook 25 min · Rest 8 hr 50 min · Yield 16 cannoli · Difficulty Medium

Ingredients

Skip to the method

16 cannoli

165 g1⅓ cups
Tipo 00 flour150 g for the shells; reserve 15 g for dusting the board and rolling pin.5½ oz for the shells; reserve ½ oz for dusting the board and rolling pin.
200 g1 cup
Sugar50 g for the shells and 150 g for the ricotta filling.1¾ oz for the shells and 5½ oz for the ricotta filling.
25 g1 oz
LardFor the shells. Softened, for the shell dough.For the shells. Softened, for the shell dough.
10 g1¼ tbsp
Cocoa powderFor the shells. For the shell dough.For the shells. For the shell dough.
1 piece1 piece
EggsFor the shells. Separate it; reserve 1 teaspoon of white for sealing and use the yolk and remaining white in the dough.For the shells. Separate it; reserve 1 teaspoon of white for sealing and use the yolk and remaining white in the dough.
15 ml1 tbsp
MarsalaDry Marsala. For the shells. For the shell dough.Dry Marsala. For the shells. For the shell dough.
1,000 ml4¼ cups
Extra-virgin olive oilFor frying. Choose oil suitable for frying; most remains in the pan.For frying. Choose oil suitable for frying; most remains in the pan.
500 g1 lb
Sheep’s-milk ricottaFor the filling. Weight after draining in a sieve in the refrigerator for 8 hours; buy a little extra to allow for lost whey.For the filling. Weight after draining in a sieve in the refrigerator for 8 hours; buy a little extra to allow for lost whey.
2 ml⅓ tsp
Vanilla extractFor the filling.For the filling.
40 g1½ oz
Dark chocolateFinely chopped, for the filling.Finely chopped, for the filling.
40 g1½ oz
Candied orange peelFor finishing. Cut into thin strips for the ends.For finishing. Cut into thin strips for the ends.
25 g1½ tbsp
Unsalted pistachiosFor finishing. Finely chopped, for the ends.For finishing. Finely chopped, for the ends.
10 g1¼ tbsp
Powdered sugarFor finishing. For dusting the filled cannoli.For finishing. For dusting the filled cannoli.

Method

Put the ricotta in a sieve over a bowl, cover and refrigerate for 8 hours. Discard the whey and weigh 500 g drained ricotta. Keep it refrigerated while making the shells.Put the ricotta in a sieve over a bowl, cover and refrigerate for 8 hours. Discard the whey and weigh 1 lb drained ricotta. Keep it refrigerated while making the shells.
Mix the 150 g flour, shell sugar and cocoa. Rub in the softened lard. Separate the egg; set aside 1 teaspoon of white for sealing. Add the yolk, the remaining white and the Marsala. Knead for about 5 minutes until you have a firm, smooth dough. Cover and rest for 30 minutes.Mix the 5½ oz flour, shell sugar and cocoa. Rub in the softened lard. Separate the egg; set aside 1 teaspoon of white for sealing. Add the yolk, the remaining white and the Marsala. Knead for about 5 minutes until you have a firm, smooth dough. Cover and rest for 30 minutes.
Push the drained ricotta through a fine sieve with a spatula. Fold in the filling sugar, vanilla and chopped chocolate. Do not whip or blend. Cover and return to the refrigerator.Push the drained ricotta through a fine sieve with a spatula. Fold in the filling sugar, vanilla and chopped chocolate. Do not whip or blend. Cover and return to the refrigerator.
Divide the dough into 16 pieces. Keep them covered and roll one at a time on a lightly floured surface into a thin oval, about 1.5 mm thick and roughly 12 × 10 cm. Use the food-safe paper template as a guide, trimming only if necessary. Keep the rolled pieces covered so they do not dry.Divide the dough into 16 pieces. Keep them covered and roll one at a time on a lightly floured surface into a thin oval, about 1.5 mm thick and roughly 4¾ × 4 in. Use the food-safe paper template as a guide, trimming only if necessary. Keep the rolled pieces covered so they do not dry.
Wrap each oval loosely around a metal cannoli tube, overlapping the two edges by about 5 mm. Brush a little reserved egg white onto one overlapping edge only, then press to seal. Keep the egg white off the metal so the shell will release. Do not pinch the openings closed.Wrap each oval loosely around a metal cannoli tube, overlapping the two edges by about ¼ in. Brush a little reserved egg white onto one overlapping edge only, then press to seal. Keep the egg white off the metal so the shell will release. Do not pinch the openings closed.
Heat the frying oil in a deep saucepan to 170°C. The pan should be no more than half full and the oil deep enough to cover the shells. Lower in two or three tubes at a time with tongs. Fry for about 2–3 minutes, turning carefully, until the shells are blistered, crisp and evenly browned. Keep the oil close to 170°C between batches.Heat the frying oil in a deep saucepan to 350°F. The pan should be no more than half full and the oil deep enough to cover the shells. Lower in two or three tubes at a time with tongs. Fry for about 2–3 minutes, turning carefully, until the shells are blistered, crisp and evenly browned. Keep the oil close to 350°F between batches.
Lift the tubes onto absorbent paper or a rack. Let each shell cool until the tube can be handled safely, then ease the metal out without squeezing the pastry. Let the shells cool completely, about 20 minutes, before filling. Repeat with the remaining dough.Lift the tubes onto absorbent paper or a rack. Let each shell cool until the tube can be handled safely, then ease the metal out without squeezing the pastry. Let the shells cool completely, about 20 minutes, before filling. Repeat with the remaining dough.
Just before serving, pipe ricotta cream into the completely cool shells from both ends. Add a strip of candied orange at one end and chopped pistachios at the other. Dust lightly with powdered sugar and serve straight away.Just before serving, pipe ricotta cream into the completely cool shells from both ends. Add a strip of candied orange at one end and chopped pistachios at the other. Dust lightly with powdered sugar and serve straight away.