Cannoli Trio: Classic, Black Forest, and Peach Mascarpone
There is something truly magical about a perfectly crisp, golden-brown cannoli shell giving way to a rich, velvety filling. While the classic ricotta and pistachio combination is a timeless masterpiece, I wanted to bring a little extra "magic" to your kitchen with a Cannoli Trio. From the deep, decadent notes of a Black Forest-inspired cherry filling to the bright, summer-ready "Peachy-Keen" mascarpone, this collection offers a flavor for every palate.
Making cannoli at home might feel intimidating, but it is surprisingly achievable with the right technique. The secret lies in a bubbly, thin dough and the patient draining of your ricotta to ensure a filling that is light and fluffy, never soggy. Whether you are hosting a dinner party or looking for a show-stopping weekend baking project, these three variations are guaranteed to impress.
If you’ve been dreaming of mastering the art of the Italian pastry shop right in your own home, this guide will walk you through every step—from the signature sizzle of the shells to the final decorative dip in chocolate and pistachios.
Why You’ll Love This Cannoli Trio
Three Flavors, One Batch: One dough recipe serves as the canvas for three distinct, gourmet fillings.
The Perfect Crunch: A traditional Marsala wine dough that creates those iconic tiny bubbles when fried.
Customizable Decor: Beautiful chocolate-dipped ends and crushed pistachios for a professional bakery finish.
Make-Ahead Friendly: You can fry the shells up to a week in advance, making assembly a breeze for parties.
Elevated Textures: A mix of traditional ricotta and creamy mascarpone for the ultimate mouthfeel.
Supplies You'll Need
Digital Kitchen Scale (Essential for precise pastry work!)
Stand Mixer with Bowl, Whisk, Paddle, and Dough Hook Attachments
Small and Medium Mixing Bowls
Silicone Spatula and Bench Scraper
Ruler and Measuring Spoons
Rolling Pin
Cannoli Tubes (“Cannoli Molds”)
Baking Sheet/Pan and Cooling Rack
Paper Towels (For draining and handling hot tubes)
Kitchen Plastic/Cling Film and Parchment Paper
Small and Medium Saucepans
Large Frying Pot
4 Piping Bags
3 Large Round Piping Tips (1A or 2A by Wilton recommended)
Sugar Thermometer (To monitor that perfect 350°F frying temp)
Secrets for the Perfect Cannoli Trio
Patience with the Ricotta: This is my #1 rule! Always drain your ricotta in a cheesecloth-lined sifter for at least 4 hours (or even overnight). Removing that extra liquid is the only way to get a filling that is light, fluffy, and stable—never runny.
The Magic of Marsala: Don't skip the Marsala wine in the dough! It’s not just for that traditional flavor; the acidity is what reacts with the hot oil to create those gorgeous, delicate bubbles on the surface of your shells.
Roll with Precision: Use a ruler! I like to roll my dough to just under 1/4" thickness. This gives you a shell that’s sturdy enough to hold all that creamy filling but still has that perfect, crisp shatter when you take a bite.
Watch the Heat: Keep your sugar thermometer in the oil at all times. We want to stay right at 350°F. If the oil is too cool, your shells will be greasy; if it’s too hot, they’ll brown too quickly and stay doughy inside.
Fill to Order: This is the golden rule of cannoli! To keep that crunch we worked so hard for, only pipe your "Peachy-Keen," "Black Forest," or Classic fillings into the shells right before you’re ready to serve.
The Finishing Touch: When you're decorating, dip your shells in the melted chocolate and pistachios before filling. It makes them look so professional on a platter and adds that extra layer of texture I know you'll love.
Essential Prep for Your Cannoli Trio
Before you begin mixing your dough, there are two crucial steps that require a little patience. For the best results, I recommend starting these at least 4 hours before you plan to fry and fill your cannoli:
Drain the Ricotta: Place your ricotta cheese into a cheesecloth-lined mesh sifter over a separate bowl. Let it sit in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours. This removes excess liquid, which is the secret to a filling that stays light and fluffy without making your shells soggy.
Chill the Dough: Once you've mixed and kneaded your dough, form it into a flat rectangle and wrap it tightly in kitchen plastic. It must refrigerate for 4 hours to allow the gluten to relax, making it much easier to roll into those perfect 3.5” discs.
Prep Your Molds: Ensure your cannoli tubes (molds) are clean and completely dry. You will be reusing these throughout the frying process, so have your paper towels ready to wipe them down between batches.
Temperature Check: Have your sugar thermometer ready. Frying is all about precision—keeping your oil at exactly 350°F is what creates those signature bubbles and that golden-brown crunch.
Yield: 44-46 filled cannolis
Ingredients for the Cannoli Trio
All-Purpose Flour
Granulated Sugar
Salt
Egg Yolks
Unsalted Butter
Marsala Wine
Vegetable Oil or Peanut Oil
Milk or Dark Chocolate
Pistachios
Mini Chocolate Chips
Ricotta
Powdered Sugar
Pure Vanilla
Cherry Preserves or Jam
Mascarpone Cheese
Peach Preserves or Jam
Lemon Juice
Fresh dark sweet cherries or maraschino cherries
Ingredients for the Cannoli Dough
320 g All-purpose flour, sifted
25 g Granulated sugar
¼ tsp Salt
2 Egg yolks, lightly beaten
30 g Unsalted butter, softened
155 g Marsala Wine
Essential Prep Step
500 g Ricotta Cheese
Pro-Tip: To get that signature fluffy texture, place your ricotta in a cheesecloth-lined mesh sifter over a bowl and let it drain in the fridge for at least 4 hours (or overnight) before you start mixing your fillings!
Directions for Cannoli Trio
Combine the flour, sugar, and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the pedal attachment.
While the mixer is going on low speed, add the egg yolks and soft butter. Mix to combine. While the mixer is still going on low speed, start drizzling the Marsala Wine.
Once all of the wine has been added and incorporated well, switch the mixer to the hook/dough attachment. Knead with the dough hook for approximately 4–5 minutes until a smooth, soft, pliable, non-sticky dough forms.
Remove the dough from the mixer’s bowl, form a flat rectangle, cover with the kitchen plastic, and refrigerate for 4 hours.
Place the ricotta cheese onto the cheesecloth-lined mesh sifter placed over a separate bowl; place into the refrigerator for at least 4 hours to drain excess liquid.
Uncover and unwrap the previously refrigerated/chilled dough. Divide the dough into two equal parts; cover one half with the kitchen plastic and set aside. Roll one portion of the dough into a log and cut it in half.
Roll one half of the log into a long tube that is 22 cm in length, mark the tube with 11 of the 2 cm parted indentations; slice the tube of the dough into 11 equal pieces.
While lightly flouring the work surface, dough pieces, and the rolling pin—flatten and roll each of the pieces of the dough into 3.5” discs (slightly less than ¼” thick).
Use only enough flour to prevent sticking. Using too much flour during the shaping process will produce dry and hard dough.
Repeat with all the remaining dough, keeping the rolled discs covered with the kitchen towel or plastic wrap.
Roll the dough discs around the Cannoli Tubes/Molds by placing the tube in the center of the dough disc, lightly dabbing one of the ends with a water-dampened finger and pressing the seam to seal.
Keep all of the shaped cannolis covered with the kitchen towel or plastic wrap.
Preheat approximately 4–5 cups of vegetable or peanut oil to 350°F in a heavy-bottom pot/pan. Insert and keep the sugar thermometer in the hot oil to monitor the temperature of the oil, which should not exceed 350°F.
Fry 4–6 cannoli (depending on the size of your pot/pan) at the same time, 1–1.5 minutes on each side until they turn golden brown.
Carefully remove the fried cannoli from the pot with the oil and place onto the parchment paper-lined baking sheet pan. Once able to safely touch cooled cannoli, using a paper towel to help and prevent burning, carefully slide the fried cannoli off the tubes and set the cannoli onto the cooling rack. Wipe the tubes and use again to shape and fry the rest of the dough discs.
Storage Notes:
*Fried, cooled, and unfilled cannoli shells can be kept in the paper towel-lined airtight container for up to 7 days. Cannoli shells will be their freshest and crispiest for the first 2–3 days.
*Filled cannoli will stay crisp for a few hours. Do not fill the cannoli in advance of serving—it is best to fill the cannoli right before consumption.
Ingredients for Decorating the Fried Cannoli Shells:
120 g milk or dark chocolate, melted
125 g shelled pistachios (raw unsalted, or roasted/salted if preferred), finely chopped
How to Decorate the Fried Cannoli Shells
Once cannoli shells are fried and cooled, prepare the melted chocolate and crushed pistachios.
Dip the ends of the cannoli shell into the melted chocolate, shake off the excess, then dip into the bowl with pistachios; place onto a parchment paper-lined pan or serving platter and set aside for the chocolate to set until you prepare the fillings.
Ingredients for Classic and “Black Forest” Cannoli Filling:
500 g ricotta cheese (drained 4 hours prior to)
125 g powdered sugar, sifted
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
100 g mini chocolate chips
50 g cherry preserves or jam
Whole, with stem, black sweet cherries or maraschino cherries
Directions for Classic and “Black Forest” Cannoli Filling
Add the strained ricotta cheese, powdered sugar, and the vanilla into a bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Mix on low speed, gradually increasing to medium-high. Whip for a couple of minutes until light and fluffy.
Divide the whipped ricotta filling into two separate bowls.
Finely chop half of the mini chocolate chips and fold in to one half of the ricotta filling. Transfer into a piping bag fitted with a large round piping tip (1A or 2A by Wilton).
Transfer the other half of the ricotta filling into another separate piping bag fitted with a large round piping tip. Set aside.
Fill a separate tipless piping bag with the cherry preserves/jam and cut a 1 cm opening; set aside.
Fill 1/3 of the cannoli shells with the plain ricotta filling; top with the remaining pistachios and/or mini chocolate chips, if desired.
Fill another 1/3 of the cannoli shells with the chopped chocolate chip ricotta filling and the cherry preserves/jam. Top with the piped ricotta and the whole cherry.
Ingredients for “Peachy-Keen” Cannoli Filling
250 g mascarpone cheese
125 g peach preserves or jam
2 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp vanilla extract
¼ tsp ground nutmeg
Directions for “Peachy-Keen” Cannoli Filling
Mix the mascarpone cheese, peach preserves/jam, lemon juice, vanilla, and the nutmeg in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the pedal attachment until the filling is creamy and smooth.
Transfer the peach filling into a piping bag fitted with a large round piping tip (1A or 2A by Wilton, for example). Fill the remaining cannoli shells with the “peachy-keen” filling.
FAQs About Cannoli Trio Recipe
Q: Why did my cannoli shells turn out soft instead of crispy?A: This usually happens if the oil temperature drops too low during frying or if you skip the Marsala wine! The wine's acidity is key for those light bubbles, and keeping your oil at a steady 350°F ensures the shells crisp up instantly without soaking up too much oil.
Q: Can I make the cannoli fillings ahead of time?A: Yes! You can prepare the "Peachy-Keen," "Black Forest," and Classic fillings up to 24 hours in advance. Just keep them stored in their piping bags in the refrigerator. However, remember the golden rule: only fill the shells right before you’re ready to serve to keep them perfectly crunchy.
Q: My dough is very difficult to roll out. What should I do?A: If the dough feels too elastic and keeps shrinking back, it likely needs more time to rest. Make sure you don't skip the 4-hour chill in the refrigerator. This allows the gluten to relax completely, making it much easier to roll those 3.5” discs to the perfect thinness.
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Cannoli Trio Recipe
There is something truly magical about a perfectly crisp, golden-brown cannoli shell giving way to a rich, velvety filling. While the classic ricotta and pistachio combination is a timeless masterpiece, I wanted to bring a little extra "magic" to your kitchen with a Cannoli Trio. From the deep, decadent notes of a Black Forest-inspired cherry filling to the bright, summer-ready "Peachy-Keen" mascarpone, this collection offers a flavor for every palate.
Ingredients
- All-Purpose Flour
- Granulated Sugar
- Salt
- Egg Yolks
- Unsalted Butter
- Marsala Wine
- Vegetable Oil or Peanut Oil
- Milk or Dark Chocolate
- Pistachios
- Mini Chocolate Chips
- Ricotta
- Powdered Sugar
- Pure Vanilla
- Cherry Preserves or Jam
- Mascarpone Cheese
- Peach Preserves or Jam
- Lemon Juice
- Fresh dark sweet cherries or maraschino cherries
- 320 g All-purpose flour, sifted
- 25 g Granulated sugar
- ¼ tsp Salt
- 2 Egg yolks, lightly beaten
- 30 g Unsalted butter, softened
- 155 g Marsala Wine
- 5 00 g Ricotta Cheese
- 120 g milk or dark chocolate, melted
- 125 g shelled pistachios (raw unsalted, or roasted/salted if preferred), finely chopped
- 500 g ricotta cheese (drained 4 hours prior to)
- 125 g powdered sugar, sifted
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 100 g mini chocolate chips
- 50 g cherry preserves or jam
- Whole, with stem, black sweet cherries or maraschino cherries
- 250 g mascarpone cheese
- 125 g peach preserves or jam
- 2 tsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
Instructions
- Combine the flour, sugar, and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the pedal attachment.
- While the mixer is going on low speed, add the egg yolks and soft butter. Mix to combine. While the mixer is still going on low speed, start drizzling the Marsala Wine.
- Once all of the wine has been added and incorporated well, switch the mixer to the hook/dough attachment. Knead with the dough hook for approximately 4–5 minutes until a smooth, soft, pliable, non-sticky dough forms.
- Remove the dough from the mixer’s bowl, form a flat rectangle, cover with the kitchen plastic, and refrigerate for 4 hours.
- Place the ricotta cheese onto the cheesecloth-lined mesh sifter placed over a separate bowl; place into the refrigerator for at least 4 hours to drain excess liquid.
- Uncover and unwrap the previously refrigerated/chilled dough. Divide the dough into two equal parts; cover one half with the kitchen plastic and set aside. Roll one portion of the dough into a log and cut it in half.
- Roll one half of the log into a long tube that is 22 cm in length, mark the tube with 11 of the 2 cm parted indentations; slice the tube of the dough into 11 equal pieces.
- While lightly flouring the work surface, dough pieces, and the rolling pin—flatten and roll each of the pieces of the dough into 3.5” discs (slightly less than ¼” thick).
- Use only enough flour to prevent sticking. Using too much flour during the shaping process will produce dry and hard dough.
- Repeat with all the remaining dough, keeping the rolled discs covered with the kitchen towel or plastic wrap.
- Roll the dough discs around the Cannoli Tubes/Molds by placing the tube in the center of the dough disc, lightly dabbing one of the ends with a water-dampened finger and pressing the seam to seal.
- Keep all of the shaped cannolis covered with the kitchen towel or plastic wrap.
- Preheat approximately 4–5 cups of vegetable or peanut oil to 350°F in a heavy-bottom pot/pan. Insert and keep the sugar thermometer in the hot oil to monitor the temperature of the oil, which should not exceed 350°F.
- Fry 4–6 cannoli (depending on the size of your pot/pan) at the same time, 1–1.5 minutes on each side until they turn golden brown.
- Carefully remove the fried cannoli from the pot with the oil and place onto the parchment paper-lined baking sheet pan. Once able to safely touch cooled cannoli, using a paper towel to help and prevent burning, carefully slide the fried cannoli off the tubes and set the cannoli onto the cooling rack. Wipe the tubes and use again to shape and fry the rest of the dough discs.
- S torage Notes:
- *Fried, cooled, and unfilled cannoli shells can be kept in the paper towel-lined airtight container for up to 7 days. Cannoli shells will be their freshest and crispiest for the first 2–3 days.
- *Filled cannoli will stay crisp for a few hours. Do not fill the cannoli in advance of serving—it is best to fill the cannoli right before consumption.
- Once cannoli shells are fried and cooled, prepare the melted chocolate and crushed pistachios.
- Dip the ends of the cannoli shell into the melted chocolate, shake off the excess, then dip into the bowl with pistachios; place onto a parchment paper-lined pan or serving platter and set aside for the chocolate to set until you prepare the fillings.
- Add the strained ricotta cheese, powdered sugar, and the vanilla into a bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Mix on low speed, gradually increasing to medium-high. Whip for a couple of minutes until light and fluffy.
- Divide the whipped ricotta filling into two separate bowls.
- Finely chop half of the mini chocolate chips and fold in to one half of the ricotta filling. Transfer into a piping bag fitted with a large round piping tip (1A or 2A by Wilton).
- Transfer the other half of the ricotta filling into another separate piping bag fitted with a large round piping tip. Set aside.
- Fill a separate tipless piping bag with the cherry preserves/jam and cut a 1 cm opening; set aside.
- Fill 1/3 of the cannoli shells with the plain ricotta filling; top with the remaining pistachios and/or mini chocolate chips, if desired.
- Fill another 1/3 of the cannoli shells with the chopped chocolate chip ricotta filling and the cherry preserves/jam. Top with the piped ricotta and the whole cherry.
- Mix the mascarpone cheese, peach preserves/jam, lemon juice, vanilla, and the nutmeg in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the pedal attachment until the filling is creamy and smooth.
- Transfer the peach filling into a piping bag fitted with a large round piping tip (1A or 2A by Wilton, for example). Fill the remaining cannoli shells with the “peachy-keen” filling.
