Pistachio Cannoli

Aug 27, 2026 · By VanillaGoods

Baking Pastries doughnuts Vanilla: Paste Medium

Pistachio cannoli on a plate, crisp shells with the creamy filling piped out of both ends

Crisp fried wine-enriched shells filled with a rich pistachio and vanilla bean ricotta cream, garnished with crushed pistachios for an authentic Italian treat with distinct pistachio flavor and texture.

Prep 60 min

Cook 15 min

Cooling 4 hr 15 min

Total 5 hr 30 min

Yield 12 cannoli

Diet —

Ingredients

Adjust yield

cannoli

2.0 cups (240.0 g)all-purpose flour
2.0 tbsp (25.0 g)sugar, for dough
½ tsp (1.0 g)ground cinnamon
¼ tsp (1.0 g)fine sea salt
2.0 tbsp (28.0 g)cold unsalted butter, diced, for dough
1.0 large (50.0 g)egg
½ cup (120.0 ml)dry white wine, preferably Marsala, for dough
neutral oil (vegetable or canola) for frying
1 ½ cups (360.0 g)whole-milk ricotta, well drained, for filling
½ cup (70.0 g)unsalted shelled pistachios, chopped finely, for filling
½ cup (60.0 g)confectioners' sugar, sifted, for filling
1 ½ tsp (7.5 g)vanilla bean paste, for filling
2.0 tbsp (30.0 g)unsalted shelled pistachios, chopped coarsely, for garnish
¼ tsp (1.5 g)fine sea salt, for filling

Make it at home

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Instructions

Drain the ricotta in a fine mesh sieve lined with cheesecloth over a bowl for at least 4 hours (240 minutes) in the refrigerator to remove excess liquid.
In a large bowl, sift together the all-purpose flour, sugar, ground cinnamon, and fine sea salt.
Add the cold unsalted butter to the flour mix and cut it in with a pastry cutter or your fingertips until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
Beat the egg with white wine (preferably Marsala) in a small bowl. Gradually add this to the dry ingredients, stirring until a rough dough forms.
Transfer to a lightly floured surface and knead gently for 5 minutes until smooth. Wrap in plastic wrap and rest at room temperature for 15 minutes.
Roll the dough out to about 1/8 inch (3 mm) thickness. Cut into 5-inch (13 cm) circles. Wrap each circle around metal cannoli tubes, sealing edges with a little water.
Heat neutral oil in a deep fryer or heavy pot to 360°F (182°C). Fry cannoli shells in batches for 2 to 3 minutes until golden and crisp. Transfer to paper towels to drain and cool. Remove tubes carefully once cooled.
In a chilled bowl, combine the drained ricotta, finely chopped shelled pistachios, confectioners' sugar, vanilla bean paste, and the 1/4 tsp fine sea salt for filling. Stir gently until smooth and homogenous.
Using a piping bag with a wide round tip, fill each cannoli shell from both ends with the pistachio ricotta mixture just before serving.
Roll the ends of the filled cannoli in the coarsely chopped pistachios to garnish. Serve immediately for best texture and flavor.

Tips

Drain ricotta thoroughly to prevent soggy shells and loss of pistachio flavor in the filling.
Increase vanilla bean paste in filling to intensify vanilla aroma complementing pistachios.

Recipe FAQ

How long does it take to make pistachio cannoli?

Plan on 60 minutes of prep and 15 minutes of cooking, plus 4 hours 15 minutes to chill and rest. The recipe makes 12 pistachio cannoli.

How should I store pistachio cannoli?

Store unfilled shells separately in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. Refrigerate filling and fill shells just before serving to keep them crisp.

Can I make pistachio cannoli ahead?

Prepare and fry shells in advance; store filling and shells separately. Assemble filled cannoli just before serving.

Can I use a different form of vanilla?

Yes. This recipe uses 1.5 tsp vanilla bean paste, for filling (7.5 g). Each teaspoon of pure vanilla extract can be swapped for 1 teaspoon of vanilla bean paste, the seeds of half a vanilla bean, or 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla powder. Paste and seeds add the classic dark specks.

Estimated · per serving

Nutrition

Per serving = 1 of 12 servings this recipe makes.

311 Calories / serving

18.1g Fat

27.4g Carbs

7.5g Protein

9.0g Sugar

Whole recipe (12 servings): ~3732 cal · 217g fat · 329g carbs · 90g protein · 108g sugar

Estimated values per serving, calculated from standard ingredient data. Not verified Nutrition Facts; actual values vary with brands, measurements, and preparation.

Per serving · 311 calories

What it takes to burn one serving

Brisk walking 59 min·3.4 mi·~6900 steps
Walking uphill or incline treadmill 42 min·2.1 mi·~4200 steps
Moderate cycling 32 min·6.4 mi
Swimming laps 44 min
Jogging 30 min·2.5 mi·~4800 steps
Stair climbing 29 min·~2600 steps
Dancing 51 min
Bodyweight circuit training 32 min
Cleaning, errands, or playing with the dog 72 min

Rough estimates for one serving, based on standard MET values at about 155 lb. Your own burn depends on body size, effort, and fitness. Shown for context only — food is not something you have to earn.

Made with VanillaGoods

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