These Cannoli Cupcakes have all of the flavors of traditional cannoli, but packed into a cupcake! They’re perfect for holidays and bake sales!

A cannoli cupcakes that is cut in half.

My top 3 desserts of all time are (in no particular order): Crème Brûlée, Baklava, and Cannoli. I grew up in Connecticut and saying my hometown had a lot of Italian influences would be a vast understatement. There were a few Italian bakeries and mom-and-pop Italian restaurants in town that served cannolis and they’re just heavenly. I strongly dislike ricotta cheese in lasagna but absolutely love it in cannolis…go figure. So whenever I make these Cannoli Cupcakes I am instantly taken back to my childhood.

Combining cupcakes and cannoli into one dessert is one of the best decisions I have ever made. Haha! But seriously, these Cannoli Cupcakes are so delicious you will not regret making them. They are perfect for any occasion: a birthday, an after school snack, Fourth of July, a rainy day, a treat for your child’s teacher, book club, Easter, Christmas, or even just because it is Monday! See what I mean?! Cannoli Cupcakes really do make the perfect treat for literally any occasion!

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3 cannoli cupcakes put on pedestals

If you love cannoli as much as I do, then you need to check out these ice cream, filling, and pancake recipes. 

Cook’s Note:

  • These cupcake will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Just make sure that you leave them at room temperature for 30 minutes before serving them. 
  • I do not recommend leaving these cupckes at room temperature for longer than 2 hours because of the ricotta cheese. 

Disclosure: This post includes affiliate links. 

Cook’s Tools – Cannoli Cupcakes:

  • Muffin tin
  • Piping Bag & Large Pastry Tips Set
  • Cupcake Carrier

ONE YEAR AGO: Buckeye Brownie Cheesecake Cake 

TWO YEAR AGO: Coconut Cream Cake

THREE YEARS AGO: S’mores Cookie Bites

A close up of cannoli cupcakes on a plate.

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A half eaten cannoli cupcake.
4.88 from 8 votes

Cannoli Cupcakes

Prep Time 1 hour
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 25 minutes
24 Cupcakes
These Cannoli Cupcakes have all of the flavors of traditional cannoli, but packed into a cupcake! They're perfect for holidays and bake sales!

Ingredients
 
 

FOR THE CUPCAKES:

  • 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 ½ teaspoons baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 ¾ cups granulated sugar
  • ½ cup unsalted butter softened
  • 3 large eggs at room temperature
  • 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  • 1 cup whole milk
  • 1 cup whole milk ricotta cheese
  • 2 teaspoons freshly grated orange zest

FOR THE CANNOLI FILLING:

  • 15 ounce container ricotta cheese
  • ¼ cup powdered sugar
  • ½ cup mini chocolate chips
  • 2 teaspoons freshly grated orange zest

FOR THE FROSTING:

  • 20 Tablespoons unsalted butter softened
  • cup ricotta cheese
  • 2 ½ cups powdered sugar
  • teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 Tablespoon heavy cream for thinning
  • ¼ cup chopped pistachios for garnish

Instructions

MAKE THE CUPCAKES:

  • Move oven racks to the middle and lower-middle positions and preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line 2 standard-sized muffin tins with paper liners and set aside. 
  • In a medium bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt and set aside. In the bowl of a stand mixer or in a large bowl using a hand mixer, add the butter and sugar and beat until light and fluffy, about 1-2 minutes. Beat in the eggs one at a time on low speed until combined. Turn the mixer off and add in the vanilla, milk, ricotta cheese, and orange zest. Mix on low until just combined. Add in the flour mixture and pulse until just combined and no flour pockets remain. 
    Make the cannoli cupcake batter.
  • Divide the batter among the cupcake tins and bake for 20-25 minutes, rotating pans halfway through baking, until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Move the cupcake tins to cooling racks and cool them in the tins for 5 minutes. Then, remove the cupcakes from the tins and cool them on the wire racks until cooled completely. 
    Fill the cupcake tins with paper liners and fill them with batter.

MAKE THE CANNOLI FILLING & FILL THE CUPCAKES:

  • Mix together the ricotta cheese and powdered sugar until combined. Then, stir in the mini chocolate chips and orange zest until combined. Fill a piping bag with the filling. 
    Add the cannoli filling to a piping bag.
  • Use a large piping tip to cut out the middle of each cupcake. 
    Cut out a whole in the top of the cupcake with a large piping tip.
  • Fill each cupcake with the cannoli filling. 
    Fill the cupcakes with the cannoli filling.

MAKE THE FROSTING:

  • In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium speed until fluffy and lighter in color, about 1-2 minutes. Add in the ricotta cheese and mix on low speed until incorporated about 1 minute. Next, scrape down the sides of the bowl and add in the powdered sugar. Pulse the mixer on low until combined. Then, increase the speed to medium and beat until combined and fluffy, about 3-4 minute. Add in the salt, vanilla, and heavy cream and beat until just combined. 
    Make the butter cream frosting.

FINISH CUPCAKES:

  • Add the frosting to a pastry bag fitted with a 1M piping tip and frost the cupcakes. Sprinkle each cupcake with chopped pistachios and then serve. 
    Frost the cupcakes and garnish with pistachios.

Nutrition

Serving: 1cupcake | Calories: 376kcal | Carbohydrates: 43g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Cholesterol: 80mg | Sodium: 107mg | Potassium: 127mg | Sugar: 31g | Vitamin A: 625IU | Vitamin C: 0.5mg | Calcium: 110mg | Iron: 1mg

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Source: Adapted from What’s Cookin, Chicago?

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This post for cannoli cupcakes first appeared on Food Folks and Fun on February 5, 2011. I have since updated the pictures and some of the originals are below. 
A group of Cannoli Cupcakes
These Cannoli Cupcakes have all the flavors of a traditional cannoli, but packed into cupcake form!
 

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46 Comments

  1. Yummy! These look delicious!

  2. Ann & Anonymous: The original recipe calls for 1 T of Marsala wine to the cake batter, but I do not consume alcohol so I just left it out, but it looks like I forgot to take it out of the directions! Sorry about the mix up!

  3. The Sabourin Family says:

    These look delicious! Thanks for posting the recipe – will certainly give them a try.

  4. Emily {WhipperBerry} says:

    Hi! I just wanted to let you know we featured you on WhipperBerry today. Come grab a featured button if you like!

  5. Excuse me while I try to mop up the drool… Those look so wonderful!!! Mmmmm…

  6. What a great cupcake….I have a cannoli fan in the house but they are so time consuming to make…I think I will treat him to these cupcakes very soon.

  7. Can’t wait to try these thanks!

  8. Walking by Faith says:

    These cupcakes look unreal! I can’t wait to make them!

    I’m your newest follower and would love for you to stop by and follow me, as well. This recipe would be perfect to share with my linky party So Sweet Sundays, going on right now! 😉

    morrowsunshine.blogspot.com

  9. Anonymous says:

    So, I made the chocolate peanut butter cupcakes last weekend. I didn’t think they could be beat. I completely love these! I am however treating them like my kids – I love them both the same – LOL.

    The fresh orange zest is wonderful and adds a flavor that takes me back to my noni’s cooking.

    I may try something slightly different next time i make these (which will be very soon) being an Italian with a long history with the cannoli. I may try using marscapone instead of ricotta in the filling and icing. In Florida, ricotta sometimes just doesn’t set up well in humid times.

    I can’t wait to try your next recipe. I absolutely love your blog!

    Denise

    1. Denise, I am SO glad you liked both the Cannoli Cupcakes and the Chocolate Peanut Butter ones! I Let me know how using mascarpone turned out!

  10. Lynda Stumphf says:

    Why would a person “comment” on a recipe that she hasn’t tried? It is a time-waster for those who are looking for helpful hints.

    1. I see you point. But when it comes to cannoli people just can’t contain themselves. 😉

  11. Carmen B Edwards says:

    I may make these for a wedding. How long will the filling hold up?.. could I make them the day before and refrigerate?.
    Thank you..
    C

    1. The filling can be made up to 24 hours in advance. I highly recommend filling them no more than 2 hours before serving (after filling, keep them in the refrigerator until right before serving). If you fill the cannoli in advance, you run the risk of the shells becoming soggy and/or the shells loosing their crispiness while chilling.
      I hope this helps!

  12. Elizabeth says:

    What are your thoughts if I wanted to use a cake mix? Any input?

    1. It would definitely work. Let me know how they turn out! 🙂

  13. Gloria Quaid says:

    I live in Santa Fe, New Mexico, (7,000 feet elevation)/and every recipe that involves cake seems to require an adjustment unique to each particular recipe. I wonder if you have any followers who can figure out the proper adjustment. Recipe adjustments are different for various elevations; recipes for those at 3;500 feet, 7,000 feet and 9,000 or 10,000 feet vary greatly, usually..

  14. Love it! Seriously BEST cupcakes!

  15. Hi! For the Cannoli cupcakes, do I use a wet or a dry measuring cup to measure the ricotta for the actual cupcake and also for the frosting?

  16. Straight up AMAZING. Thank you for this perfect recipe. I especially love how the salty pistachios give the cupcake a crunch that mimics a cannoli shell. Well done!

  17. I spotted a recipe for Canolli cookies. Do you think I could follow this recipe and then bake, as a cookie? Also from Ct. and agree, best canollis there, EVER !

    1. Hi Adriene, I don’t think this recipe will work for Cannoli Cookies. They’d bake up too cakey, more like whoopie pies.

  18. How far in advance can the cannoli cupcakes be made ?