This Homemade Cannoli Shells recipe is better than any store-bought shell out there. They fried until golden brown and then filled with the most delicious cannoli cream.
How to Make Cannoli Shells
If you have been following me for a while now, you know there is one thing I absolutely love above everything else. Aside from my kids, of course! Can you guess?
Yep, you guys know me so well. It is Cannoli.
I love it so much I have dedicated 5 posts to different cannoli recipes! Combined, these 5 recipes have been shared on social media over 144,000 times! This seriously makes me so happy to know you all are helping me spread my love of all things Cannoli!
I have Cannoli Recipes for:
Recently, I was looking through my Cannoli recipes and I couldn’t help but feel that something was missing. And then it hit me! Cannoli shells!
How can I have all of these Cannoli recipes, especially Cannoli Cream, but not have a cannoli shell recipe? It’s ludicrous I tell ya!
I got right to work to rectify this problem, and now I have a recipe to share with you today for homemade Cannoli Shells. What other types of Cannoli recipes would you like to see added to my list? Scroll down below to see how to make my Cannoli Shells.
Homemade Cannoli Shells Recipe Questions Answered:
What are cannoli shells made of?
Cannoli is a pastry dough that is fried when making it. It is typically filled with a creamy filling that is sweet and contains ricotta.
How do you keep cannoli shells crisp?
Cannoli shells should be used pretty soon after making them, within a day or two. However, if you will not be using them that soon, you can freeze the Cannoli Shells to retain their crispness.
Are cannolis supposed to be crunchy?
Cannolis are definitely best when crunchy. To avoid the shells from getting soggy just be careful not to fill the shells too soon.
If you fill them too far in advance and let them sit, then the filling will penetrate the crispy shell, therefore, causing the Cannoli shell to become soft. You don’t want a soft shell after working so hard making the cannoli shell recipe!
How to make Cannoli Shells:
- First, combine the dry ingredients and mix them in a food processor. Then add the pebbles and pulse until it looks like small pebbles.
- Next, add the egg and cold wine and then pulse until the dough barely begins to hold together.
- Then, knead the dough on a floured surface until dough is smooth. Next, wrap in plastic and chill for 1 hour. Next, roll out the dough to ⅛ inch thick and cut into 4-inch round circles. Pull each circle into a 5-inch circle.
- Next, place the egg white in a bowl and set it aside. Then, heat the oil in a pan to 350 degrees. Wrap one oval of dough loosely lengthwise around a cannoli form or 1-inch-diameter wooden dowel or cannoli form. Next, brush one end of the dough with egg white, then pull the dry end over the top and press down to seal.
- Now using tongs, lower the dough into the oil and fry for about 2-3 minutes. Remove the shells with the tongs and transfer them to the paper towel-lined plate to cool.
- When the shells are cool enough to touch, remove the molds and repeat with the remaining dough in batches until all shells have been fried.
- Finally, dip ends of cooled shells in melted chocolate, and cool until dry.
Cook’s Note – Homemade Cannoli Shells Recipe:
Cannoli Shells will keep in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days.
Disclosure: This post includes affiliate links.
Cook’s Tools:
- food processor
- 4-inch round cookie cutter
- adjustable rolling pin
- large heavy-bottomed pot
- tongs
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Cannoli Shells
Equipment
- food processor
- 4-inch round cookie cutter
- rolling pin
- large heavy-bottomed pot
- tongs
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 Tablespoons granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- Pinch salt
- 3 Tablespoons butter cold and cut into 6 pieces
- 1 large egg
- 3 Tablespoons Marsala cooking wine chilled
- 1 large egg white
- vegetable oil or peanut oil for frying
- 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips melted
Instructions
- Combine the flour, sugar, cinnamon, and salt together in a food processor. Add the butter and pulse until it resembles small pebbles.
- Add the egg and cold wine and pulse until the dough just barely begins to hold together. Transfer the dough to a floured surface and knead until smooth, 3-4 minutes.
- Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
- Lightly coat the dough with flour and use a rolling pin to roll the dough out as thin as possible on a lightly floured surface, to 1/8-inch thick.
- Use a 4-inch, round cookie cutter to cut circles from the dough. Take one circle at a time and pull it into a 5-inch oval. Repeat with the excess dough, kneading it back together and cutting it until you have 12 ovals.
- Place the egg white in a small bowl and set aside. In a wide pot with a heavy bottom, heat vegetable oil to between 350 and 380 degrees F. Line a large plate with paper towels.
- Wrap one oval of dough loosely lengthwise around a cannoli form or 1-inch-diameter wooden dowel. Brush one end of the dough with egg white, then pull the dry end over the top and press down to seal. Repeat with three more dough ovals.
- Using tongs, carefully lower the dough into the oil and fry until golden brown, turning them as they fry, 2-3 minutes. Remove the shells with the tongs and transfer them to the paper towel-lined plate to cool.
- When the shells are cool enough to touch, remove the molds and repeat with the remaining dough in batches until all shells have been fried.
- Dip ends of cooled shells in melted chocolate, and cool until dry.
Notes
Nutrition
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This Homemade Cannoli Shells recipe is better than any store-bought shell out there. They fried until golden brown and then filled with the most delicious cannoli cream.
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Hi Jillian, If I wanted to make these mini shells would I just use a 2” circle cutter and stretch to 3”?
Yes, you can make mini cannoli shells by using a 2-inch circle cutter. After cutting, stretch the circles to 3 inches before wrapping them around the cannoli forms for frying. This adjustment should give you the desired mini size.
How long will the dose stay good in the refrigerator?
The cannoli shells should be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to two days. If filled with cream, they can be kept covered in the refrigerator for no longer than 24 hours to maintain their crispiness.
Hi-forgive me if this posts twice…I made your cannoli shells and cream. The recipes were delicious, but I had some trouble with the frying part. The shells came out soft. I used three inches canola oil at 350 to 365 degrees. What did I do wrong? Do I need to fry longer? Was the oil too hot or cold? Does the oil need to be boiling? Please advise.
If your cannoli shells came out soft, it could be due to the oil temperature or frying time. The oil should be around 350-365°F, but if the temperature fluctuates, it can affect the texture. Make sure the oil is consistently hot, but not boiling. Fry the shells until they are deep golden brown and crisp. Frying longer at a steady temperature should help achieve a crispy texture.
Hi-this was my first time making cannoli. The recipes were delicious BUT something went wrong in frying the cannoli shells. They came our soft instead of crispy. We used a pasta roller to #3. I had three in. of oil at 350-365 degrees. I used a thermometer. They blistered nicely and turned golden. Please tell me what I did wrong. Did they turn out too soft because I didn’t fry them long enough? Was the oil too hot or cool? Frustrating. We are so close to perfection. Thank you in advance for any tips!
If your cannoli shells turned out soft instead of crispy, it’s likely due to not frying them long enough. Even if they blistered and turned golden, they may need a bit more time in the oil to fully crisp up. Make sure your oil temperature is consistent at 350-365°F, and consider extending the frying time slightly. The thickness of the dough (#3 on a pasta roller) sounds appropriate, so focus on achieving that perfect crispness by adjusting the frying time.
can I freeze the dough and how long can I keep it in the freezer
Yes! Cannoli shells should be used pretty soon after making them, within a day or two. However, if you will not be using them that soon, you can freeze the Cannoli Shells to retain their crispness.
Is there anything you can use if you don’t have wine.
You can use white vinegar or apple cider vinegar as a substitute. This will help achieve the necessary acidity and flavor in the dough.
I’m excited to try your cannoli shell recipe? Love how you use the processor in mixing the ingredients. What does the Marsala wine do to the shell? Can I use a different wine with successful results?
The Marsala wine adds flavor. It’s a very authentic ingredient for the shells.
Hello, have not made these yet. I noticed on the recipe it showed a picture of King Arthur Gluten Free flour. Is that the flour you use? I would like to make them that way since i have family that is GF. Do they taste and is the texture good with GF flour? I absolutely love cannoli so looking forward to making these.
For this recipe I used King Arthur Baking Company All-Purpose Unbleached Flour, unfortunately not the gluten free flour, but if you try it with that flour please tell me how it turns out!
Love this one! How long before serving do you usually fill your shells?
I usually fill my shells right before serving, but you can fill them an hour before serving.
Love your recipe..
Just made a batch for my granddaughter’s confirmation..
It’s Thursday afternoon, the party is on Saturday afternoon..
How do I store the shells until I fill them ..
Thank you
Hi Minnie, You can store them covered in the refrigerator for no longer than 24 hours. After that, they start to get soggy and lose their crispiness.
I’m making them for Easter so can I fill them the night before
You should fill the cannoli shells right before serving to keep them crisp. If you need to fill them in advance, it’s best to do so no more than an hour before serving to prevent the shells from becoming soggy. For optimal freshness, store the empty shells in an airtight container at room temperature for up to two days.
Does the side that’s brushed with egg white go on the inside?
Yes that is correct!
I have found brushing the entire inside surface of the cannoli shells with melted chocolate ensures your filled shells will stay crispy much longer. The shells can be stored “painted” for several days in a sealed storage container. Then I fill with the ricotta filling minus chocolate chips and dip the ends in crushed pistachios. These will stay crispy at least 12 hours. The kids think its fun to paint the cannoli shells too.
Colleen, this is a great tip! I’m going to try this with my kids the next time I make cannoli.
How deep should the hot oil be when you lower the raw cannoli shell into it?
Thank you
About 4 inches.
What a great recipe. I love making the homemade shells, they just taste SO much better. With a recipe this easy there’s no need to buy premade shells!
These look better than anything you can buy in the store. I can’t believe how simple they are to make at home. I will be making these soon instead of running to the store.