Classic Cannoli Filling Recipe

A classic and creamy cannoli filling made with ricotta and mascarpone cheese, perfectly sweetened and ready to fill your crispy cannoli shells.

Prep : 10 Total : 25 minutes

Rate Pin Share Recipe Print Recipe

Ingredients

Cannoli Filling

2 cups ricotta cheese strained
2 cups mascarpone cheese cool
2 cups powdered sugar

Optional Add-ins

4 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chopped
0.75 cup mini chocolate chips

Instructions

Preparation Steps

In a medium bowl, gently fold together the drained ricotta cheese, mascarpone cheese, and powdered sugar until well combined. Be careful not to overmix, as mascarpone cheese can break down if overworked.
Cover the bowl and chill the filling in the refrigerator for 2-3 hours to allow it to firm up.
If using, melt the semi-sweet chocolate and dip the ends of the cooled cannoli shells into the chocolate. Gently shake off any excess chocolate and set aside on parchment paper to cool and set.
To fill the cannoli, transfer the chilled filling to a piping bag fitted with a round tip or a Ziplock bag with a corner snipped off. Pipe the filling into the cooled cannoli shells, starting from one end and piping towards the other, filling from both ends to ensure they are fully packed. If you added chocolate, press mini chocolate chips onto the chocolate-dipped ends.
Dust with powdered sugar just before serving for an extra touch.

Notes

Store any leftover filled cannoli in an airtight container in the refrigerator. The shells will soften over time, so they are best enjoyed within an hour of filling. For longer storage, you can freeze unfilled cannoli shells in an airtight container for up to a month. Thaw them in the refrigerator before filling.