Best Cannoli Dip

Cannoli Dip is an easy Italian-inspired dessert dip made with creamy ricotta, mascarpone, powdered sugar, vanilla, orange zest, cinnamon, and mini chocolate chips. This homemade Cannoli Dip recipe takes just 15 minutes and is delicious served with cannoli chips, broken cannoli shells, cookies, graham crackers, waffle cones, or fresh fruit.

If you love cannoli but don’t necessarily want to make and fill a bunch of individual shells, say HELLO to the best Cannoli Dip! This sweet, creamy dessert dip has all those delicious cannoli cream flavors in one easy bowl. Ricotta and mascarpone make the base thick and creamy, powdered sugar adds sweetness, and vanilla, fresh orange zest, and cinnamon add plenty of flavor. And of course, there are mini chocolate chips.

Since so many people have loved all my cannoli recipes, including my Cannoli Cookies, I knew I needed to share my BEST Cannoli Dip recipe. My kids like to call it Cannoli Chips and Dip, which is pretty accurate. Put out a big bowl of this dip with crunchy cannoli chips and watch it disappear.

You may have seen sweet cannoli dip at grocery stores such as Trader Joe’s, Aldi, Wegmans, and others, but it’s surprisingly simple to make a homemade version. You only need a handful of ingredients; there is NO baking, and the whole recipe is ready in about 15 minutes.

It’s perfect for holidays, Christmas, Valentine’s Day, parties, showers, birthdays, game day, or pretty much any occasion that could use a quick dessert. And really, what occasion couldn’t use dessert?

What I Love About This Recipe

• It’s ridiculously easy to make. This Cannoli Dip recipe only takes about 15 minutes from start to finish, and there’s no cooking or baking involved. Mix the cheeses with powdered sugar, add the flavorings and chocolate chips, and you’re basically done. It’s a great last-minute dessert when you want something homemade without spending hours in the kitchen.
• It tastes like cannoli without all the work. Traditional cannoli are fabulous, but homemade cannoli shells take considerably more time to prepare, shape, and fry. This dip gives you that sweet ricotta cannoli cream flavor in a simple scoopable dessert. Serve it with cannoli chips or broken shells, and you basically have deconstructed cannoli.
• Ricotta AND mascarpone make it extra creamy. Ricotta gives the dip that classic cannoli flavor while mascarpone adds richness and helps create a thick, creamy texture. I recommend full-fat cheeses for the best consistency. Just make sure they’re not watery before mixing everything.
• There are so many things you can dip in it. Cannoli chips are an obvious choice, but they’re only the beginning. Cookies, vanilla wafers, graham crackers, waffle cones, fruit, and broken cannoli shells are all delicious. Put several options around the bowl, and you have an easy dessert platter for a party.
• You can easily customize the flavors. Cannoli can be quite different depending on where you live and what your family is used to, so don’t be afraid to adjust this dip. Add pistachios, change the extract, use chopped chocolate, or adjust the cinnamon and orange zest. You can even use cream cheese instead of mascarpone if needed.

What is a Cannoli (Cannolo)?

If you’re just joining us and wondering “what’s a cannoli?”, it’s an Italian pastry that is shaped in a long tube filled with a filling generally made up of ricotta cheese and powdered sugar. Cannolo is the singular, cannoli plural, although you do tend to hear cannoli used in the U.S. as both singular and plural.

Italian cannoli may include other things such as candied fruit, chocolate chips, nuts, cinnamon, mascarpone cheese, or a wide variety of other things. Depending on where you live, you probably have strong personal preferences as far as what should and should not be in cannoli.

If you’ve never had one, give them a try! National Cannoli Day is also June 16th, so if nothing else, get one to celebrate in June!

What Is Cannoli Dip?

If you’re wondering what is cannoli dip, think of it as an easy, dippable version of cannoli filling.

Cannoli fillings vary quite a bit. Depending on the recipe and region, they can contain chocolate chips, candied fruit, pistachios or other nuts, cinnamon, mascarpone, citrus, and other flavorings.

This homemade Cannoli Dip takes some of my favorite cannoli flavors and turns them into a simple no-bake dessert. It isn’t meant to replace traditional Italian cannoli. It’s just a fun and easy way to enjoy many of those flavors.

Equipment You May Need

• Electric Mixer: A hand mixer or stand mixer makes it easy to blend the ricotta, mascarpone, and powdered sugar until smooth and well combined.
• Large Mixing Bowl: You’ll need enough room to mix all that creamy cannoli goodness. You can even use a pretty bowl that can go straight from mixing to serving.
• Zester: A small zester or microplane works well for getting that little bit of fresh orange zest into the dip without large pieces of peel.
• Rubber Spatula: Helpful for scraping down the bowl and folding in the mini chocolate chips.
• Nut Chopper: Not essential, but convenient if you’re topping your Cannoli Dip with chopped pistachios, walnuts, pecans, or other nuts.

(Full printable recipe card is at bottom of post.)

Cannoli Dip Ingredients

• Ricotta Cheese: Ricotta gives this dip its classic cannoli flavor. Drain any excess liquid from the container before using. If your ricotta is especially watery, strain it overnight for a thicker dip. I recommend full-fat ricotta for the best results. See my how to strain ricotta cheese for more tips.
• Mascarpone Cheese: Mascarpone is a rich Italian cheese that gives the Cannoli Dip an extra creamy texture. Drain off excess liquid if necessary. If your mascarpone cheese is watery, it can also be strained. You should be able to find mascarpone cheese at many local grocery stores. Sometimes it’s with the more “specialty” cheeses. Sometimes mascarpone can be a bit pricey, so if you don’t want to spend that much money, you could substitute cream cheese.
• Powdered Sugar: Use powdered sugar, also called confectioners’ sugar, rather than granulated sugar. It dissolves easily into the cheeses and gives the dip sweetness without a gritty texture.
• Vanilla Extract: Vanilla adds a familiar sweet flavor. Almond extract or Fiori di Sicilia can also be used for a different spin.
• Fresh Orange Zest: You only need a teaspoon, but don’t underestimate it. I’m not always a huge orange zest person, but in this Cannoli Dip it adds a little something that really puts the flavor over the top.
• Ground Cinnamon: A little cinnamon adds warmth without overpowering the ricotta and mascarpone.
• Salt: Just a small amount helps balance all the sweetness.
• Mini Chocolate Chips: Mini chips work especially well because you get little bits of chocolate throughout every scoop. Regular chocolate chips or chopped chocolate can also be used.
• Chocolate Chips and/or Chopped Nuts: These are optional for topping. Pistachios are particularly delicious with cannoli flavors, but walnuts or pecans would also work.

Why Use Ricotta and Mascarpone in Cannoli Dip?

Ricotta and mascarpone do slightly different things in this recipe. Ricotta provides the traditional flavor most people associate with cannoli cream. Mascarpone is smoother and richer, giving the finished dip a thick, creamy consistency. Together, you get the best of both.

For the best Cannoli Dip, I suggest using full-fat ricotta and mascarpone. Low-fat cheeses can contain more moisture and may produce a thinner dip.

The biggest thing to watch is WATER. If you open the container and see liquid sitting on top of the cheese, drain it. If your ricotta is really watery, consider straining it overnight before making the dip.

How to Make Cannoli Dip

(For the full printable recipe, scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of the post.)

Step 1: Mix the cheeses and sugar. Place the ricotta, mascarpone, and powdered sugar in a large mixing bowl. Use an electric mixer or stand mixer to mix everything until smooth and well combined. If either cheese has excess liquid, drain it before you start.

Step 2: Add the flavor and chocolate. Mix in the vanilla extract, fresh orange zest, ground cinnamon, and salt until well combined. Stir in the mini chocolate chips so they’re distributed throughout the creamy dip.

Step 3: Garnish and serve. Transfer the dip to a serving bowl if needed and top with additional mini chocolate chips and/or chopped nuts. Serve immediately or cover and refrigerate until you’re ready to serve.

What to Serve with Cannoli Dip?

Wondering what to dip in Cannoli Dip? SO MANY THINGS!

Cannoli chips are probably my favorite because you get the creamy filling and crispy shell experience in every bite. Broken cannoli shells work beautifully too.

Some other delicious Cannoli Dip dippers include:

• Cannoli Chips
• Cannoli Croutons
• Fruit like apple slices or strawberries
• Ice cream cones like broken up waffle cones or sugar cones either store-bought or homemade like these waffle cones.
• Vanilla wafer cookies
• Chocolate cookie wafers
• Graham crackers
• Sweet crackers
• Cannoli Shells broken up into large pieces

Really any kind of cookie or cracker would be great with this easy Cannoli Dip! My kids like to call this Cannoli Chips & Dip! Check out my what to serve with cannoli dip for even more ideas.

For entertaining, make a big Cannoli Chips and Dip platter. Put the bowl of Cannoli Dip in the center and arrange several cookies, fruit, cannoli chips, and broken waffle cones around it. It looks impressive but takes practically no effort.

Cannoli Dip Variations

Once you’ve made the basic recipe, there are plenty of ways to change it up.

• Pistachio Cannoli Dip: Stir chopped pistachios into the dip or sprinkle them generously over the top right before serving. You could also add a little dry pistachio pudding mix or pistachio nut butter into the dip for more nut flavor. Add actual nuts near serving time so they stay crunchy.
• Chocolate Chip Cannoli Dip: This recipe already contains a full cup of mini chocolate chips, but chocolate lovers can add extra chips, different flavors of chocolate chips, or chopped chocolate.
• Chocolate Cannoli Dip: For an even more chocolate-forward dessert, you can experiment with adding cocoa powder or melted chocolate. Keep in mind that adding ingredients can change the texture of the original dip.
• Orange Almond Cannoli Dip: Swap some or all of the vanilla for almond extract and increase the orange flavor if that’s your thing.
• Salted Caramel Cannoli Dip: Salted caramel isn’t part of this original Cannoli Dip recipe, but you could drizzle a little salted caramel sauce over the top immediately before serving for a sweet variation.
• Cream Cheese Cannoli Dip: Mascarpone can sometimes be expensive or difficult to find. Cream cheese can be substituted for the mascarpone in this recipe. The flavor won’t be exactly the same, but you’ll still get a creamy dessert dip.

Quick Tips for the Best Cannoli Dip

• Use full-fat cheese. Full-fat ricotta and mascarpone give the dip a richer, creamier consistency.
• Watch the moisture. Drain visible liquid from the ricotta and mascarpone. Strain especially watery ricotta overnight.
• Use powdered sugar. Granulated sugar won’t give you the same smooth texture.
• Don’t skip the orange zest without trying it. It’s only a little, but it adds a LOT to the overall cannoli flavor.
• Adjust the flavorings to taste. Cinnamon, vanilla, and orange zest can all be increased or decreased depending on your preference.
• Add nuts at the last minute. Pistachios and other chopped nuts can soften after sitting in the creamy dip.
• Use mini chocolate chips. Their small size works particularly well in a dip and gives you chocolate in nearly every bite.
• Keep it refrigerated. Cannoli Dip contains fresh dairy products and should be stored covered in the refrigerator.
• Make it ahead. The dip can be prepared ahead and chilled until serving, making it an easy party dessert.

Cannoli Dip FAQ

How should I store Cannoli Dip?
Store Cannoli Dip covered in the refrigerator. Because the recipe contains ricotta and mascarpone, keep it chilled when you’re not serving it.

Can I freeze Cannoli Dip?
I don’t recommend freezing Cannoli Dip. Freezing and thawing can negatively affect the texture of the ricotta and mascarpone.

How long will the dip last?
As long as your cheeses are fresh, the dip can last a week or more in the refrigerator. However, the chocolate chips and especially any nuts may soften the longer the dip sits. For the best quality, I prefer the dip when it’s fresh.

Substitutions?
Instead of mini chocolate chips, try regular chocolate chips or chopped chocolate. You can substitute cream cheese for the mascarpone. Instead of vanilla, or in addition to it, you can use a little almond extract or Fiori di Sicilia.

Can I use low-fat ingredients?
I recommend full-fat ricotta and mascarpone for the best creamy texture. You can try low-fat cheese, but if it’s watery, strain it overnight before making the dip.

What else can I add to this recipe?
Try chopped pistachios, other nuts, different baking chips, or chopped chocolate. You can also change the extracts or citrus flavor. For a creamier cannoli filling, whipped cream is another option, as used in my Cannoli Cream recipe.

How to thicken cannoli dip?
Start with thick ricotta and mascarpone and drain off excess liquid. If your ricotta is especially watery, strain it overnight before making the dip. Refrigerating the finished dip can also help it firm up. You can also try whipped cream or whipped topping (Like Cool Whip) if you need another way to adjust a thin dip.

Can I make Cannoli Dip ahead of time?
Yes. Prepare the dip, cover it, and keep it refrigerated until you’re ready to serve. I recommend waiting to add chopped nuts until shortly before serving so they stay crunchy.

Can I make this vegan/vegetarian/low carb/gluten-free?
Here are some suggestions, but I can’t guarantee results. Be sure as always to check particular brands and ingredients if you’re following a specific diet or have diet restrictions or allergies.

Vegan – This would be a tough one to make vegan with all the cheese in it, but you could substitute a vegan type cream cheese for the ricotta and mascarpone.

Vegetarian – It’s vegetarian. Be sure to check individual brands/products just to be sure though.

Low-Carb – You can try a sugar substitute for the powdered sugar.

Gluten-Free -The Cannoli Dip is naturally gluten-free (just be sure to check all your individual ingredients…), so if you can’t have gluten-free food, try some fruit or gluten-free crackers to serve with the dip.

Other No-Bake Dessert Recipes You May Enjoy

• Caramel Cheesecake Dip – Another easy dessert dip!
• Nutella Cheesecake Dip – Perfect for all the chocolate and hazelnut lovers.
• Chocolate Peanut Butter Lasagna – Can’t beat chocolate and peanut butter together.
• Cannoli Cream Chocolate Truffles – Another great cannoli-inspired no-bake dessert.
• Mini Cannoli Dip Cups – Turn Cannoli Dip into cute individual bite-size party desserts.

Hope you enjoy this Best Cannoli Dip Recipe! So simple, but so tasty! Tell me what you put in your Cannoli Dip. Would love to hear!

Cannoli Dip Recipe Video

Quick video to show you how easy this Cannoli Dip comes together…

I have other great flavors of cannoli dip like this Pumpkin Cannoli Dip, Orange Almond Cannoli Dip, and Chocolate Cannoli Dip that you may like. All quick and easy to make and delicious!