Cannoli Brownies

Cannoli Brownies, these gourmet bakery-style fudgy chocolate brownies have a delicious cannoli frosting and mini chocolate chips. Thick homemade brownies that are an over-the-top dessert for any occasion and better than any brownie from a box mix. 

These Cannoli Brownies, are every brownie lover’s dream! They are rich, fudgy, frosted, and DELICIOUS!! I should warn you, these are THICK brownies (like 2+ inches high with the frosting and chocolate chips) but don’t worry I have some tips to make them for everyday occasions too.

I’m a bit of a brownie snob. Have to admit, I LOVE brownies! It’s been a long time since I posted a brownie recipe although these Peanut Butter Stuffed Brownies, Mint Brownies, and Turtle Brownies are all oldies but GOODIES! If you want more of a cakey brownie, try these delicious Birthday Brownies.

These brownies are based on my Mint Brownies with a thick rich and fudgy brownie and the best mint chip frosting! Instead, though, I swapped out that mint for an Italian theme and cannoli inspired frosting. You know I love cannoli recipes!

As I mentioned above, these brownies are THICK. About 2+ inches to be exact. Think of them like a bakery-style gourmet over-the-top dessert! I used a 9×9 inch baking pan, BUT you could use a larger pan such as a 13×9 inch pan for a thinner brownie. Just be sure to adjust the baking time.

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

Brownie Ingredients

• Butter
• Chocolate Chips (I used semi-sweet, but bittersweet or dark would work too)
• Eggs
• Granulated sugar
• Vanilla extract
• Baking powder
• Salt
• Flour

How to Make the Brownies

1. PREHEAT. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a 9×9-inch baking pan or line with parchment paper.
2. MELT CHOCOLATE. Place the 1 cup of butter and chocolate chips in a large microwave safe bowl. Microwave on high in 30 second intervals, stirring after each, until melted and smooth. Set aside to cool completely.
3. MIX WET INGREDIENTS. In a large bowl mix together eggs and granulated sugar with a whisk or an electric mixer on medium speed until well combined. Beat in vanilla extract.
4. ADD DRY INGREDIENTS. Beat cooled chocolate and butter mixture into the eggs and sugar until combined. Beat in baking powder, salt, and flour until just combined. Pour brownie batter into prepared baking pan.
5. BAKE. Bake brownies for about 30-35 minutes or until toothpick inserted into middle comes out clean. Cool brownies completely.

Before you start your frosting, be sure you have drained the cheeses overnight and that the brownies are completely cool!

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

Cannoli Frosting Ingredients

• Ricotta cheese, drained overnight so that it’s THICK
• Mascarpone cheese, drained overnight so that it’s THICK
• Powdered sugar
• Vanilla extract (Almond extract or Fiori di Sicilia would be good too.)
• Orange juice (or a little fresh orange zest)
• Cinnamon
• Salt
• Mini chocolate chips (or finely chopped chocolate)

How to Make Cannoli Frosting

1. For the frosting, first, make sure your ricotta and mascarpone cheeses are well-drained and THICK before starting frosting. See the notes below for the best results. To make the frosting, beat together ricotta and mascarpone in a large mixing bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed until well combined. Beat in powdered sugar, vanilla, orange juice, cinnamon, and salt until well combined.
2. Frost cooled brownies as desired and top with mini chocolate chips. Refrigerate brownies until ready to serve and store leftovers in the fridge.

Serving Suggestions

• Serve with a fun coffee drink, hot chocolate, or even this Cannoli Martini would be great. Delicious!
• You can serve these brownies cold from the fridge or at room temperature.
• I cut them into large bakery sized brownies, but you can cut them into any size. You can even cut them into small brownies and place on cupcake paper liners.

Quick Tips for Best Results

• For the frosting, PLEASE be sure to drain the cheese(s) overnight so that they are THICK. Otherwise, your frosting could end up runny. See how to strain ricotta cheese for details.
• I baked these brownies in a 9×9-inch pan but you could also use a 13×9-inch pan. Adjust the baking time if needed. And regardless of what pan you use, check these brownies often so they don’t overbake.
• The frosting recipe makes a lot of frosting. If you’d like less frosting, you can cut the ingredients in half. OR save the extra frosting in the fridge for other recipes or use it as a dip.

Cannoli Brownies FAQ

How should I store the Cannoli Brownies?
I would store these frosted brownies covered in the fridge.

Can I freeze the Cannoli Brownies?
You can freeze the unfrosted brownies, but I would not freeze the brownies with the frosting.

How long will the brownies last?
They should last at least a few days if not longer in the fridge.

Substitutions?
Instead of semi-sweet chocolate chips, you could try bittersweet or dark chocolate. I used a little orange juice in the frosting, but you could use a little fresh orange zest instead if you’d like. Also, you could substitute other flavorings for the vanilla extract or in addition to.

Can I use low-fat ingredients?
Sorry, would not recommend using low-fat ingredients for this recipe.

What else can I add to this recipe?
Chopped pistachios (or other nuts) would be a great addition to the mini chocolate chips on top.

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 but you can try using vegan ingredients/substitutes.

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

Low-Carb – You can try a sugar substitute and lower carb chocolate options, but tough for this recipe.

Gluten-Free – You could try a gluten-free flour substitute.

Other Italian Dessert Recipes You May Enjoy

• Italian Sprinkle Cookies (Snappy Gourmet) – Easy glazed Italian cookies covered with multi-colored sprinkles.
• Cannoli Cake (Snappy Gourmet) – So popular! Homemade yellow cake with cannoli frosting.
• Tiramisu (Food Network) – Classic Italian dessert, delicious!

Hope you enjoy this Cannoli Brownies recipe with the from-scratch chocolate brownies and homemade cannoli frosting.. Tell me in the comments what you think!

You might also like these Cannoli Cookies, another great cannoli inspired dessert!

This post was originally published in (month year), but updated in (month year) with additional information.