Cannoli Croutons

Cannoli Croutons, a fun Italian dessert recipe idea. These dessert croutons are great with sweet dips, on top of ice cream sundaes, crumbled on cakes, and more!

Cannoli Croutons, a fun Italian dessert twist on savory crunchy homemade croutons. I know they sound a little crazy, but they’re a fun little dessert or snack!

Let me backtrack a little. I recently had some leftover Cannoli Bread that was a day or two old. First I made some Cannoli French Toast. Then I thought I’d give these croutons a try.

You know I have a crazy brain when it comes to cannoli recipes, but I even surprised myself with these dessert croutons! Don’t worry, I have lots of idea what to do with them further down.

So for these croutons, you will need some slices of day-old (or older…) homemade Cannoli Bread. Depending on the size of bread cubes you make, you may need to adjust the baking time. Also, the older and drier your bread is, the quicker the bread will crisp up for croutons.

If you’re planning to use the croutons to dip I’d cut the cubes on the larger side. If you want to use as an ice cream sundae topping, cut the bread into smaller cubes.

I liked the croutons a little on the softer side, BUT you can cook as long as you’d like for your personal preference of crunchiness.

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

Cannoli Croutons Ingredients

• Cannoli Bread – About 4 slices of day-old bread cut about 1/2-inch thick

How to Make Cannoli Croutons

1. PREHEAT. Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or silicone mats.
2. CUT BREAD. Cut each slice of bread into about 12 cubes. Place on baking sheets.
3. BAKE. Bake about 15 minutes then flip cubes over and bake another 15-20 minutes or until dry and crispy around edges. Cool completely to firm up.

Uses for Cannoli Croutons

• Great cut into small cubes or crumbs for an ice cream sundae topping.
• Delicious “dipper” for sweet dips like this Cannoli Dip, Chocolate Cannoli Dip, or this Orange Almond Cannoli Dip.
• Crumble them up into coarse crumbs for the sides or tops of cakes (like this Cannoli Cake) or cupcakes (like these Cannoli Cupcakes).
• Crouton crumbs would also be great on glass rims for dessert cocktails (like this Cannoli Martini).
• Or just snack on the crunchy homemade croutons all by themselves!

Quick Tips for Best Results

• Make sure your Cannoli Bread is a day or two old so it’s a bit drier and easier to dry out for crunchy croutons.
• Cut the cubes into any shape you’d like. Be sure to adjust the baking time. Keep an eye on the croutons so you don’t burn them. If the bread is not very dry or your croutons are quite large, they could take a while in the oven to dry out and crisp up but don’t worry, they’ll get there!
• You can use as many slices of the Cannoli Bread as you’d like. Even just one slice would work!

Cannoli Croutons FAQ

How should I store Cannoli Croutons?
I would store them in an airtight container or resealable plastic bag at room temperature.

Can I freeze the croutons?
No, I would not recommend freezing them. You could freeze the loaf of Cannoli Bread, defrost, cut, and bake at a later date.

How long will the croutons last?
They should last at least a few days at room temperature.

What else can I add to this recipe?
You could toss the croutons in a little melted butter and cinnamon before baking if you’d like.

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 because of the bread. But see the bread recipe for vegan suggestions.

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

Low-Carb – You can try a sugar substitute in the bread, but see the bread recipe for substitution suggestions.

Gluten-Free – Again, see the bread recipe for gluten-free suggestions.

Other Italian Dessert Recipes You May Enjoy

• Cannoli Cookies (Snappy Gourmet) – One of my most popular cookie recipes!
• Tiramisu Martini (Snappy Gourmet) – A delicious dessert cocktail based on the popular Italian dessert.
• Lemon Panna Cotta (Manu’s Menu) – Perfect for lemon lovers!

Hope you enjoy this homemade Italian Cannoli Croutons recipe. Tell me in the comments about how you served them!

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These crotons would go great with my Homemade Peanut Butter Sauce for Ice Cream for sundaes!