Cannoli Pie

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Cannoli Pie, easy Italian dessert with a homemade crunchy crust and no-bake cannoli cream filling with mini chocolate chips. So good!

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You won’t believe how quick this Cannoli Pie comes together! Way faster than my Cannoli Cheesecake (which is also delicious…) and Cannoli Cake (delicious too but time-consuming…). You do have to refrigerate the pie for a while before eating, but minimal prep, and the pie is delicious if I do say so myself!

Sounds like most of you are enjoying all my fun cannoli recipes (like these Cannoli Brownies) so here’s another to add to the list. No, it’s not really an authentic Italian dessert, but it’s a fun twist on the popular Italian pastry. A lot easier to make than homemade deep-fried cannoli shells too!

What is Cannoli Pie

As I said, this isn’t really an authentic recipe. It’s a twist on the Italian cannoli, a popular dessert that consists of a tube shape deep-fried dough filled with a sweetened ricotta cheese filling that may contain such things as chocolate, cinnamon, candied citrus, vanilla, etc.

There are different versions of cannoli pie. Some have a dough or cookie-like crust. Some use cannoli shells. Since cannoli shells can be tough to find and expensive I opted for waffle ice cream cones to give a nice crunch.

The filling of cannoli pies can also vary with some being baked and some not. This cannoli cream filling for the pie is a no-bake filling. I do however suggest refrigerating the pie for a while so that the filling can firm up a bit before serving. 

You should be able to find all the ingredients for this Cannoli Pie at your local grocery store. If you can’t find mascarpone, you could use cream cheese, although I’d recommend using the mascarpone if you can.

I strongly recommend straining your ricotta overnight (see how to strain ricotta cheese for directions) to get some of the liquid out so that the pie filling is thick. Or you could use ricotta impastata if you can find it.

Cannoli Pie Ingredients

Crust:

• Waffle ice cream cone crumbs (about 8-10 waffle cones) see note below for tips how to make crumbs if needed
• Sugar
• Salt
• Butter, melted

Pie Filling:

• Ricotta cheese, drained for best results (see how to strain ricotta)
• Mascarpone cheese
• Powdered sugar
• Vanilla
• Orange zest
• Cinnamon
• Salt
• Mini chocolate chips
• Topping (optional): mini chocolate chips, whipped cream, maraschino cherries, and/or chopped nuts (pistachios)

 

How to Make Cannoli Pie

1. MAKE CRUST. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly spray a 9-inch pie plate with nonstick cooking spray.
2. In a medium mixing bowl mix together waffle cone crumbs, sugar, and salt. Then mix in melted butter.
3. Press crumb mixture into the bottom and sides of pie plate. Use the back of a fork or measuring cup to firmly press the bottom and sides of the pie plates to form an even layer of the crust.
4. Bake the crust at 350 degrees F for about 8-10 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from oven and cool completely.
5. MAKE PIE FILLING. In a large mixing bowl, beat together ricotta, mascarpone, and powdered sugar, with an electric mixer on medium speed, until well combined. Beat in vanilla, orange zest, cinnamon, and salt. Then stir in mini chocolate chips.
6. Spoon filling into cooled pie crust. Spread the filling in pie crust.
7. Refrigerate pie for at least 3-4 hours or overnight before serving. Top as desired with whipped cream, mini chocolate chips, chopped nuts (pistachios), and/or maraschino cherries.

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

Serving Suggestions

• Serve cold out of the refrigerator. 
• Top pie slices with whipped cream, mini chocolate chips, chopped nuts (such as pistachios), and/or maraschino cherries.
• You could also drizzle some chocolate sauce on top of the pie or pie slices or on the plate under a slice of pie.

 

Quick Tips for Best Results

• Be sure to strain the ricotta to remove as much liquid as possible. Some brands of ricotta would probably be ok but it can vary. 
• For best results and taste, use full-fat cheeses if you can.
• Refrigerate the pie for 3-4 hours before serving so that filling can set.
• Serve the pie within a day or two so that the crust doesn’t get too soggy.
• Firmly press the crust into the bottom and sides of the pie plate to form a nice thin even layer.

Cannoli Pie FAQ

How should I store Cannoli Pie?
Store the pie covered in the refrigerator.

Can I freeze Cannoli Pie?
I haven’t tried it but since the filling is not cooked, the consistency may change a bit. 

How long will Cannoli Pie last?
The pie should last about 3-5 days or possibly longer depending on the freshness of your ingredients. Although the pie is best consumed within a day or two so that the crust doesn’t start to get too soggy. 

Can I substitute cream cheese for the mascarpone cheese?
Although I do recommend using mascarpone cheese, you can use cream cheese.

Can I use low-fat ingredients?
You can, but the filling may not firm up as much.

What else can I add to this recipe?
You could add chopped nuts (such as pistachios), chopped candied citrus, or even a little Fiori di Sicilia extract. 

What can I substitute for the ice cream cones in the crust?
If you don’t want to use waffle ice cream cones, you could try using graham cracker crumbs (original or chocolate), cookie crumbs, or even cannoli shell crumbs. You could also use a premade cookie or Oreo pie crust or prebaked pie shell.

Other Cannoli Recipes You May Enjoy

• Cannoli Cupcakes – Fun cupcake recipe that is great for birthdays and special occasions.
• Best Cannoli Dip – Quick and easy dessert dip.
• Cannoli Cinnamon Rolls – Delicious twist to traditional cinnamon rolls.
• Cannoli Cream Chocolate Truffles – Tasty candy with cannoli flavors.

Hope you enjoy this easy Cannoli Pie. Tell me in the comments how you garnished the pie slices!

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Want more pie recipes? You may also like this No-Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie and Dark Chocolate Hazelnut Pie Bars.