Today I’m making the most incredible Individual Cannoli Pie recipe – a mouthwatering homemade dessert that transforms the classic Sicilian cannoli into a show-stopping pie that will revolutionize your traditional Italian dessert game! Growing up in NYC, I had some pretty great cannolis (one of my favorite desserts). I’ve turned it into a party favorite, my cannoli dip and now, a pie for the holidays.
Exploring the Origins: What is a Cannoli?
Before we explore this incredible homemade pie recipe, let’s unpack the rich culinary history of the beloved cannoli. This iconic Sicilian dessert traces its roots back to Sicily during the Arab domination between the 9th and 11th centuries. The word “cannolo” literally means “little tube” in Italian, referring to the crisp pastry shell traditionally filled with a rich, sweet ricotta cream – a staple in traditional Italian sweets.
Traditional Cannoli vs. Cannoli Pie: A Delicious Dessert Variation
While classic cannolis are individual pastry tubes, our Individual Cannoli Pie recipe reimagines these traditional Italian sweets into a sharable, irresistible homemade dessert. It’s the perfect solution for home bakers craving the authentic flavors of Sicily in an easy-to-serve pie format.I say sharable, but who am I kidding? You’ll want your own…LOL.
The Ultimate Homemade Cannoli Pie Recipe: Ingredients and Techniques
Authentic Sicilian Dessert Ingredients
For the Perfect Cannoli Pie Filling:
- Full-fat ricotta cheese (the secret to authentic Italian dessert texture)
- Macarpone
- Heavy cream
- Powdered sugar
- Fresh orange zest
- Pure vanilla extract
- Ground cinnamon
Crust Options for Your Homemade Pie:
- Traditional buttery pie crust
- Graham cracker crust
- A cookie crust (shortbread cookies and Biscoff cookies make a good crust)
- Gluten-free alternatives
- OR my pie crust of choice for this recipe, a pistachio nut crust!
Pro Tip for Authentic Italian Dessert Making: Always use full-fat ingredients! Whole milk ricotta, full-fat cream cheese, and heavy cream ensure a thick, creamy filling that captures the essence of traditional Sicilian desserts. With that said, I’ve been known to substitute low fat products and monk fruit substitutes to keep this dessert easier on the waist line. For authenticity, use full fat. When watching calories, saturated fat and sugar intake, go ahead and swap out those ingredients for lighter choices. You won’t hurt my feelings. I’ve used low-fat ricotta and light cream cheese instead of the mascarpone, and Lakanto monk fruit sugar substitute instead of regular sugar and their powdered sugar susbstitute too…all with good results. You can even find mini chocolate chips that are sugar-free. Want to make this even lighter? Omit the crust and serve as a light and fluffy parfait…you really can’t go wrong here.
Step-by-Step Cannoli Pie Creation for Home Bakers
Crust Preparation:
- Choose between homemade buttery pie crust or graham cracker crust or use the pistachio crust in my recipe. I’ve been using nut crusts for a long time. See my Healthier Cherry-Cranberry Cheesecake with Pistachio Crust for another delish holiday dessert! Make the crust per my instructions (so simple) or to make it even easier, buy mini pre-made graham cracker crusts at the grocery store and just fill them with my filling. A nice and easy kitchen hack.
- If making my pistachio crust, process the nuts and sugar in a food processor. Just pulse until you have fine crumb-like consistency. Don’t go to far or you’ll get pistachio butter. Pour your nut mixture into a bowl and add the melted butter. I just melt the butter in the microwave for 10-15 seconds. Mix. Add to your mini pie baking dishes and pat down. Note: I only add the crust on the bottom of the dish. If you’d like to put crust up the sides of your pie plates, double the recipe. Bake for 8-10 minutes until nuts are lightly browned, and cool completely before filling.
Filling Technique for the Perfect Sicilian-Inspired Dessert:
- Blend ricotta, mascarpone, cinnamon, vanilla and salt until smooth in a large bowl
- In a separate bowl, using a hand mixer, whip the heavy cream and confectioner’s sugar to stiff peaks. Gently fold into the cheese mixture.
- Fold in orange zest, and mini chocolate chips
- You are now ready to spoon into your prepared pie dishes.
- I cover and place in the refrigerator to chill completely and let all the flavors meld together. I let them chill for about 5 hours but usually make them the day before I’m serving, so overnight.
Garnishing Your Homemade Italian Dessert Like a Pro
Elevate Your Individual Cannoli Pie:
- I finish this dessert with a dollop of homemade whipped cream. I just whip heavy cream and powdered sugar together until I get it light an fluffy. Top each pie with several tablespoons.
- Using a vegetable peeler or grater, add chocolate curls or grated chocolate to the top of the pie. I like a rich, chocolate like Valhrona, but use your favorite dark, semi-sweet, bitter or milk chocolate.
- Add chopped pistachios on top for extra crunch
- If you wanted to go crazy, you could add more grated orange zest and a few more chocolate chips…you decide!
Frequently Asked Questions About Cannoli Pie Recipes
- Experiment with different types of chocolate chips (milk, dark, semi-sweet)
- Add a splash of liqueur to the filling (orange, hazelnut, almond)
- Try alternative nut toppings (almonds, walnuts)
- Play with spice combinations (no cinnamon, a little nutmeg)
- Serve chilled
- Pair with espresso
- Add a scoop of vanilla gelato
- Garnish with fresh berries
- Serve with a Sambucco, straight up
Expert Tips for the Perfect Homemade Italian Dessert
- Use mini chocolate chips
- Keep ingredients cold during preparation
- Prepare filling up to 2 days in advance
- Assemble pie the day before serving
- Garnish with fresh shaved chocolate curls or grated chocolate for an authentic feel
Final Thoughts on Creating the Ultimate Individual Cannoli Pie
This Individual Cannoli Pie is more than just a dessert – it’s a celebration of Sicilian culinary tradition, transformed into a crowd-pleasing homemade treat. Whether you’re hosting a dinner party or treating yourself to something special, this recipe promises to transport you straight to the streets of Sicily. This year, I’m serving as one of my dessert choices after Christmas Dinner. It would be great after the Feast of the Seven Fishes too!
Did you like this recipe? Did you change anything to make it your own?Please leave a rating and comment below.I’d love to hear from you.
Looking for other individual desserts? Try some of these favorites:
Individual Cannoli Pies
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Ingredients
- 1 Cup Pistachios
- 2 Tbsp. butter, melted
- 1 Tbsp. granulated sugar
- 1/3 Cup Heavy cream
- ½ Cup Ricotta cheese
- ½ Cup Mascarpone cheese, room temperature
- ½ Tsp. Pure vanilla extract
- 1/8 Tsp. Ground Cinnamon
- ¼ Tsp. Kosher salt
- 1/4 Cup powdered sugar, divided
- Orange zest from small orange
- ¼ Cup mini semii-sweet chocolate chips
- TOPPING
- 1/2 Cup Heavy cream
- 2 Tbsp. confectioner’s sugar
- Pinch of kosher salt
- 2 Tbsp. Pistachios, finely chopped
- Dark chocolate bar used for shaved curls or grating chocolate as garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Add the pistachios and tablespoon of sugar to a food processor and pulse until you have fine crumbs. Dump into a bowl and add the melted butter. Stir to combine.
- Spray four mini pie dishes with cooking spray and evenly distribute the cookie crumbs into the four pie dishes. Press down onto the bottom of the dishes. Pat firmly. Bake in the oven for about 8 minutes until starting to get golden. Remove from the oven and let the crusts cool complete.
- Meanwhile in a bowl whip the heavy cream and ¼ cup of powdered sugar with a hand mixer. Whip until stiff peaks form. Put to the side.
- In a separate bowl, add the ricotta cheese, mascarpone, cinnamon, vanilla and salt. Beat with the hand mixer until light a fluffy. Gently fold in the whipped cream until just incorporated. Add the mini chips and orange zest and gently fold into the whole mix. Once combined, spoon evenly into the four prepped pie dishes.
- Place the pies in the fridge for at least 5 hours and up to overnight to set.
- When ready to serve, whip the remaining ½ cup of heavy cream with the 2 Tbsp. powdered sugar and pinch of salt until you have thick, soft peaks. Spoon evenly onto each of the pies. Sprinkle with the finely chopped pistachios and, using a vegetable peeler, shave some chocolate curls or grate some chocolate onto the top of each pie. Enjoy!
