Homemade Cannoli Shells
Making homemade cannoli shells from scratch is a labor of love, but it makes such a big difference! When made properly, the shells fry up thin, crisp, and blistered with those signature bubbles and delicate texture. This step-by-step recipe walks you through all the techniques needed to make authentic cannoli that taste like they came straight from a Sicilian bakery. Once you try them, you'll never go back to store-bought!
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My nickname growing up was Coley Cannoli. Not just because it rhymes, but because cannoli is one of my all-time favorite desserts!
Like most things, homemade cannoli are just so much better than store-bought, especially if you don't live near a really good Italian bakery.
While you can easily buy shells from the store and fill them with a simple cannoli cream, preparing your own shells from scratch makes them infinitely better! It's a little more work, sure, but they're really fun to make with family or a group of friends, and totally worth the effort.
To make homemade cannoli shells, you'll need to use cannoli tubes or dowels. This is what the dough gets wrapped around before being fried so that they hold their shape.
But if you don't have them, don't panic, you can make do with a clean, oiled metal utensil handle in a pinch. Just make sure there is no plastic anywhere on them.
Or, just form small flat circles and fry them as "cannoli chips" and use them to dip into the cannoli cream instead. I love doing this with any leftover dough scraps as well!
Once you cut circles out of the dough, you can re-roll the scraps to cut more. However, the dough will start to get tough, so I recommend only doing it once. Then just fry up the rest of the pieces to use as chips!
The dough traditionally uses a little bit of Marsala to add flavor, but it also contributes to those signature bubbles that make the shells super light and crisp, along with a little bit of vinegar. You can skip the Marsala if you want, but substitute some dry white wine or even apple cider vinegar instead.
The key for shatteringly crisp shells is to roll the dough as thin as possible. If the dough is too thick, it will stay soft on the inside and your cannoli will be tough and lack crunch.
It's also important to maintain a consistent oil temperature to achieve the right texture. Those bubbles form when the dough hits hot oil!
Using a candy or deep fry thermometer really helps. Too hot and the dough will burn, too cool and the dough will be soggy, pale and greasy.
To make the process a bit easier, the dough can be made in advance and refrigerated for up to 2 days or frozen for up to a month. Just defrost overnight in the fridge for best results.
You can also fry the shells and store them in an airtight container for up to 4 days, but nothing will ever beat a freshly fried and filled cannolo!
Want more classic Italian dessert recipes? Try these festive pizzelles, a delicate Italian ricotta pie or a chocolatey torta caprese.
Why This Recipe Works
- Marsala and vinegar add flavor while helping the shells fry up light and crisp with those signature bubbles.
- Proper thickness and frying temperature prevent greasy shells and a tough texture.
- Dough scraps can be fried into cannoli chips, so nothing goes to waste.
- The dough can be prepped ahead and the shells can be fried in advance for easy assembly.
Ingredients for Homemade Cannoli Shells
Flour - All-purpose flour gives the right balance of tenderness and strength for shells that are light and crisp but still hold together.
Marsala wine - Marsala is a Sicilian fortified wine that adds a nutty, caramelized flavor, and makes the shells super light and crisp by providing hydration while limiting gluten development. It helps to create those little bubbles on the outside when fried. It can be substituted with a dry white wine or apple cider vinegar.
Butter and egg - Unsalted butter and an egg yolk enrich the dough. You can use salted butter, just omit the salt in the recipe. Save your egg white - you'll need it to help seal the dough before frying.
Frying oil - Use a neutral oil such as peanut, canola or any vegetable oil that has a high smoke point for deep frying.
*Find the full ingredient list in the recipe card below!
Helpful Equipment
- Plastic wrap
- Rolling pin
- Cannoli tubes or dowels
- Deep fry thermometer
- Tongs
- Food processor
How to Make Homemade Cannoli Shells
Make the Dough
- In a large bowl, mix together the flour, sugar and salt.
- Cut in cold butter with your fingers or a pastry cutter until crumbly.
- Add the egg yolk, Marsala wine and vinegar, then mix until a dough forms. Reserve the egg white for later.
- Knead on a floured surface for about 5 minutes until smooth and elastic.
Pro Tip: Prepare the dough in a food processor to make things easier. First add flour, sugar, salt and butter. Pulse for 30 seconds until incorporated. Then add the egg yolk, Marsala and vinegar and pulse for about 2 minutes depending on the strength of your food processor, until the dough is visibly stringy and pliable.
- Wrap in plastic wrap and rest for at least 30 minutes and up to 2 hours at room temperature (this helps with texture and bubbles).
Roll, Cut and Shape
- Divide dough into four pieces for easier handling.
- Roll each piece very thin, about 1/16 to ⅛ inch, making the edges slightly thinner. The thinner the dough, the crisper the shell!
Pro Tip: For extra bubbles and aeration in your cannoli shells, roll the dough and brush the entire surface with a super thin layer of egg white, and then fold in half, rolling again until it reaches 1/16 to ⅛ inch thickness.
- Cut the dough into 4 ½ inch circles for normal sized cannoli shells or 3 ½ inch circles for mini cannoli shells.
- Wrap each circle around a metal cannoli tube.
- Brush one edge lightly with egg white and press to seal. Avoid overlapping the dough too much or it won't fry evenly.
- Re-roll the scraps and repeat with the rest of the dough.
Pro Tip: Re-roll the dough scraps only once to avoid tough shells. Fry any remaining pieces to make cannoli chips!
Fry
- Heat 6-8 cups of canola oil in a deep pot to 350°F (175°C). Use a candy or deep fry thermometer to keep the temperature consistent.
- Fry 2-3 shells at a time for 1-2 minutes, until they're golden brown and bubbly.
- Remove carefully with tongs and drain well on paper towels or a wire rack.
- When cool enough to touch, gently slide the shells off the tubes.
Finish and serve
- Let the cannoli shells cool completely before filling. For best results, fill cannoli shells right before serving so they stay crisp and don't get soggy.
Coley's Tips For Success
- Add some lemon or orange zest or a pinch of cinnamon to the dough for extra flavor.
- Resting the dough helps the gluten relax and prevents cracking. Don't skip it!
- Add a splash of more Marsala if the dough feels dry. It should be smooth but not sticky.
- If the shells are too pale, the oil wasn't hot enough. If they're too dark, the oil was probably too hot or fried for too long. Use a thermometer for best results.
Cannoli Filling Suggestions
Fill your homemade cannoli shells with this traditional Sicilian ricotta cannoli filling and dip the ends into chopped pistachios, chocolate chips or candied citrus peels.
For a seasonal twist, fill the shells with this pumpkin cannoli recipe and garnish the ends with toasted pecans or roasted pumpkin seeds.
If you want something entirely different, a rich mascarpone whipped cream filling, scented with some vanilla and citrus zest, would also be absolutely fantastic!
How to Store Homemade Cannoli Shells
Store the shells in an airtight container for up to 4 days. To keep them extra crisp, line the container with a paper towel to absorb humidity. If the shells have gone a little soft, you can re-crisp them in a 350°F oven for a couple of minutes.
Cannoli Shell FAQs
Cannoli tubes are helpful, but if you don't have access to any, you can try wrapping the dough around any clean, metal cylindrical tubes, such as utensil handles. Just make sure there is no plastic.
It's likely the oil temperature was too low when frying or the dough was rolled too thick. Aim to roll each piece very thin, about 1/16 to ⅛ inch, making the edges slightly thinner, and to deep fry at 350°F.
The dough can be made in advance and refrigerated for up to 2 days or frozen for up to a month. Just defrost overnight in the fridge for best results.
Marsala adds a nutty, caramelized flavor, and makes the shells super light and crisp with those little bubbles on the outside. This is because it provides hydration while limiting gluten development so it creates the texture of a light cracker.
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Authentic Cannoli Shells Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 cups all purpose flour 250 g
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter cold and diced into small pieces
- 1 egg separated
- ½ cup Marsala wine
- 1 teaspoon white vinegar
- neutral oil such as peanut, canola or vegetable oil, for deep frying
Instructions
Make the Dough
- In a large bowl, mix together the flour, sugar and salt.2 cups all purpose flour , 1 tablespoon granulated sugar, ¼ teaspoon salt
- Cut in cold butter with your fingers or a pastry cutter until crumbly.2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- Add the egg yolk, Marsala wine and vinegar, then mix until a dough forms. Reserve the egg white for later.1 egg, ½ cup Marsala wine, 1 teaspoon white vinegar
- Knead on a floured surface for about 5 minutes until smooth and elastic.
- Wrap in plastic wrap and rest for at least 30 minutes and up to 2 hours at room temperature (this helps with texture and bubbles).
Roll, Cut and Shape
- Divide dough into four pieces for easier handling.
- Roll each piece very thin, about 1/16 to ⅛ inch, making the edges slightly thinner. The thinner the dough, the crisper the shell!
- Cut the dough into 4 ½ inch circles for normal sized cannoli shells or 3 ½ inch circles for mini cannoli shells.
- Wrap each circle around a metal cannoli tube.
- Brush one edge lightly with egg white and press to seal. Avoid overlapping the dough too much or it won't fry evenly.1 egg
- Re-roll the scraps and repeat with the rest of the dough.
Fry
- Heat 6-8 cups of canola oil in a deep pot to 350°F (175°C). Use a candy or deep fry thermometer to keep the temperature consistent.neutral oil
- Fry 2-3 shells at a time for 1-2 minutes, until they're golden brown and bubbly.
- Remove carefully with tongs and drain well on paper towels or a wire rack.
- When cool enough to touch, gently slide the shells off the tubes.
Finish and serve
- Let the cannoli shells cool completely before filling. For best results, fill cannoli shells right before serving so they stay crisp and don't get soggy.
Notes
- You can prepare the dough in a food processor to make things easier. First add flour, sugar, salt and butter. Pulse for 30 seconds until incorporated. Then add the egg yolk, Marsala and vinegar and pulse for about 2 minutes depending on the strength of your food processor, until the dough is visibly stringy and pliable.
- For extra bubbles and aeration in your cannoli shells, roll the dough and brush the entire surface with a super thin layer of egg white, and then fold in half, rolling again until it reaches 1/16 to ⅛ inch thickness.
- Add some lemon or orange zest or a pinch of cinnamon to the dough for extra flavor.
- Resting the dough helps the gluten relax and prevents cracking. Don't skip it!
- Add a splash of more Marsala if the dough feels dry. It should be smooth but not sticky.
- Re-roll the dough scraps only once to avoid tough shells. Fry any remaining pieces to make cannoli chips!
- If the shells are too pale, the oil wasn't hot enough. If they're too dark, the oil was probably too hot or fried for too long. Use a thermometer for best results.
