Cannoli Cream Puffs: Crisp Choux Shells with Sweet Ricotta Cream

Byrecipee3299

Cannoli are my favorite dessert at an Italian bakery, but making the shells at home means deep frying, special tubes, and a lot of patience. These cream puffs give you the same flavor with a much easier method. Light, crisp choux shells are baked in the oven and filled with a creamy ricotta and mascarpone filling flecked with mini chocolate chips, then finished with powdered sugar and pistachios. You get the cannoli experience without the frying.

If you’re building a dessert table, these sit nicely beside my chocolate turtle clusters. One is crunchy and caramel-sweet, the other is airy and creamy, so there’s something for everyone.

Why You’ll Love These Cannoli Cream Puffs

  • No frying. The shells bake in the oven and puff up on their own.
  • Real cannoli flavor. Ricotta, vanilla, cinnamon, and chocolate chips taste just like the classic filling.
  • Make-ahead friendly. Bake the shells and make the cream in advance, then fill just before serving.
  • Impressive but simple. Choux looks fancy, but it only takes a saucepan and a spoon.
  • Perfect for parties. They are bite-sized, easy to eat, and need no plates or forks.

Ingredients

Makes about 24 cream puffs

For the choux shells

  • ½ cup (120 ml) water
  • ½ cup (120 ml) whole milk
  • ½ cup (113 g) unsalted butter, cut into pieces
  • 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
  • ¼ teaspoon fine salt
  • 1 cup (125 g) all-purpose flour
  • 4 large eggs, room temperature

For the cannoli cream

  • 15 oz (425 g) whole-milk ricotta, well drained
  • 8 oz (225 g) mascarpone, cold
  • 1 cup (120 g) powdered sugar, sifted
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • Zest of ½ orange (optional)
  • ½ cup (85 g) mini chocolate chips

For finishing

  • Powdered sugar, for dusting
  • Chopped pistachios
  • Extra mini chocolate chips

Instructions

1. Drain the ricotta

Line a fine mesh strainer with a clean kitchen towel or several layers of cheesecloth and set it over a bowl. Add the ricotta, cover, and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or overnight. This step matters. Wet ricotta makes a runny filling that turns the shells soggy.

2. Make the choux dough

  1. Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
  2. In a medium saucepan, combine the water, milk, butter, sugar, and salt. Heat over medium heat until the butter melts and the mixture comes to a full boil.
  3. Remove from the heat, add all the flour at once, and stir quickly with a wooden spoon until a thick dough forms.
  4. Return the pan to medium heat and stir constantly for 1 to 2 minutes, until the dough pulls away from the sides and a thin film forms on the bottom of the pan.
  5. Transfer the dough to a bowl and let it cool for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. If it’s too hot, it will cook the eggs.
  6. Beat in the eggs one at a time, mixing until fully smooth before adding the next. The dough will look slippery at first, then come together.
  7. The finished dough should be thick, shiny, and smooth. When you lift the spoon, the dough should fall in a thick ribbon and form a “V” shape. If it’s too stiff, beat a second egg yolk or a little more beaten egg in.

3. Pipe the puffs

  1. Transfer the dough to a piping bag fitted with a large round tip (about ½ inch), or use a zip-top bag with the corner cut off.
  2. Pipe 1½-inch mounds onto the parchment, spaced 2 inches apart.
  3. Dip a finger in water and gently press down any pointed tops.

4. Bake

  1. Bake at 425°F for 10 minutes. Don’t open the oven door.
  2. Reduce the temperature to 375°F (190°C) and bake for another 20 to 25 minutes, until the puffs are deep golden brown, firm, and feel light for their size.
  3. Turn off the oven. Poke a small hole in the side or bottom of each puff with a paring knife to release steam, then return them to the oven with the door slightly ajar for 10 minutes to dry out.
  4. Cool completely on a wire rack.

5. Make the cannoli cream

  1. In a large bowl, beat the mascarpone, powdered sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, and orange zest on medium speed until smooth, about 1 minute.
  2. Add the drained ricotta and mix just until combined and creamy. Don’t overmix, or the filling can turn loose.
  3. Fold in the mini chocolate chips.
  4. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to firm up.

6. Fill and serve

  1. Slice the tops off the cooled puffs, or poke a hole in the bottom with a piping tip.
  2. Fill with cannoli cream using a piping bag, or spoon it in if you’ve cut the tops off.
  3. Replace the tops, dust with powdered sugar, and press chopped pistachios and chocolate chips onto the cream if you like.
  4. Serve within a couple of hours for the crispest shells.

Tips for the Best Results

  • Drain the ricotta well. Overnight is best, and it makes the biggest difference in the texture of the cream.
  • Use whole-milk ricotta. Part-skim ricotta is grainy and watery.
  • Cook the dough on the stove. That extra minute dries it out so it puffs high.
  • Add the eggs gradually. You may not need all 4 if your eggs are large. Stop when the dough is thick and glossy.
  • Don’t open the oven early. Opening the door during the first 20 minutes causes the puffs to collapse.
  • Let the shells dry. Poking holes and drying them in the turned-off oven keeps them crisp instead of eggy and damp.
  • Fill at the last minute. Filled puffs soften as they sit, so fill them close to serving time.
  • Sift the powdered sugar. It keeps the cream silky, with no lumps.

Variations

  • Pistachio cannoli puffs. Fold ¼ cup of finely chopped pistachios into the filling.
  • Dipped in chocolate. Dip the tops in melted chocolate and sprinkle with nuts.
  • Candied citrus. Fold in 2 tablespoons of finely chopped candied orange peel.
  • Mini éclairs. Pipe the dough into 3-inch logs and bake a few minutes longer.
  • Marsala twist. Add 1 teaspoon of Marsala wine or rum to the cream for a more traditional flavor.

Storage and Make-Ahead

  • Unfilled shells: Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days, or freeze for up to 2 months. Re-crisp in a 350°F oven for 5 to 8 minutes.
  • Cannoli cream: Keeps covered in the fridge for up to 3 days. Stir before using.
  • Filled puffs: Best eaten the same day. Refrigerate leftovers for up to 24 hours, though the shells will soften.
  • Make ahead: Bake the shells and make the cream the day before, then fill just before serving.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why did my cream puffs collapse?
They were likely underbaked or the oven door was opened too early. Bake until deep golden brown and firm.

Why didn’t my puffs rise?
The dough may have been too wet, or the water and butter weren’t fully boiled before the flour went in. Cook the dough on the stove until it forms a film on the pan.

Why is my cannoli cream runny?
The ricotta wasn’t drained well enough. Drain it longer, and fold in an extra spoonful of mascarpone to thicken.

Can I skip the mascarpone?
Yes. Use 2 cups of well-drained ricotta total, plus a little extra powdered sugar. The filling will be a bit less rich.

Can I use a store-bought shell?
Yes. Pre-baked cream puff shells from a bakery work well in a pinch.

Can I freeze the filled puffs?
It’s best not to. The cream becomes watery when thawed. Freeze the unfilled shells instead.

Can I make the choux dough ahead?
You can pipe the puffs, freeze them on a tray, then bake them from frozen, adding 3 to 5 minutes to the bake time.

These cream puffs have become my go-to when I want something that looks bakery-bought but is easy to pull off at home. They’re perfect for holiday dessert tables, and they pair well with my crumble mini peach pie for something fruity, my Nutella chocolate cupcakes for chocolate lovers, and my Texas sheet cake cookies for something fudgy. For a make-ahead option, my chocolate magic custard cake is even better the next day.

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