Holy Cannoli Ice Cream Recipe (2024)

If you love cannoli, then you will love this Cannoli Ice Cream recipe! It’s the perfect dessert for any cannoli lover to enjoy year-round.

This recipe serves 12 and costs $13.38. That’s only $1.12 per serving!

Homemade Cannoli Ice Cream Recipe

Cannoli Ice Cream. Yes, I so went there. Today I’m taking the classic Sicilian pastry and turning it into ice cream!

I had never thought of making cannoli ice cream until last summer. I was in the grocery store, leisurely scanning the ice cream aisle when I came across a popular national brand selling it, and I was ecstatic.

Actually beyond ecstatic because I was 6 months pregnant and I had a hankering for an awesome dessert. I bought 3 pints.

I got home and immediately dug in. After just one spoonful I was totally and completely bummed.

3 pints of ice cream in the trash. The next day I set out to develop my own recipe for Cannoli Ice Cream.

I’ve found that there is a cult following when it comes to cannoli, folks are passionate about this dessert, as am I. When I started recipe development I knew I needed to nail this recipe before posting.

After a year of recipe development, I’ve done it. My recipe for Cannoli Ice Cream does cannoli justice.

The cannoli shell pieces, along with the chocolate chips and pistachios in a frozen, creamy texture, is the perfect combination to satisfy your cannoli cravings in the summertime. Or any day of the year if you are as obsessed with cannoli as I am!

If you love Cannoli as I do, then you need to try this Cannoli Dip with Chocolate Covered Cannoli Chips, Cannoli Cupcakes, and Cannoli Sugar Cookie Cups.

What is Cannoli Ice Cream?

It is a classic Sicilian pastry turned into a frozen treat. The ice cream contains cannoli shell pieces, chocolate chips, pistachios, mascarpone cheese, ricotta, cinnamon, whole milk, sugar, heavy cream, and vanilla bean paste.

How to Make Cannoli Ice Cream:

STEPS ONE AND TWO: First, add ricotta, mascarpone, and sugar until to a bowl. Then, mix on low speed until combined, about 1 minute.

STEPS THREE AND FOUR: Next, add the heavy cream, milk, vanilla bean paste, and cinnamon. Mix on low speed until combined.

STEPS FIVE AND SIX: Then, fold in the cannoli shell pieces, chocolate chips, and pistachios. After that, cover the mixture and chill for one hour.

STEPS SEVEN AND EIGHT: Remove the mixture from the fridge and freeze it in your ice cream maker as per the manufacturer’s instructions. Scoop ice cream into containers and freeze for about three hours. Then, scoop and serve!

How much will this Cannoli Ice Cream recipe cost to make:

RECIPE COST: $13.38

PER SERVING COST: $1.12

NOTE: The recipe prices are calculated by using grocery store websites. The actual cost of the recipe will vary depending on what ingredients you already have.

• 15 ounces container whole milk ricotta – $2.77
• 1 cup granulated sugar – $0.23
• 1 1/4 cup heavy cream – $1.21
• 1/2 cup whole milk – $0.06
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla bean paste – $0.25
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon – $0.10
• 1/2 cup broken cannoli shell pieces – $1.80
• 4 ounces mascarpone cheese – $2.99
• 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips – $0.99
• 1/2 cup unsalted roasted pistachios roughly chopped – $2.98

Cook’s Note:

It is crucial that you use whole milk ricotta in this recipe; the texture and taste depend upon it.

I highly recommend using vanilla bean paste. Suppose you haven’t used it before it’s made up of vanilla extract, and the vanilla bean seeds all mixed to make a paste. In a pinch, you could use vanilla extract.

Instead of using broken cannoli shells, I use broken waffle cones, mainly due to the lack of cannoli shells in my local grocery store. If you can find them, or if you’re feeling overly ambitious and want to make your own, go for it!

I am in love with these paper ice cream containers. I always have a bunch on hand for storing homemade ice cream. They’re also great for transporting soups or salads for picnics.

You can find cannoli shells at World Market or on Amazon.

Cook’s Tools:

stand mixer OR handheld mixer

mixing bowl

rubber scraper

ice cream machine

ice cream container(s)

If you love Cannoli as I do, then you need to try these:

• Cannoli Dip with Chocolate Covered Cannoli Chips
• How to make Cannoli Cream
• Cannoli Cupcakes
• Homemade Cannoli Shells
• Cannoli Sugar Cookie Cups
• Chocolate Cannoli Tart