Chocolate Chip Cannoli Pie
This Chocolate Chip Cannoli Pie features a creamy and delicious filling that will have everyone asking for the recipe!
This post may contain paid links. For more information, please see our disclosure policy.
If you’re looking for a dessert that’s not only decadent, but also super easy to make then put this Chocolate Chip Cannoli Pie on the list! The cannoli filling is creamy and delicious…oh, and it’s filled with mini chocolate chips. The crust is made from crumbled vanilla wafers. Together, this dessert will have everyone asking for the recipe!
Cannoli have always been a favorite here in our house. We’ve made fun “holiday” cannoli for a number of different occasions. It’s the exact same filling – we just change the sprinkles and decorations to match the season.
This time, I decided to take that same filling recipe (it’s really tasty!) and use it in a full-on pie. And the best part is this recipe is super easy to make. Even if you say you aren’t a baker, you can still make this Chocolate Chip Cannoli Pie. Aside from baking the vanilla wafer pie crust, the rest is literally just mixing ingredients in a bowl and then spreading it into the cooled crust. Easy peasy…and delicious!
Chocolate Chip Cannoli Pie
The filling for this pie uses the classic ingredients for cannoli.
- Mascarpone cheese. Sometimes called “Italian cream cheese,” mascarpone cheese is creamier and softer than cream cheese. Mascarpone can be a bit harder to find, but most larger grocery stores carry it in the deli section with other cheeses (not in the refrigerated cheese aisle).
- Confectioner’s sugar. Adds sweetness to the recipe and helps thicken the mixture so that you can cut the pie into slices.
- Vanilla extract and ground cinnamon. Adds flavor to the filling. The cinnamon is optional, but I personally recommend it.
- Lemon zest. Adds a brightness to the filling. Orange zest could be substituted instead of lemon.
- Whole milk ricotta cheese. Make sure to use whole milk ricotta (not part-skim ricotta) for this recipe. Part-skim won’t set up as well which means the pie can’t be cut into slices.
- Heavy whipping cream. Used to make homemade whipped cream. It’s worth the extra step to make homemade whipped cream vs. the canned stuff in the store. Trust me!
- Mini chocolate chips. Adds flavor and texture to the pie. I recommend mini chocolate chips as the smaller size works better in this filling.
Variations
Like traditional cannoli, there are a lot of variations that you could make to the filling for this Chocolate Chip Cannoli Pie recipe. If you aren’t a fan of chocolate chips in cannoli, you can use chopped walnuts or pistachios instead – or you could use ½ chocolate chips and ½ chopped nuts for a fun combination.
Candied fruit can also be used for a different flavor profile. Many grocery stores sell containers of chopped candied fruit (sometimes called “tutti frutti”) in the baking aisle. Another fun idea is adding a bit of liqueur like Grand Marnier or amaretto into the filling. If you add liqueur, don’t add more than 1 tablespoon.
How to Store Leftover Cannoli Pie
If you’ve ever eaten a leftover cannoli, you’ll know that the cannoli shell often gets soft once it’s stored in the refrigerator. That’s not a problem with this Chocolate Chip Cannoli Pie! If you have leftovers of this pie, just wrap the dish with plastic wrap and store it in the fridge for up to 4 days. I do not recommend freezing leftover cannoli pie, though, as it will change the texture of the filling.
While this dessert would be delicious any time of the year, it’s particularly tasty in the summer as it’s served cold. And since the pie needs to be refrigerated for several hours (or overnight) before slicing, it’s perfect for entertaining since it can made in advance. I hope you enjoy this cannoli pie as much as we do here in our house! Happy baking!
Did you make this Chocolate Chip Cannoli Pie at home? Leave a comment, or snap a photo and tag me on Instagram (@Spicedblog) – I’d love to see your version!
Chocolate Chip Cannoli Pie
Ingredients
For the Crust
- 2¼ cups vanilla wafer crumbs ~60 vanilla wafers, can use graham cracker crumbs instead
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- ½ cup unsalted butter melted
For the Filling
- 1 cup mascarpone cheese i.e. 1 8-oz. container
- ½ cup confectioner’s sugar
- 1½ tsp vanilla extract
- ¼ tsp ground cinnamon
- 2-3 tsp lemon zest zest of 1 lemon
- 1 cup whole milk ricotta cheese
- ¾ cup heavy whipping cream
- 1⅓ cups mini chocolate chips divided
Instructions
For the Crust
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Spray a 9-inch pie dish with nonstick cooking spray; set dish aside.
- Using a medium mixing bowl, add vanilla wafer crumbs, brown sugar and butter; stir until well combined.
- Press mixture firmly into bottom and sides of the prepared pan. (Tip: A flat bottomed glass is helpful for this step.)
- Bake for 10 minutes.
- Remove pan from oven and place on a wire rack to let cool to room temperature.
For the Filling
- Using an electric mixer, whip the mascarpone and confectioner’s sugar for 2-3 minutes, or until completely smooth.
- Add vanilla, cinnamon, lemon zest and ricotta; mix until just combined.
- Using a separate bowl, whip the heavy whipping cream until stiff peaks form (~2-3 minutes on medium speed). Fold ⅓ of the whipped cream into the ricotta mixture.
- Add remaining whipped cream and use a rubber spatula to fold mixture until just combined.
- Gently fold in ⅔ cup of chocolate chips.
- Spread mixture evenly into the cooled crust.
- Sprinkle remaining chocolate chips on top of pie.
- Cover pie with plastic wrap and refrigerate until completely set (at least 4 hours or preferably overnight).
Looking for more tasty dessert recipes? Check out these other favorites, too:
Cant wait to make this soon for me i love chocolate sooooooooo much i never had chocolate chip cannoli pie before perfect for my after office snacks love your recipes as always brightens up my day everyday after work
You’re going to love this cannoli pie, Ramya – definitely give it a try soon!
Who doesn’t like a dessert that can be made in advance? And who doesn’t love cannoli filling? This does indeed sound like a great summer pie.
Leave the gun, take the cannoli pie!
Oh yes!! Love me a cannoli, but it takes so much time to make — this pie version is so creative and efficient! Lovely!
We do love cannoli around here, too, Michelle – they’re so tasty! This pie channels all the same flavors…in pie form. It’s a great warm weather dessert!
happily mascarpone is very easy to come by in our supermarkets here. I have a feeling that wafers in the US are not what we call wafers 🙂 but i could be wrong. I get a wee bit confused when you guys talk about making whipped cream. Here it is literally just cream that you whip to thickness. I think you mean cream that has sugar and vanilla added?, which is Chantilly cream to me. Sorry, this is a bit whingey today!!
You are definitely right about whipped cream vs. chantilly cream, Sherry. In this case, it literally is just whipped cream, though. The mascarpone filling already has sugar in it, so no need to add more. The whipped cream lightens the texture of the filling. And, yes, I bet wafers are different, too. You could use crumbled cannoli shells if those are available down there! Vanilla wafers (biscuits I believe?) are readily available in stores here, and they make a great pie crust for chilled pies.
You make this dessert look too easy, David! It’s so tempting and it looks SO delicious!! I love the idea of having cannoli as a pie. Talk about fun! Gotta give this one a go, it sounds and looks too good not to. 🙂
This cannoli pie really is pretty easy to make, Dawn! And it’s quite delicious. I highly recommend putting this one on the list! 🙂
Brilliant idea! The hardest part of making cannoli are the pastry tubes. And the most delicious part is the filling, which is super easy. So why not just cut to the chase?
Yes! I totally agree with you, Frank. I’m sure if you made cannoli shells all the time, you’d eventually be good at it. But they always end up breaking when I do it. (In truth, I try to just buy the shells at the store now if I can – sometimes the bakery dept at the grocery store will sell me just the shells.) Either way, this pie is amazing. Definitely recommend making it soon!
O boy David, that looks so good! And the good news is that mascarpone is actually very easy to find here (Netherlands) so I might just be making this over the weekend!
Mascarpone has gotten easier to find here in the States, too. I remember about 10 years ago, it was almost impossible to find. Now most stores carry it, although I still end up having to hunt it down from time to time. Either way, definitely make this pie soon! Thanks, Simone!
Such a terrific idea David, thank you for sharing your delicious pie recipe. I like adding mascarpone cheese to cannoli filing as it makes it extra creamy and smooth.
I’m with ya on the cannoli filling, Karen – mascarpone gives it that creamy texture and flavor that I just love with cannoli. Yum!
Oh, wow! Your Chocolate Chip Cannoli Pie sounds like a dream dessert for any occasion
It’s an easy dessert that always meets rave reviews – definitely hang on to this recipe for the next time you need a dessert recipe!