Cannoli Ice Cream

Published August 7, 2013. Updated March 11, 2020

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Cannoli in ice cream form equals the greatest dessert ever! This has really got to be one of my new favorite desserts. It must be, I definitely had an extremely hard time not eating the entire batch. I kept going back for more. I had some before dinner, then a generous scoop after dinner.

Woke up this morning and couldn’t resist a taste for breakfast, a small snack size worth at lunch then a generous scoop after dinner – then I went to scoop out any remainder that was left along the edges of the container (am I admitting this??).

Yes, this recipe is a dangerous thing for me. I usually have much more self control than that. I’m obsessed with cannoli and even more obsessed with ice cream (and gelato) so this is pure dessert bliss to me.

Cannoli Ice Cream | Cooking Classy

I took this ice cream pretty seriously. I fried up a small batch of cannoli shells to break up and add to this because I wanted this to be the real deal. I’ll tell you that is optional but I’d highly recommend adding them in, they make it taste just like a cannoli when you lick through the ricotta ice cream and bite into one of the many crisp, cinnamon cannoli shell pieces.

Please add this cannoli ice cream to your to be made list and make it soon. You’ll fall completely in love and feel as though you were in Italy. Just don’t come back to blame when when you can’t stop eating it and begin to crave it all the time :). Now I just need to make this in chocolate form too. Enjoy!

Cannoli Ice Cream | Cooking Classy

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5 from 1 vote

Cannoli Ice Cream

One of the best ice cream recipes out there - you get two tempting desserts in one. Cannoli meets ice cream and seriously delicious!
Servings: 8
Prep30 minutes
Cook5 hours
Chill5 hours
Ready in: 5 hours 30 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 3/4 cup whole milk
  • 3/4 cup + 2 Tbsp granulated sugar
  • 2 Tbsp light corn syrup
  • 1 (15 oz) container whole milk ricotta
  • 4 oz cream cheese , diced into small cubes
  • Seeds of 1 small vanilla bean
  • 1/2 cup cannoli shell pieces
  • 1/2 cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips (I recommend Ghirardelli)*
  • 1/2 cup unsalted , roasted pistachios, chopped

Instructions

  • In a blender combine heavy cream, milk, sugar and corn syrup and blend mixture on low speed until sugar has dissolved, about 1 minute.
  • Add in ricotta, cream cheese and vanilla bean seeds and blend mixture until well pureed. Transfer to an airtight container and freeze 1 hour, stirring once halfway through freezing, then transfer to an ice cream maker and process according to manufactures directions.
  • Add in cannoli shell pieces, mini chocolate chips and unsalted pistachios during last few minutes of processing.
  • Transfer to airtight container and freeze until semi-firm (I found this was best slightly soft so if you do freeze until firm allow it to rest at room temperature for a bit before enjoying).
  • *If you don't want you ice cream as "loaded" as mine you can cut back on the amount of chocolate chips and pistachios.
Nutrition Facts
Cannoli Ice Cream
Amount Per Serving
Calories 580 Calories from Fat 396
% Daily Value*
Fat 44g68%
Saturated Fat 26g163%
Cholesterol 117mg39%
Sodium 118mg5%
Potassium 212mg6%
Carbohydrates 44g15%
Fiber 1g4%
Sugar 34g38%
Protein 10g20%
Vitamin A 1263IU25%
Vitamin C 1mg1%
Calcium 182mg18%
Iron 4mg22%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Nutrition values are estimates only. See full disclaimer here.