Italian Cannoli Cream Pie

An Italian Cannoli Cream Pie with mascarpone cheese, ricotta, orange zest, hint of cinnamon and topped with pistachios and mini chocolate chips. Served in a sugar cone crust that gives that chewy crunch of a cannoli shell, fantastico.

I did not grow up eating cannolis, sad, I know. However, once I was had one, I was hooked. Damn, Italian bakers know stuff!! Years later, while working in a bakery, Iwas given the task of making cannolis. Okay, they were pretty good, but not to the standard of that first cannoli. Research time ensued and I have properly integrated everything you want in a cannoli, into a pie of course.

Step one is the crust. It needed to have crunch but in a pie plate. Sugar cones to the rescue! I used a small light powered food processor; it served two purposes: 1) Some fine crumbs, which helped keep crust “glued” together when baked with butter. 2) Some larger pieces to keep the crunch. Best of both worlds!! I will be using this crust for other pies!

While the crust cooled I made the filling. I had made a batch of my own Homemade Mascarpone Cheese the day before, but it’s available in certain grocery stores. In a pinch, cream cheese is a totally acceptable substitute. To the cream/mascarpone cheese you will be adding ricotta cheese, powder sugar, orange zest and cinnamon. The last addition is whipped cream folded in for extra creaminess.

And, in the notes (see recipe below) there are instructions to make this into a Frozen Italian Cannoli Pie!

The filling will have an ever so slight hue of yellow-orange, it’s a beautiful color. I let the pie refrigerate for about 4 hours before I piped on whipped cream, as I tend to put my thumbs INTO my creations. No, not on purpose, I am careless I guess? Top the whipped cream with chopped pistachios and mini chocolate chips. I could not decide which, tried both and love the combination. If you’re a cannoli purist, please choose and let me know your favorite!

I wish I had more pictures, but right as I was repositioning my yummy slice I dropped a baking sheet and smashed the pie (no picture). However, the smashed slices were just as tasty when it was pretty! If you look closely above you can see bits of the orange zest peaking through!

Products I Recommend:

KitchenAid Standup Mixer (artisan series) and/or KitchenAid Hand Mixer. Both fabulous!

KitchenAid Chopper (with hand immersion blender and whisk attachment). I LOVE mine!

This page contains affiliate links. If you choose to purchase after clicking a link, I may receive a teeny tiny commission at no extra cost to you. The FTC makes this disclosure rule and any word from the Gov that starts with “Fed” scares the hell out of me, so I follow rule I will. Just know I am SUPER picky & choosy about products I use. 

Print Recipe

Italian Cannoli Cream Pie

Italian Cannoli Cream Pie with mascarpone cheese, ricotta, orange zest, hint of cinnamon and topped with pistachios and mini chocolate chips. Served in a sugar cone crust for a chewy crunch of a cannoli shell, fantastico.

Prep Time30 minutes mins

Cook Time5 minutes mins

Refrigeration Time4 hours hrs

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: Italian

Keyword: cannoli, Italian, orange zest, sugar cone, whipped cream

Servings: 12 slices

Author: Portlandia Pie Lady

Equipment

• Mini food processor (crushing sugar cones for crust)
• 9-inch pie plate

Ingredients

Italian Cannoli Cream Filling

• 2-1/2 cups heavy cream (divided after whipped)
• 8 ounces mascarpone cheese, room temp
• 4 ounces cream cheese, room temp
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 1 cup ricotta cheese
• 1-1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla
• 1 teaspoon orange zest (about half of an orange)
• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/3 cup mini chocolate chips (topping)
• 1/3 cup chopped pistachios (topping)
• Additional 3 tablespoons powder sugar (topping)

Sugar Cone Pie Crust

• 1-1/2 cups crushed sugar cones (12 sugar cones)
• 4 tablespoons butter, melted

Instructions

Sugar Cone Crust

• Preheat oven to 350 F.
• Break up 6 of the sugar cones and process in a food processor for just a minute or so, you want 1/4 inch pieces along with a little bit of fine powder. Repeat with remaining sugar cones.
• Place crushed cones into a medium bowl and use a fork to stir the while pouring in the melted butter. 
• Press mixture into a 9-inch pie plate. Bake crust at 350 F. for 5 minutes.  Remove and let cool completely before adding cannoli filling.

Italian Cannoli Cream Filling

• In a large mixing bowl, with an electric mixer, whip the heavy cream until stiff peaks form. Scoop out 2 cups for pie filling and set both bowls of whipped cream aside in fridge.
• In a separate large bowl, use an electric mixer to cream the mascarpone and cream cheese for about 3 minutes.  Add in the powdered sugar and continue beating with electric mixer until creamy.
• Add the ricotta cheese, vanilla, orange zest and cinnamon. Beat with mixer another 3 minutes until thoroughly combined.
• Using a spatula, fold in the 2 cups of whipped heavy cream into the mascarpone cheese mixture and spread filling into cooled sugar cone crust.

Topping

• Hand whisk in the 3 tablespoons powder sugar to the remaining whipped cream. 
• Pipe the whipped cream around edge of pie.  Sprinkle on chopped pistachios and/or mini chocolate chips.  Let pie firm up in refrigerator about 4 hours before serving.

Notes

Adaptation for Freezer Pie:  Omit the 1 cup of powdered sugar in the filling and replace it with one can of sweetened condensed milk.  Freeze for 6 to 8 hours or overnight.  Let sit 15 to 20 minutes at room temperature before slicing.