This easy, sweet Cannoli Dip recipe tastes like the delicious filling of your favorite Italian dessert! Add fresh pistachios and sprinkles for a festive flair.
Love sweet dips? Our peanut butter dip is highly requested and 5 stars! serve with fruit, pretzels, or homemade cinnamon tortilla chips.
Why this Recipe Works
My family is a huge fan of our homemade cannolis. I knew this would be a hit because it’s basically cannoli filling, served as a dip. Easier than from-scratch cannolis and just as delicious.
Wondering how to turn your favorite Italian pastry dessert into an easy to serve dip?
Let’s go.
Important Ingredient Notes
- Ricotta cheese – for a creamy base that resembles the classic dessert filling!
- Cream Cheese – Helps thicken the dip while adding tangy flavor.
- Powdered Sugar – sweetens the dip without adding grainy texture.
We love decorating the rim of the serving bowl with sprinkles. Dip the edge of the bowl in melted white chocolate then add sprinkles. Adds a pop of festive fun!
PRO TIP: For more added flavor, add some homemade candied orange peel to the dip!
How to Make Cannoli Dip
In a separate bowl, beat heavy whipping cream until stiff peaks form. Using an electric beater, this takes about 3 minutes. If you’re beating the cream by hand with a whisk it’ll take much longer!
In another mixing bowl, combine ricotta cheese, cream cheese, powdered sugar, and cinnamon. Stir until blended, then fold in the beaten whipped cream.
Finally, fold in some mini chocolate chips. Pour the riccotta filling into the bowl with the sprinkles, then garnish with pistacios. I added some extra chocolate chips to the stop, too, both for appearance and because . . .well, is extra chocolate ever a bad idea?
After chilling the dip for 2 hours, it’s ready to serve!
What to serve with Cannoli Dip
Here are a few ideas for what to serve as dippers for this sweet cannoli filling dip:
- Cinnamon pita chips– or homemade cinnamon tortilla chips
- Waffle cones or bowls broken into pieces
- Homemade Bagel Chips
- Graham crackers
- Animal crackers
- Nilla wafers
- Chocolate wafers
- Apple or pear slices
- Ritz crackers
- Pretzels
So many options for scooping up this irresistible dip. You can’t go wrong with this combination of cheesy, creamy, sweet tastes whipped together!
How to store Cannoli Dip
Store Cannoli Dip in the fridge when you’re not eating it! It’ll keep well in an airtight container for a few days.
I recommend letting it chill for at least 2 hours before serving but you can certainly make it even farther in advance. This is a great dip to make the night before your gathering to save time on the day of the event!
Tips and Tricks
- The best ricotta cheese for Cannoli dip and filling is whole milk ricotta. Skim ricotta will work, but I find whole milk cheese has a much richer flavor, which is what you want in this dip. It’s dessert after all!
- Do not substitute any thing else for the heavy cream. You need real heavy cream to create those stiff whipped peaks that make the consistency of this dip so good.
- For whipping the cream, electric beaters or a stand mixer with the whisk attachment are the way to go. If you don’t have these, you can beat the whipped cream by end with a strong wire whisk…but it’ll take a while and will give you a major upper body workout!
- While the sprinkles make this dip even more exciting with a pop of color, you can leave them out if you prefer not to use them or don’t have any.
Since I made this dip for the first time years ago, it’s become a staple at the dessert table whenever I have a gathering of friends and family.
Easy Dessert Recipes
- Easy S’mores Dip: only a couple ingredients for this delicious year round treat!
- Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookie Dip: serve with gingersnaps for the perfect fall treat!
- Cherry Cheesecake Dip: you won’t believe how easy and delicious this dip is for parties and holidays!
- Churros
- Tiramisu Recipe
- Lemon Ricotta Cake
- Funfetti Dip
- Wacky Cake
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Cannoli Dip
Ingredients
- ¾ cup whole milk ricotta cheese
- 2 oz cream cheese softened
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ cup heavy cream
- ¾ cup mini chocolate chips
- 1 Tablespoon chopped pistachios
- waffle cones cinnamon pita chips- for dipping
- ¼ cup white chocolate melted
- sprinkles- for bowl
Instructions
- Melt white chocolate in microwave for about 30 seconds. Stir until smooth. Using a silicone brush (or knife), spread melted chocolate on rim of 2 cup bowl. Add sprinkles immediately. Set aside.
- In a clean, dry mixing bowl, beat heavy cream until stiff peaks form, about 2-3 minutes. Set aside.
- In a mixing bowl, combine ricotta cheese, cream cheese, powdered sugar, and cinnamon. Stir until blended. Fold in the beaten whipped cream.
- Fold in all mini chocolate chips. Pour into serving bowl (with the sprinkles). Sprinkle with chopped pistachios (and extra chocolate chips if desired). Refrigerate for 2 hours (or more).
- Serve with cinnamon pita chips and broken waffle cones (or bowls). ENJOY!
Notes
- The best ricotta cheese for Cannoli dip and filling is whole milk ricotta. Skim ricotta will work, but I find whole milk cheese has a much richer flavor, which is what you want in this dip. It’s dessert after all!
- Do not substitute any thing else for the heavy cream. You need real heavy cream to create those stiff whipped peaks that make the consistency of this dip so good.
- For whipping the cream, electric beaters or a stand mixer with the whisk attachment are the way to go. If you don’t have these, you can beat the whipped cream by end with a strong wire whisk…but it’ll take a while and will give you a major upper body workout!
- While the sprinkles make this dip even more exciting with a pop of color, you can leave them out if you prefer not to use them or don’t have any.
Nutrition
Easy to make creamy Cannoli Dip is a must try for anyone who loves cannolis!
You’re such a good mom! What a fun memory!
So cute!
cannolis are the best. this dip sounds so good
All the parties in one day does sound exhausting but so fun! I’m sure you have so many memories of just being together! I will be praying for your son as he leaves soon! And this dip…holy cow! I would probably devour the entire bowl in one sitting!
Thanks girl 🙂
I LOVE that you celebrated all the holidays with your son, I’ll have to keep that in and as Charlie mentioned he may be leaning towards the military after high school. and we will have to include this dip. we are a cannoli loving family for sure
How fun to do all the holidays in one day for your son, I’m sure he loved it! I have to try this cannoli dip, cannolis are one of our favorite treats!
I am loving this dip! How perfect!
It’s so wonderful you were able to celebrate the holidays with your son early and create those memories!