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Cannoli Pie takes everything you love about a classic Italian cannoli and turns it into an easy, no bake dessert, a creamy sweetened ricotta filling studded with mini chocolate chips in a buttery graham crust. I whipped up the first one on a busy weeknight when I was craving cannoli but had zero patience for frying shells, and Maddie declared it better than the bakery. If you love a creamy no bake treat like our tiramisu pie, this cannoli pie is your next easy favorite.
With no shells to fry and no oven to turn on, this no bake cannoli pie gives you all the creamy, cinnamon kissed cannoli flavor in one simple slice.
Cannoli Pie Quick Look
- 🕒 Prep Time: 15 minutes
- 🌡️ Cook Time: 0 minutes (no bake)
- ⏳ Total Time: 6 hours 15 minutes
- 🍽️ Serving: 6 servings
- ⚡ Calories: 611kcal
- 🌶️ Flavor Profile: Creamy sweet ricotta with cinnamon and chocolate (rich, Italian)
- ✋ Difficulty: Easy, no oven needed, on par with our strawberry cheesecake dip
Quick Answer
Press a buttery graham cracker crust into a pie plate and freeze it while you make the filling. Beat strained ricotta and cream cheese until smooth, then mix in powdered sugar, vanilla, and cinnamon. Fold in whipped topping and mini chocolate chips, spread it into the crust, and chill at least 6 hours. Garnish with more chocolate chips and a dusting of powdered sugar before slicing.
Jump to:
Why This Recipe Works
Click to see the technique science
- No frying, no oven, no fuss. You get all the flavor of cannoli without the work of frying delicate shells, so it comes together in minutes.
- Straining the ricotta is the secret. Draining the ricotta removes excess moisture so the filling sets up thick and creamy instead of runny.
- Cream cheese gives it structure. Beating cream cheese with the ricotta keeps the filling firm enough to slice cleanly.
- Cinnamon makes it taste authentic. A touch of ground cinnamon gives that classic cannoli warmth in every bite.
- Mini chocolate chips in every slice. Folding mini chips throughout means you get little bursts of chocolate the way a real cannoli does.
- Chilling sets it perfectly. Six hours in the fridge lets the filling firm up so the pie cuts into neat, beautiful slices.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- It is completely no bake, perfect for warm days or whenever you do not want to turn on the oven.
- It tastes like a giant cannoli, a creamy Italian favorite, a lot like our homemade cream horns.
- It is easy enough for anyone, with simple steps and no special equipment.
Key Ingredients
Here is what gives this cannoli pie its creamy, authentic flavor. Just a handful of simple ingredients does the work.
- Ricotta cheese: The heart of any cannoli filling. Strain it well so the pie sets up thick and creamy.
- Cream cheese: Adds body and tang so the filling holds its shape and slices cleanly.
- Mini chocolate chips: Folded throughout and sprinkled on top for that classic cannoli chocolate.
- Ground cinnamon: A small but mighty addition that gives the filling its signature warm flavor.
- Graham cracker crumbs: The buttery, no bake crust that holds it all together, much like the base of our tiramisu pie.
See recipe card for exact quantities.
Variations and Substitutions
This cannoli pie is easy to make your own. Here are a few ideas our readers love.
- Add a splash of orange zest for a bright, citrusy twist.
- Swap the graham crust for a chocolate cookie or vanilla wafer crust.
- Stir in chopped pistachios for crunch and a traditional cannoli look.
- Drizzle the top with melted chocolate before serving.
- Use a store bought graham crust to make it even faster.
How to Make Cannoli Pie
- Stir together the graham cracker crumbs, melted butter, and sugar.
- Press the crust into a 9 inch pie plate and freeze it while you make the filling.
- Beat the strained ricotta and cream cheese until smooth.
- Mix in the powdered sugar, vanilla, and ground cinnamon until fully combined.
- Add the whipped topping and mix until smooth, scraping the sides as needed.
- Fold in the mini chocolate chips.
- Spread the filling into the crust and refrigerate at least 6 hours, or overnight, to set.
- Garnish with more chocolate chips and a dusting of powdered sugar before slicing.
Recipe Tips & Tricks
- Strain the ricotta well, ideally overnight, so the filling is thick and not watery.
- Soften the cream cheese fully for a smooth, lump free filling.
- Freeze the crust while you mix so it sets firm before the filling goes in.
- Fold the chips in gently so they stay evenly distributed.
- Chill overnight for the cleanest slices and the best texture.
- Add the garnish right before serving, the same way we finish our butterscotch cheesecake dip.
Serving Ideas and Suggestions
This no bake cannoli pie is rich and creamy, so a modest slice is plenty. Serve it cold straight from the fridge with an extra sprinkle of mini chocolate chips, a dusting of powdered sugar, or a handful of chopped pistachios for that authentic cannoli look.
Round out an Italian dessert table by pairing it with our tiramisu pie, a tray of almond cookies, or our homemade cream horns for the full bakery spread.
For an easy no bake dessert lineup, add our strawberry cheesecake dip and a lemon blueberry trifle so there is a little something for everyone.
Because this pie needs to chill for several hours, it is a fantastic make ahead dessert. Assemble it the night before your gathering, let it set in the fridge, and all you have to do the next day is add the chocolate chips and powdered sugar and slice.
Cannoli Pie FAQs
Cannoli Pie is made of a sweetened ricotta and cream cheese filling flavored with vanilla and cinnamon, folded with whipped topping and mini chocolate chips, all set in a no bake graham cracker crust. It tastes just like the inside of a cannoli.
Yes. Straining the ricotta is the most important step for Cannoli Pie. It removes excess liquid so the filling sets up thick and creamy instead of runny.
Yes, this Cannoli Pie is completely no bake. The graham crust is pressed and chilled, and the filling sets in the refrigerator, so you never turn on the oven.
Plan on at least 6 hours, and overnight is best. The longer the Cannoli Pie chills, the firmer the filling sets and the cleaner each slice cuts.
Keep Cannoli Pie covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. The graham crust softens a little over time as it absorbs moisture from the filling, so the pie is at its very best enjoyed within the first day or two. Cover it loosely with plastic wrap or foil so it does not pick up other flavors from the fridge.
You can freeze Cannoli Pie for up to 1 month. Thaw it in the fridge before serving, though the texture is creamiest when it is freshly chilled rather than frozen.
Craving more no bake treats? Try our creamy strawberry cheesecake dip next.
Keep the no bake streak going with the lunch counter famous Woolworth cheesecake recipe.
Cannoli Pie
Ingredients
For the crust:
- 1 ½ cups graham cracker crumbs
- 7 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
- 1 ½ tablespoons granulated sugar
For the filling:
- 1 cup ricotta strained
- 8 ounces cream cheese softened
- ¾ cup powdered sugar plus more for garnish
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 8 ounces whipped topping
- ¼ cup mini chocolate chips plus more for garnish
Instructions
- In a large bowl, stir together the graham cracker crumbs, butter, and sugar.1 ½ cups graham cracker crumbs, 7 tablespoons unsalted butter, 1 ½ tablespoons granulated sugar
- Press the crust into a 9-inch pie plate and place the crust into the freezer while you make the filling.
- In a large bowl, beat together the ricotta and cream cheese until smooth with an electric hand mixer.1 cup ricotta, 8 ounces cream cheese
- Add the powdered sugar, vanilla, and ground cinnamon, mix to combine fully.¾ cup powdered sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- Add the whipped topping and mix it in, scrape the sides as needed.8 ounces whipped topping
- Fold in the chocolate chips.¼ cup mini chocolate chips
- Add the filling to the pie crust and smooth it out. Place in the refrigerator for at least 6 hours to set, or overnight is best.
- Garnish with more chocolate chips and a dusting of powdered sugar before slicing to serve.
Notes
- Pop that graham cracker crust in the freezer while you mix the filling.
- Don’t skip straining the ricotta, or it’ll turn your pie watery.
- Let the cream cheese soften first. This will help the pie filling have that smooth texture.
- Mix in the whipped topping nice and slow to keep it fluffy.
- Use a spoon or offset spatula to make an even layer of filling- it looks prettier that way.
- Pile on those extra mini chocolate chips and sugar right before serving for a wow factor.
Nutrition
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