Vegan Cannoli

What Sets This Vegan Cannoli Recipe Apart

If you've been searching for authentic vegan cannoli, this is your recipe. While there's a fair amount of work involved in this recipe, the result is absolutely worth the effort.

The light and crispy shells are made vegan with aquafaba and almond milk (my shell recipe is adapted from this Sicilian cannoli recipe from manggiabedda.com). I'm also using vegan Marsala wine to create the characteristic bubbles in the shell.

The filling uses a tofu ricotta base that's lightly sweetened and mixed in with vegan mini chocolate chips. (By the way, my tofu ricotta recipe is also great for savory meals, like lasagna or stuffed shells.) Some vegan cannoli recipes have a filling that resembles cake frosting more than ricotta, but I prefer this tofu ricotta filling which tastes more like the traditional version. The tofu filling also happens to be high in protein.

Special Equipment You'll Need

Making vegan cannoli does require some special tools and equipment. It's likely that you won't have everything you'll need to make this recipe laying around the kitchen. Here's a list for reference:

• Cannoli tubes (forms): The most common cannoli tubes are made of stainless steel, but you may find other materials as well. Some people have made their own tubes, but for consistent shape and ease of use, I'd recommend picking up the ready-made forms. You should choose forms that are slightly longer than the cannoli you want to make.

• Biscuit cutter: to cut the dough into large circles. You can also use another round cutter (such as the rim of a glass) I suggest using a cutter with a diameter that's slightly smaller than the length of your cannoli forms. So if you have 6-inch cannoli forms, try to find a 4.5 or 5-inch cutter.

• Pastry/piping bag and large piping tip: You'll use this to pipe the filling into the shells. You can use a round or star-shaped piping tip, but I recommend using a large tip. If you don't have a piping bag and tip, you could also use a Ziploc freezer bag with a corner cut off. I wouldn't use a standard Ziploc bag, as it might not be strong enough to withstand the pressure of piping the filling.

• Rolling pin: You'll want to roll out the dough very thin (1.5 mm or 1/16"), so be sure you have a good rolling pin. A pasta maker would also work to roll the dough.

• Blender: You'll need to blend your tofu with other ingredients to make the vegan ricotta filling. You could also use a food processor for this.

• Large saute pan or small pot: for frying the cannoli shells.

• Mixing bowls: for mixing the dough and filling.

• Tongs: for placing the cannoli shells in the hot oil and removing them.

• Wire rack: for cooling the cannoli shells and draining the oil.

Ingredients & Substitutions

For the Cannoli Shells

• Peanut oil: This is a good, neutral oil with a high smoke point that's also not too expensive. You could also use canola oil, safflower oil, or sunflower oil, but I don't recommend using vegetable (soybean) oil, because you'll taste the flavor of the oil in the shells.

• All-purpose flour: for best results use the metric (grams) measurement instead of cups.

• Granulated sugar: In the US, not all sugar is vegan. Some sugar is filtered with animal bone char. If you're in the US, buying organic sugar is a good way to ensure your sugar is vegan. You can also check with the manufacturer.

• Salt: A small amount of salt helps bring out the flavors in sweet recipes like this one.

• Marsala wine: A traditional ingredient in Sicilian cannoli shells, Marsala wine helps create the signature bubbles in the shells. However, not all wine is vegan. If you want to find a brand of vegan Marsala, Barnivore.com is a good resource. If you can't find vegan Marsala, you can also try another vegan sweet red wine.

• Aquafaba: Aquafaba is used twice in the shells; once mixed into the dough and again to seal the shells before frying. In the dough, the aquafaba replaces the egg to help bind the dough together. Aquafaba is the best egg replacer for light and airy dough recipes like this one because aquafaba is very light itself. To seal the edges of the cannoli shells, I also recommend using aquafaba. I tried sealing the shells with water, aquafaba, and almond milk. The aquafaba was the most reliable and gave me the best result; the shells never came apart while frying. The water and almond milk worked most of the time, but did come apart a few times while frying.

• Almond milk: Be sure you're using a plain, unsweetened variety. Other types of non-dairy milk (like cashew milk or oat milk) will work as well.

• Sunflower oil: To provide fat for the dough. Other vegetable oils also work here.

For the Cannoli Filling and Garnish

• Firm or extra-firm tofu: Be sure not to use silken tofu, as it won't produce the right texture. For this recipe, you'll want to squeeze out a little bit of water, but don't press the tofu.

• Lemon juice: I recommend using freshly squeezed lemon juice for the best flavor.

• Nutritional yeast: Adds a mildly cheesy flavor to our vegan ricotta.

• Salt: A small amount of salt brings out the rich flavors in sweet recipes.

• Ground cinnamon: Adds flavor to the filling.

• Powdered sugar: Also known as icing sugar or confectioner's sugar. If you're in the US, you'll need to make sure that your sugar is vegan, as many brands process their sugar using animal bone char. Buying organic is a good way to ensure your sugar is vegan, or you can check with the manufacturer. If you don't have powdered sugar, you can blend granulated sugar with cornstarch in the blender until it reaches a powdered consistency. Use 1 tablespoon of cornstarch for each cup of sugar.

• Mini chocolate chips: Optional, for the filling and garnish. Vegan mini chocolate chips can be difficult to find in stores, especially if you're looking for fair-trade-certified chocolate. Enjoy Life has vegan mini chocolate chips, but they're not fair trade. I was able to find fair trade vegan mini chocolate chips online from Hu Kitchen and nuts.com. If you don't want to order online or don't have time to wait, you can also chop up a bar of vegan dark chocolate.

• Roasted pistachios: Optional, for garnish.

How to Store Your Homemade Vegan Cannoli

If you're not planning to eat all your cannoli at once, I recommend only filling the shells that you'll eat right away. If you do have pre-filled cannoli shells left over, you can store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator, but the shells will lose their crispness pretty quickly.

If possible, store your shells and filling separately. Your shells will keep best in a dry location at room temperature in an air-tight container. They'll taste best in the first 1-2 days, but they'll still be okay to eat for another day or two after that.

Store your filling in the refrigerator in an airtight container. It should last 3-4 days or longer in the refrigerator.

More Amazing Vegan Dessert Recipes

Want more sweet treats? Check out my entire list of vegan desserts, or try one of the recipes below:

• Crème brûlée

• Vanilla pudding

• Chewy brownies

• Key lime pie

Frequently Asked Questions

Why are my cannoli shells soft? If you haven't rolled out your cannoli dough thin enough, your cannoli shells might have a soft texture instead of a crispy one. Your dough should be rolled out as thin as possible to get a nice crunchy shell. It's also possible that your oil was not hot enough when you fried the shells. Your shells should be turning golden in around 30 seconds or less.

Can I skip the cooking wine? It's not entirely necessary to use Marsala wine, however it is part of the traditional recipe and it creates bubbles in the cannoli shells.

Is Marsala wine vegan? Not all brands of Marsala wine are vegan, so please check! Barnivore.com has a searchable database of wine and liquor that you can check, and they do their own research by contacting the companies directly to confirm whether their products are vegan. Lombardo is one popular brand of Marsala that is listed as vegan on their site. Colombo also makes a vegan Marsala that you may be able to find locally.

What type of frying oil should I use? I like peanut oil for frying, but you can use anything with a neutral flavor and high smoke point. Canola oil, safflower oil, and sunflower oil will work. I don't recommend using vegetable oil (soybean oil) because it doesn't have a neutral flavor. 

What if I have leftover filling? This recipe should make just enough filling to fill the shells. However, your mileage may vary depending on how tightly you wrap the shells around the forms. So if you have filling left over, you can use it as cannoli dip! Get some vegan waffle cones, break them up, and enjoy!