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With a touch of cinnamon and a smattering of mini chocolate chips, this Cannoli Tart has all the great flavors of a classic cannoli wrapped into one simple tart. It’s a quick, easy dessert that’s light and delicious!
If you love the flavors in this cannoli-inspired dessert, check out this amazing cannoli cheesecake and my cannoli layer cake, too!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Like a cannoli, but easier. This dessert delivers all of the flavor of a classic cannoli with none of the deep frying or painstaking stuffing of individual pastry shells.
- Light, delicious flavor. Some cannolis can be overly sweet and kind of heavy. This tart is light and not to sweet. Perfect for any occasion.
- No-bake (almost). Aside from baking the crust for a few minutes to make sure it holds together, this dessert is totally no-bake. Perfect for warm summer days when you want to keep your kitchen as cool as possible.
- Outstanding texture. The mascarpone filling for this cannoli dessert is so smooth and creamy, a bit like my stabilized mascarpone whipped cream. Next to the subtle crunch of the graham cracker crust and the smattering of mini chocolate chips on top, it’s a dream to bite into.
What Does Cannoli Taste Like?
A cannoli is a classic Sicilian dessert made from a crunchy shell (almost like a taco!) of deep-fried pastry dough that’s stuffed with a smooth, creamy mascarpone (and sometimes ricotta) filling. The shell is rich and buttery while the filling is relatively light and tastes faintly of cinnamon and vanilla. Then there’s a kick of chocolate from the mini chocolate chips that often garnish this Italian favorite. Pretty dreamy, right?
Ingredient Notes
Here’s what you’ll need to bring this cannoli tart recipe to life. Be sure to scroll to the recipe card below for precise measurements.
Crust
- Graham cracker crumbs – I like to crush my own to make an easy graham cracker crust. I think the flavor is better. But feel free to buy the crumbs or the crust pre-made. Vanilla wafers would also work.
- Sugar – I used granulated sugar, but you could use light brown sugar for a richer flavor.
- Unsalted butter – To hold the crust ingredients together. You could also use salted butter, if that’s what you have on hand.
Filling
- Mascarpone cheese – You can usually find this kind of cheese in the deli section of the grocery store. I love how creamy it is. If you’re a fan of ricotta in a cannoli, feel free to swap out some of the mascarpone. Just be sure to strain the ricotta.
- Vanilla extract
- Ground cinnamon
- Powdered sugar – The powdered sugar adds sweetness to the filling as well as structure.
- Heavy whipping cream – The heavy cream needs to be cold when making whipped cream for the filling. Otherwise, it won’t whip up and hold volume properly, and your filling will fall flat.
- Mini chocolate chips – To top the tart. A chopped (or shaved) semi-sweet or milk chocolate bar would also work.
How to Make a Cannoli Tart
Here’s a quick look at how to make this cannoli tart. Have a look at the recipe card below for more detailed instructions.
To make the crust
- Prep. Spray a 9-inch tart pan and preheat oven to 325°F.
- Mix. Mix together the graham cracker crumbs and sugar and then mix in the melted butter.
- Bake. Press the crust mixture into the bottom and up the sides of the tart pan and bake for 7 minutes.
- Cool. Allow the crust to cool completely.
Filling and assembly
- Make the filling base. Gently mix together the mascarpone, vanilla, cinnamon, and ½ cup of powdered sugar.
- Add volume. Beat together the heavy cream and the remaining powdered sugar on high speed until stiff peaks form. Fold the whipped cream into the filling base.
- Assemble. Spread the filling into the crust and sprinkle with mini chocolate chips.
- Chill. Cover and chill in the fridge for 2-3 hours, or until firm.
- Serve. Serve cold, dusted with powdered sugar if desired.
Tips for Success
- Cool completely. Allow the crust to cool completely before adding the filling. If it is too warm, the filling will melt.
- Mix on low speed (and not too much). When making the filling, mix on low speed (or even by hand) and just until everything is incorporated. Mixing at too high a speed or for too long will cause the filling to break down and become watery.
- Maintain volume. When folding the whipped cream into the filling, do so gently so as not to knock the volume out of it. It’s also a good idea to mix the whipped cream into the filling in 2 parts. Again, to maintain volume.
- Don’t skimp on chill time. You’ll need to chill this dessert for at least 2 hours (probably 3) before serving. The filling needs that time in the fridge to set.
How to Store
Cover the tart with plastic wrap or arrange slices in a single layer in an airtight container. You can store it in the fridge for up to 5 days. To freeze, place in the freezer until firm, then wrap it well. It would be hard to wrap up when un-frozen. You can keep it frozen for up to 3 months. Unwrap and thaw in the fridge prior to serving.
More Tart Recipes
- Creamy Lemon Tart Recipe
- Reese’s Chocolate Peanut Butter Tart
- White Chocolate Butterscotch Tart
- Raspberry Nutella Tart
Cannoli Tart
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Chill Time: 2 hours
- Cook Time: 7 minutes
- Total Time: 2 hours 37 minutes
- Yield: 8-10 slices
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: American
Description
With a touch of cinnamon and a smattering of mini chocolate chips, this Cannoli Tart has all the great flavors of a classic cannoli wrapped into one simple tart. It’s a quick, easy dessert that’s light and delicious!
Ingredients
Crust
- 1 1/4 cups (168g) graham cracker crumbs
- 3 tbsp (39g) sugar
- 5 tbsp (70g) unsalted butter, melted
Filling
- 12 oz mascarpone cheese*
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 3/4 cup (86g) powdered sugar, divided
- 3/4 cup (180ml) heavy whipping cream, cold
- Mini chocolate chips, for topping
Instructions
Make the crust:
- Spray a 9-inch tart pan with non-stick baking spray and preheat oven to 325°F.
- Add the graham cracker crumbs and sugar to a medium sized bowl and stir to combine. Add the melted butter and stir until well combined.
- Pour the mixture into the tart pan and press the crumbs into the bottom and up the sides of the pan. Pack it firmly. Use a measuring cup or glass with sharp corners and straight edges to help and use your fingers for the sides of the pan.
- Bake for 7 minutes, then remove from oven and set aside to cool completely. If you want to speed up cooling, you can put it in the fridge or the freezer.
Make the filling:
- Add the mascarpone cheese, vanilla extract, cinnamon and ½ cup of powdered sugar to a mixer bowl and gently stir to combine. You don’t want to mix on a high speed or over mix or the mascarpone can become watery and start to break down. Be gentle. You could even just combine it by hand with a spatula. Set aside.
- Add the heavy whipping cream and remaining ¼ cup of powdered sugar to a large mixer bowl and whip on high speed until stiff peaks form.
- Gently fold the whipped cream into the mascarpone mixture in two parts.
- Add the filling to the completely cooled crust and spread evenly. Sprinkle with mini chocolate chips. Cover or store in an air-tight container and refrigerate until firm, 2-3 hours.
- Sprinkle with some additional powdered sugar, if desired, then serve. Cover or store leftovers in an air-tight container. Tart is best eaten within 4-5 days.
Notes
- If the mascarpone cheese gets too warm, even at room temperature, it can get watery. It’s naturally very creamy and doesn’t need to really be room temperature to use it. If your fridge tends to be really cold and the cheese seems a little firm to use straight out of the fridge, you can set it out for 5-10 minutes before you need it. But I often use it right out of the fridge without any problem.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 Silce
- Calories: 459
- Sugar: 19.1 g
- Sodium: 157.1 mg
- Fat: 35.9 g
- Carbohydrates: 31.3 g
- Protein: 4.9 g
- Cholesterol: 98.3 mg
How far ahead can this be made and stored?
It should be good for about 3 to 4 days, so feel free to make it however far ahead while keeping that in mind.
I needed an Italian dessert to accompany my freshly made pasta dinner. This was the perfect ending. My husband enjoys chocolate sauce drizzled on his cannolis so whipped up some while my pie was chilling. That drizzle of chocolate sauce took this perfect dessert over the top.
I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
I have 8 ounces of Mascarpone, do you think the filling will still set nicely if I use 4 ounces of cream cheese in addition?
Yes, it should set fine.
When do the mini chocolate chips go on? Prior to chilling or afterwords?
Either way should be fine.
Hey! First, my apologies for my english. I saw your recipe and I want to do it but I don’t know which measures to use. I try through internet and it is very complicated beacase in Croatia and UK or US isn’t the same fore grams or cups…So have you measures in grams instead of cups or tbsp. If u don’t have, nevermind but it will much better for me and my calculating and searching over the internet. Thank You very much. Luna
Check out my conversion chart.
I have a tart pan with a removable bottom. Can that be used for this recipe?
Definitely
Do you think this could be made two days in advance and sit in the fridge or would it not last that long?
Yes, I think that would be fine.
OMG just made this. Didn’t have time to make the tart crust so I used a pre cooked chocolate pie crust. So easy to make. Can’t wait to try this later. I go Gaga for anything Canolli.
My dessert did not look like this, it wasn’t as deep, think I could have just doubled the ingredients and definitely 1/1/4 cups of crust wasn’t enough , other than that it tasted delicious
Why did my heavy cream/powdered sugar turn into liquid and clump? What did I do wrong?
Like, it clumped as you were whipping it? That would be very strange.
You over whipped the cream and made butter!
I saw this recipe this morning since I wanted to try something different with cannoli cream instead of making a cannoli cake that I usually make. I’m definitely going to try this recipe but I’m going to modify it a bit. I have a yummy cannoli cream recipe that I use and I want to stick with it so I’m just going fold the whipping cream in it.. and use 1/2 sugar & 1/2 powder sugar when I’m making the cannoli cream.. it doesn’t have that powder sugary taste.. plus I add a splash of fresh squeezed orange juice to it and it’s so good!! I can’t wait to make it after work today 😊
Hi! Do you think I could use half mascarpone and half ricotta for the filling? Thank you!
I would think that’d be fine.
Thank you for a wonderful recipe! I made this last year for a holiday gathering, and it received rave reviews. I would like to make it again for a work function, but I’m not sure how far in advance it can be made. Any suggestions would be much appreciated.
I’m glad you enjoyed it! You should be able to make it two to three days in advance and cover it well and it last fine.
I tried this recipe and love the taste of the filling, but for some reason, I couldn’t get it to set! Any idea why?
There are two possibilities. One is that I know people often like to reduce sugar amounts, but you want to be sure to use the powdered sugar in the whipped cream to help with stability. The other possibility is that the mascarpone cheese was over mixed or got too warm. “Room temperature” can kind of vary from home to home, so you want it to be soft enough to mix into the filling, but still have a little chill to it. If it gets too warm or is over mixed, it often softens and doesn’t firm back up well.
Can you make this tart fit an 11 inch tart dish? Like what kind of adjustments in terms of ingredients would I have to do in order to fit a tart that size? I’m asking since I don’t currently own a 9 inch tart and it’s impossible for me to find one in store where I live.
I’m not really sure, since I haven’t made it at that size before. You could try using 1 1/2 recipes worth. If there’s a little extra filling, you don’t have to add it all.
How many slices are generally cut for the 9″ tart? I don’t want to appear ‘cheap’, but if possible would like to only bake 1.
With decent size slices, I’d say 8-10.