Cannoli dip is a rich and creamy, no bake dessert dip made with ricotta cheese, mascarpone or cream cheese and mini chocolate chips. This cannoli dip recipe is quick, easy to make and makes the best sweet dip for your favorite holiday treats.
Jump to:
Why Should You Make This Recipe
I’ve recently become a huge fan of simple and delicious sweet dessert dip recipes. My Chocolate Chip Dip, Pecan Pie Dip, Pumpkin Dip, Apple Dip, Cool Whip Fruit Dip, S’mores Dip and Oreo Dip are of my favorites on the blog. This cannoli dip recipe is another fun and easy sweet dessert dip I know you’ll love!
- It’s quick, easy and fun to make. After straining the ricotta cheese, this dip takes about 5 minutes to make. Just mix together some simple ingredients and serve with your favorite fruit or sweet dippers like pizzoli cookies, biscotti, broken cannoli shells or waffle cones.
- Perfect for entertaining: What I love most about this cannoli dip is how easy it is to throw together at the last minute. Not only is this sweet and creamy dip easy to make, it is such a crowd pleaser and easy to customize to you and your guests tastes.
Ingredients
This cannoli dip is made from a handful of simple basic pantry ingredients. Here’s what you need.
Gather ricotta cheese, mascarpone or cream cheese, powdered sugar, vanilla extract and mini chocolate chips.
Substitutions
This simple cannoli cream dip is meant to be quick and easy, but sometimes you may not have everything on hand. If you need them, here are my recommended substitutions for this recipe.
- Ricotta Cheese: There isn’t an exact match for the texture and rich flavor of ricotta cheese. This is a key ingredient to make cannoli filling and cannot be substituted.
- Mascarpone or Cream Cheese: Use an equal amount of either one. Mascarpone is the more classic ingredient in cannoli filling.
- Powdered Sugar: Maple sugar would be good refined sugar free substitute. To make powdered maple sugar, pulse the maple sugar in a food processor along with 1 tablespoon cornstarch.
- Vanilla Extract: This provides a nice background flavor to the creamy cannoli dip. Feel free to omit if you don’t have any on hand.
- Mini Chocolate Chips: Use the mini chocolate chips if you can. They’re easier to scoop and dip. If needed, use chopped chocolate or regular chocolate chips. Just keep in mind the larger the chocolate, the more difficult it is to scoop.
Variations
- Chocolate Cannoli Dip: Add 1 - 2 tablespoons cocoa powder to the the dip at the same time as the powdered sugar.
- Flavor Boosters: Zest 1 orange or add ½ teaspoon to the dip at the same time as the other ingredients.
- Toppings: Top with chopped pistachios or almonds.
How To Make
Learn how to make ricotta dip in a few easy steps.
- For the smoothest dip, strain the ricotta. Place a cheese cloth or a 3 - 4 paper towels on the bottom of a mesh strainer. Scoop the cheese onto the cheese cloth or paper towels. Cover the cheese with excess cheese cloth or 1 - 2 paper towels. Add something like pie weights or a small bowl with rice on top of the cheese. This will gently release the excess water. Allow the cheese to strain for about 1 hour or up to overnight.
- Place the strained ricotta cheese, the room temperature mascarpone cheese or cream cheese, powdered sugar and vanilla extract to stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment. Cream all the ingredients together on low for 1 minute increasing speed to low-medium until smooth and well combined. Scrape the mixing bowl and mix again for an additional 2 - 3 minutes or until the dip becomes creamier, lighter and fluffier. Once the dip has reached your desired consistency, stir in the mini chocolate chips. Make sure to reserve some for topping the dip.
- Transfer the creamy cannoli filling dip into a serving bowl. Top with more chocolate chips if you like. Cover the dip and chill in the fridge for 1 hour or up to overnight. Serve with fresh fruit such as apples, pears or strawberries or with sweet dippers such as pizzoli cookies, biscotti, broken cannoli shells or waffle cones.
How To Serve and Store
- Serve: This creamy cannoli filling dip is best served with fresh fruit such as apples, pears or strawberries or with sweet dippers such as graham crackers or cookies. For an extra crunch and a salty sweet flavor, use pretzels or Ritz crackers for dipping.
- Store: This creamy sweet ricotta dip stores well in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 - 3 days. If not serving this ricotta cheese dip right away, transfer it to the fridge until it’s time to serve.
M’s Expert Tips
- Choose the right kind of cheese. Fresh ricotta can be watery. Choose a brand that you like. Go for whole milk ricotta over a reduced fat kind.
- Drain the ricotta cheese. Make sure to strain the cheese to remove any excess water. This will enure the dip is light and creamy rather than runny.
- Bring the ricotta cheese and mascarpone or cream cheese to room temperature. This allows the ingredients to mix together more evenly and lessens the chance of the splitting.
- Use powdered sugar. This type of sugar has cornstarch mixed into the sugar. Cornstarch acts like a stabilizer and helps to not only thicken the dip but help prevent the cheeses from splitting.
- Mini chocolate chips are best. Use the mini chocolate chips if you can. They’re easier to scoop and dip. If needed, use chopped chocolate or regular chocolate chips. Just keep in mind the larger the chocolate, the more difficult it is to scoop.
- Chill the dip. Cover and transfer the dip to the fridge for 30- 60 minutes before serving. If storing in the fridge for longer, make sure to pull the dip to sit out at room temperature for about 15 - 20 minutes to soften the dip enough to make scooping easier.
- Have fun with the toppings and dippers. Add anything you like to the top of the dip once it has been made. I love a adding more mini chocolate chips. If you like, top the dip with chopped nuts like pistachios or almonds for a salty sweet flavor.
FAQs
This creamy cannoli filling dip is best served with fresh fruit such as apples, pears or strawberries or with sweet dippers such as pizzoli cookies, biscotti, broken cannoli shells or waffle cones.
This dip has a ricotta cheese and mascarpone or cream cheese base and should be stored in the fridge. With proper storage in the fridge, this creamy chip dip can last up to 2 - 3 days.
Cannoli dip can be frozen, but keep in mind that the overall texture will change due to freezing and thawing the dip. If this isn’t a deal breaker for you, you can freeze the dip. To freeze this dessert dip, transfer the dip to a freezer safe and airtight container. Freeze for up to 2 months. Transfer to the fridge to thaw overnight. Drain any excess liquid that comes from thawing and stir or re-whip the dip again to help smooth out any textural changes. If you plan on freezing the dip, wait to add the mini chocolate chips until after re-whipping.
More Ricotta Recipes to Try
If you try this Cannoli Dip recipe please rate the recipe and leave a comment below. Doing so helps other readers decide if this is a great recipe to bake. Don’t forget to tag me on Instagram using @olivesnthyme so I can see what you’re baking!
Cannoli Dip Recipe
Equipment
- 1 stand mixer with paddle attachment or electric hand mixer with beaters
Ingredients
- 15 oz. ricotta cheese, room temperature
- 8 oz. mascarpone or cream cheese, room temperature
- 1½ cups (180 g) powdered sugar
- 2 teaspoons (10 ml) vanilla extract
- ¼ - ½ cup mini chocolate chips, divided
Instructions
- For the smoothest dip, strain the ricotta. Place a cheese cloth or a 3 - 4 paper towels on the bottom of a mesh strainer. Scoop the cheese onto the cheese cloth or paper towels. Cover the cheese with excess cheese cloth or 1 - 2 paper towels. Add something like pie weights or a small bowl with rice on top of the cheese. This will gently release the excess water. Allow the cheese to strain for about 1 hour or up to overnight.15 oz. ricotta cheese, room temperature
- Place the strained ricotta cheese, the room temperature mascarpone cheese or cream cheese, powdered sugar and vanilla extract to stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment. Cream all the ingredients together on low for 1 minute increasing speed to low-medium until smooth and well combined. Scrape the mixing bowl and mix again for an additional 2 - 3 minutes or until the dip becomes creamier, lighter and fluffier. Once the dip has reached your desired consistency, stir in the mini chocolate chips. Make sure to reserve some for topping the dip.8 oz. mascarpone or cream cheese, room temperature, 1½ cups (180 g) powdered sugar, 2 teaspoons (10 ml) vanilla extract , ¼ - ½ cup mini chocolate chips, divided
- Transfer the creamy cannoli filling dip into a serving bowl. Top with more chocolate chips if you like. Cover the dip and chill in the fridge for 1 hour or up to overnight.
- Serve with fresh fruit such as apples, pears or strawberries or with sweet dippers such as pizzoli cookies, biscotti, broken cannoli shells or waffle cones.
Notes
- Chocolate Cannoli Dip: Add 1 - 2 tablespoons cocoa powder to the the dip at the same time as the powdered sugar.
- Flavor Boosters: Zest 1 orange or add ½ teaspoon cinnamon to the dip at the same time as the other ingredients.
- Toppings: Top with chopped pistachios or almonds.
Leave a Reply