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Air fryer cannoli with mini chocolate chips

Air Fryer Cannoli

Just like regular cannoli, only easier.
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Course: Dessert
Cuisine: Italian
Keyword: air fryer, cannoli, dessert, refrigerated pie crust
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Resting Time: 12 hours
Total Time: 12 hours 30 minutes
Servings: 16 cannoli
Author: Melissa

Equipment

  • air fryer
  • mesh strainer
  • cannoli form
  • piping bag

Ingredients

Filling

  • 1 15oz tub Ricotta Whole Milk Ricotta - NOT reduced fat or skim
  • 2 teaspoons orange zest
  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Shells

  • 1 15oz package refrigerated pie crust
  • ½ cup turbinado sugar
  • 1 egg egg white only - beaten

Optional

  • cup mini chocolate chips, sprinkles, or chopped roasted pistachios

Instructions

Filling - Cheese Prep

  • Set a fine mesh strainer over a medium bowl, and line with cheesecloth. Spoon ricotta into prepared strainer. Distribute ricotta evenly around bottom and sides of strainer, pressing down with the back of the spoon or a silicone spatula. Cover ricotta with plastic wrap, and place a bowl with some pie weights or a big heavy can of food inside to weigh it down - you want to press the liquid out of the cheese and into the bowl. Place in the fridge and let drain for at least 12 hours (up to 24hrs).

Shells

  • Spray the basket of your air fryer and the cannoli shell forms with cooking spray.
  • Spread turbinado sugar (or other coarse sugar) on a plate. Set aside.
  • Dust a clean surface with flour and roll out one sheet of refrigerated pie crust to about 1/16" thick.
  • Cut 4" circles of crust. Use a cookie cutter, biscuit cutter, small bowl, large glass, any smooth-edge circle. I used a fried egg mold.
  • Crack egg into a small bowl, separating egg white from yolk. Discard yolk (or save for another recipe), and beat the egg white.
  • Wrap one circle of pie crust around a prepared cannoli mold. Brush beaten egg white where the circle edges overlap to seal, making sure not to get any egg white on the cannoli form - this will make your cannoli shell stick to the form.
  • Carefully brush egg white on the outside of the cannoli shell (again making sure to not get any on the form), and then roll in sugar to coat. Repeat for remaining forms.
  • Preheat air fryer to 400°F.
  • Add a few shells to air fryer basket, making sure they don't touch each other. (My air fryer basket fit 4 shells at a time.) Cook at 400°F for 5-8 minutes, until shells are crisp and golden brown, and some of the sugar has caramelized. Remove with tongs and let cool on wire rack for a few minutes.
  • Once shells are cool enough to handle, gently grasp cannoli shell in your hand, and slide the form out of the shell. You may need to twist a little bit. I find it easier to hold the shell still and move the form at first to loosen. Repeat with the rest of the shells. Let cool completely.

Filling

  • Remove the ricotta from the fridge, and scoop into a clean medium bowl. (Be AMAZED at how much liquid drained out.)
  • To the bowl of ricotta, add powdered sugar, vanilla, orange zest, and salt. Stir to combine.
  • If you have a piping bag - spoon the filling into the piping bag and place into fridge again to chill. If you do not have a piping bag, put the bowl into the fridge to chill.
    Pipe or spoon the chilled filling into the cooled shells.
  • If using, sprinkle ends of cannoli with chocolate chips, sprinkles, or chopped roasted pistachios. Serve/devour immediately!