Chocolate Chip Cannoli Pie: Easy & Creamy Recipe
This Chocolate Chip Cannoli Pie combines a crisp vanilla wafer crust with creamy ricotta, mascarpone, lemon zest, and mini chocolate chips. It’s an easy, make-ahead cannoli-inspired dessert served perfectly chilled.
Ingredients
- For the Vanilla Wafer Crust
- 2¼ cups vanilla wafer crumbs about 60 vanilla wafers
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- ½ cup unsalted butter melted
- For the Cannoli Filling
- 1 cup mascarpone cheese
- ½ cup confectioners’ sugar
- 1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 2 to 3 teaspoons lemon zest
- 1 cup whole-milk ricotta cheese
- ¾ cup heavy whipping cream
- 1⅓ cups mini chocolate chips divided
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly coat a 9-inch pie dish with nonstick cooking spray.
- Combine the vanilla wafer crumbs, brown sugar, and melted butter in a medium bowl. Stir until evenly combined.
- Firmly press the crumb mixture across the bottom and up the sides of the prepared pie dish. Using the flat bottom of a glass can make this easier.
- Bake the crust for 10 minutes. Transfer it to a wire rack and allow it to cool completely to room temperature.
- Using an electric mixer, beat the mascarpone and confectioners’ sugar for 2 to 3 minutes, or until completely smooth.
- Add the vanilla extract, cinnamon, lemon zest, and whole-milk ricotta. Mix just until combined.
- In a separate bowl, whip the heavy whipping cream on medium speed until stiff peaks form, about 2 to 3 minutes.
- Fold one-third of the whipped cream into the ricotta mixture. Add the remaining whipped cream and gently fold with a rubber spatula until just combined.
- Gently fold ⅔ cup mini chocolate chips into the cannoli filling.
- Spread the filling evenly over the completely cooled vanilla wafer crust.
- Sprinkle the remaining mini chocolate chips over the top.
- Cover the pie with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight, until completely set.
- Slice and serve chilled.
Notes
- Use whole-milk ricotta, not part-skim ricotta, for the intended consistency.
- Graham cracker crumbs can replace the vanilla wafer crumbs.
- Orange zest can be substituted for lemon zest.
- Chopped pistachios or walnuts can replace some or all of the mini chocolate chips.
- Candied fruit can also be added for another cannoli-inspired variation.
- If adding Grand Marnier or amaretto, use no more than 1 tablespoon.
- The filling itself is no-bake, but the original vanilla wafer crust requires 10 minutes of baking.