Cannoli are Sicilian pastries consisting of fried pastry shells traditionally filled with sweetened ricotta.
The shell is made from a dough commonly containing flour, sugar, fat, and wine or another liquid, then wrapped around a tube and fried. After cooling, it is filled with a sweet ricotta mixture. Typical garnishes include chopped pistachios, candied fruit, or chocolate pieces at the ends, although recipes differ across Sicily and beyond.
Cannoli developed in Sicily and are especially associated with the island’s festive food traditions. They were historically linked with Carnival, but they are now eaten throughout the year and have become one of the most internationally recognized Italian desserts.
The singular is cannolo, while cannoli is plural. Cannoli should not be confused with cassata, another Sicilian dessert that combines sponge cake or sweetened ricotta with decorative elements. Nor is the filling always identical: modern versions may use mascarpone or other ingredients, but sweetened ricotta remains the canonical traditional filling.