Pumpkin Spiced Cannolis

November 2, 2016 16 Comments

How is it already November? 2016 is going by so fast! The pumpkin is still flowing freely here and I had a decadent dessert up my sleeve. I already waxed poetic about cannolis when I made my chocolate chambord cannolis because they are my absolute favorite pastry. So this week I came up with pumpkin spiced cannolis that were so perfect as a fancy, fall inspired twist on the classic.

The filling for the pumpkin spiced cannolis was a cinch to make. All I did was whip ricotta cheese, pumpkin cream cheese, lots of pumpkin pie spice and pumpkin spice extract together with my hand mixer. It was so luscious and warmly spiced!
The filling for the pumpkin spiced cannolis was a cinch to make. All I did was whip ricotta cheese, pumpkin cream cheese, lots of pumpkin pie spice and pumpkin spice extract together with my hand mixer. It tasted so luscious and warmly spiced! I had to try a spoonful before going any further of course.
Then it was time to make the dough for the shells of the pumpkin spiced cannolis. It came together quickly and easily right in my food processor. The secret was using pumpkin spiced coffee creamer for great flavor and texture. To make sure it was a uniform dough, I kneaded it a little into a smooth ball.
Then it was time to make the dough for the shells of the pumpkin spiced cannolis. It came together quickly and easily right in my food processor. The secret was using pumpkin spiced coffee creamer for great flavor and texture. To make sure it was a uniform dough, I kneaded it a little into a smooth ball.
My pasta roller turned that dough into perfectly thin sheets. I rolled it out on the widest setting twice. Then I put it through on the setting that was two notches in from the widest. That made it absolutely perfectly thin for the pumpkin spiced cannolis
My pasta roller turned that dough into perfectly thin sheets. I rolled it out on the widest setting twice. Then I put it through on the setting that was two notches in from the widest. That made it absolutely perfectly thin for the pumpkin spiced cannolis.
I cut out perfect little squares from the sheets of dough using my 3 1/2 inch square cutter. Then I used my cannoli molds to wrap the squares into the perfect shape. I got the molds here for a great price! The key was to press the corners together firmly and seal them with egg white. That way they didn't open up when they fried.
I cut out perfect little squares from the sheets of dough using my 3 1/2 inch square cutter. Then I used my cannoli molds to wrap the squares into the perfect shape. I got the molds here for a great price! The key was to press the corners together firmly and seal them with egg white. That way they didn’t open up when they fried.
The shells for the pumpkin spiced cannolis needed to fry on those molds for about 3 minutes. They became so crispy and golden! I cooked them in batches of 4 to make it manageable.
The shells for the pumpkin spiced cannolis needed to fry on those molds for about 3 minutes. They became so crispy and golden! I cooked them in batches of 4 to make it manageable. Once they cooled, I gently slid them off of the molds and made the next batch.

After all of the shells cooked and cooled, I used a pastry bag to fill them up generously with the filling. Then I dusted them with powdered sugar to finish the pumpkin spiced cannolis up beautifully. Oh my goodness, it was heaven when I bit it. The shells were so crisp, delicate and warmly spiced. The filling just tasted like fall. It was such a fun twist on my favorite pastry in the world! It combined my love for all things Italian and pumpkin. Hope you all enjoy!

Pumpkin Spiced Cannolis
Pumpkin Spiced Cannolis
5 from 1 vote
Pumpkin Spiced Cannolis
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Pumpkin Spiced Cannolis
Prep Time
45 mins
Cook Time
20 mins
Total Time
1 hr 5 mins
 

These pumpkin spiced cannolis are such a decadent and amazing twist on the classic Italian pastry for fall! The shells are crispy with luscious filling. 

Course: Dessert
Keyword: Cannoli, Pumpkin Spiced Cannoli
Servings: 24 cannolis
Calories: 314 kcal
Author: Jeanie and Lulu's Kitchen
Ingredients
FOR THE FILLING
  • 1 pound whole milk ricotta cheese
  • 1/2 pound pumpkin spiced cream cheese softened to room temperature
  • 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
  • 1 teaspoon pumpkin spice extract
FOR THE CANNOLI SHELLS
  • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
  • 1 pinch salt
  • 2 tablespoons cold butter cubed small
  • 1 whole egg separated
  • 1/4 cup pumpkin spiced coffee creamer
  • 1/4 cup cold water
  • Vegetable oil as needed for frying
  • powdered sugar as needed for topping
Instructions
  1. First, make the filling. Combine all of the ingredients in a large mixing bowl, then use a hand mixer to whip it all together. Cover it and store it in the refrigerator until you are ready to fill the cannolis. Then, start on the shells. Set up a food processor and combine the flour, pumpkin spice and salt in its bowl. Pulse it a few times to aerate the dry ingredients. Add the butter and egg yolk and pulse it more to make the mixture pebbly. Finally, with the processor running slowly pour in the coffee creamer and cold water until it comes together into a soft dough.
  2. Bring the dough together into a ball and turn it out onto a clean surface, preferably parchment paper. Knead it for a couple of turns to bring it together. Then cut it in half and roll the first half out thin enough to go through a pasta roller. Put the first half through the pasta roller twice on the widest setting, then twice more on the third widest setting. It will be very long, so cut it in half to make it more manageable. Repeat the process with the other half of the dough.
  3. Use a 3 1/2 inch square cutter to cut out perfect squares from the dough. You should be able to get 6 from each sheet for 24 shells total. Then fill a large stainless steel skillet with deep sides with about 3 inches of the vegetable oil. Heat it up over medium high heat and use a deep fry thermometer to make sure the temperature gets to and stays around 350. Use cannoli molds to form the shells by wrapping the squares tightly around them with two of the corners overlapping in the middle. It's like closing a diamond. Press the overlapping corners together firmly and seal the two corners together by brushing them with the egg white.
  4. Fry the cannoli shells in batches of 4-6 for about 3 minutes, until the shells get crispy and golden. Remove them to a plate lined with paper towel to let them drain and cool. Then gently slide the shells off of the molds and form the next batch. Be sure to keep monitoring the oil heat. Once the shells are all fried and completely cooled, transfer the filling to a large pastry bag. Fill all of the shells generously, then sprinkle the cannolis with powdered sugar on top using a sifter. Serve immediately for an amazing dessert! The two components can also be made ahead. Just fill and dust the cannolis before serving so that the shells don't get soggy.
Nutrition Facts
Pumpkin Spiced Cannolis
Amount Per Serving (2 cannoli)
Calories 314 Calories from Fat 157
% Daily Value*
Fat 17.4g27%
Saturated Fat 9.1g57%
Cholesterol 51mg17%
Sodium 139mg6%
Potassium 97mg3%
Carbohydrates 31.9g11%
Fiber 0.5g2%
Sugar 16.8g19%
Protein 7.9g16%
Calcium 100mg10%
Iron 1.3mg7%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Pumpkin Spiced Cannoli
Pumpkin Spiced Cannoli

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16 thoughts on “Pumpkin Spiced Cannolis”

  4. Good lord these look amazing! I’m a sucker for a good cannoli, being the good Sicilian girl I am. 😉 But also being American, bring on the pumpkin!! My family would go crazy over these!!

  5. Wow my mouth is watering looking at this. Looks so yummy. I need to make this for Thanksgiving this year.

    Xoxo

  9. I’ve always wanted to try cannolis but it seemed like such a daunting task. You make it sound so achievable! I’d definitely gonna try it out this holiday season!

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5 from 1 vote (1 rating without comment)