Description
A creamy, no-bake cannoli pie with a crunchy vanilla wafer and pistachio crust, filled with a luscious mascarpone and ricotta cheese mixture, flavored with orange zest and topped with mini chocolate chips and powdered sugar. Perfect for an easy, elegant dessert that requires no oven time.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Crust:
- 6 ounces vanilla wafers (roughly 40 cookies or about 5-½ cups)
- ½ cup (50 grams) shelled, unsalted pistachios
- ¼ cup (50 grams) granulated sugar
- 6 tablespoons (85 grams) unsalted butter, melted, more as needed
For the Filling:
- ¾ cup (170 grams) heavy cream, cold
- 1 cup (227 grams) mascarpone or cream cheese
- ¾ cup (90 grams) powdered sugar, plus more for garnish
- ½ teaspoon grated orange zest
- Pinch coarse kosher salt
- 1 cup (227 grams) ricotta cheese
- Mini chocolate chips (for garnish)
Instructions
- Prepare Pie Crust: In a food processor, combine the vanilla wafers, pistachios, and sugar. Process until the mixture resembles sand. Transfer the crumb mixture to a bowl, add the melted butter, and mix to combine. The mixture should be damp like wet sand and hold together when squeezed. Adjust with more butter or wafer crumbs as needed. Press the crumbs into a 9-inch pie plate, forming edges first then evenly covering the bottom. Pack down firmly with a flat-bottomed cup. Place crust in the freezer while preparing the filling.
- Make the Filling: Using a hand mixer or stand mixer with a whisk attachment, whip the cold heavy cream until stiff peaks form. Set aside. In the mixer bowl, add mascarpone, powdered sugar, orange zest, and salt. Switch to paddle attachment if using stand mixer and beat on medium speed until smooth, about 2 minutes. Scrape sides and add ricotta cheese, beating on low speed until well combined, about 1 minute.
- Combine Filling Ingredients: Fold one-third of whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture gently using a rubber spatula until completely combined. Then carefully fold in remaining whipped cream without deflating it.
- Assemble Pie: Transfer the filling into the prepared crust and smooth the top. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours to set, preferably 12 hours or overnight.
- Garnish and Serve: Before serving, sprinkle mini chocolate chips and powdered sugar on top. For neat slices, optionally freeze the pie 30-60 minutes before serving and let it sit at room temperature 15-30 minutes if removing from frozen.
Notes
- The vanilla wafer cookie texture can vary by brand; adjust butter and crumbs to achieve a wet sand consistency that holds shape without sogginess.
- Serve pie well chilled. It can be made up to 2 days ahead refrigerated or frozen for up to a month, adding garnishes just before serving.
- Freezing before slicing helps with clean cuts but is not required.
- Let frozen pie sit at room temperature for 15-30 minutes before cutting to ease slicing.
- This recipe has been tested and updated regularly since its original 2020 publication for consistent results.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice (1/8 of pie)
- Calories: 350 kcal
- Sugar: 25 g
- Sodium: 150 mg
- Fat: 24 g
- Saturated Fat: 14 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 29 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 5 g
- Cholesterol: 70 mg
