How Many Calories in a Cannoli?

The humble cannoli has made its way over from The continent And Is now a common feature on Italian menus throughout the UK. Of course, we serve two varieties of cannoli on the Gloucester menu in Soho London, But we have also seen the cannoli in small cafés in the countryside of Britain. Which is a true testament to how much the Brits love this delicious Italian sweet. But if you ever wondered what a cannoli is and how many calories in a cannoli? Let’s find out.

What is a Cannoli?

Cannoli are crispy pastries filled with rich ricotta cream and often embellished with crushed pistachios or fine chocolate shavings. The juxtaposition between their crispy shells and creamy insides is what makes this treat so moreish. The filling is made from ricotta, mascarpone, and sugar which can be likened to the topping on a cheesecake.

Read our guide to Cannolo Pastry 101 to learn what cannoli are, where they originated, what cannoli means, and more information about this crispy yet rich and creamy Italian sweet.

Calories in Cannoli

Unsurprisingly, as cannoli is crafted using sweetened ricotta cheese and as the pastry is deep-fried to perfection, they tend to carry a considerable calorie count. However, this doesn’t mean you need to cut these delectable Italian sweets from your diet completely. We believe in moderation so if you eat a balanced diet full of colourful fruits and veggies and ensure you get a good proportion of your food from whole foods, then there is no reason you can’t enjoy a cannolo within your diet.

It is hard for us to estimate the exact number of calories in one of the Goloso cannoli as each one is made by hand in our cafés kitchen. And as we are just a small, independent business we don’t need to conform to the UK government’s ‘calorie labelling rules’. Furthermore, according to an article Live Strong, the precise calorie figures can differ based on the brand or recipe. However, as an example, a medium-sized cannoli typically comes in at around 240 calories. However, some flavours of cannoli, such as white chocolate cannoli, can come with a higher calorie content – even around 340 calories per cannolo. If you’re after a low-calorie-friendly option, consider going for a mini cannolo, which boasts significantly fewer calories compared to its regular-sized counterpart. Live Strong estimates that a mini cannoli clocks in at around 85 calories per piece. To stay on track with your diet, aim for just one of these delectable treats per day or enjoy them in moderation on special occasions.

Plain vs. Pistachio Cannoli Calories

As you may have seen on the Goloso menu you can get our cannolo with plain sweet ricotta, Pistachio, or chocolate filling. As mentioned, above we can’t comment on the exact number of calories in each of these flavours. However, pistachios are in the nut family which is known for being calorie-dense. We estimate that the pistachio cannoli is probably slightly higher in calories. Sources suggest that a 1-ounce portion of pistachio nuts contains approximately 165 calories for reference.

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When Do Italians Usually Enjoy These Sweets?

Cannoli can be enjoyed at any point of the day, any day of the week, and any season of the year. Many Italians like to save can only for a special occasion or enjoy them when catching up with a friend in a café over a cappuccino.

Calories in a Sicilian Cannoli Vs a Di Sfoglia Cannoli

As you may have noticed the Goloso menu offers Sicilian and Di Sfoglia cannoli. Therefore you may be wondering which of these has more calories.

The primary distinction between these types of cannoli lies in their appearance, as di sfoglia cannoli are more compact and come in either a conical or cylindrical shape. On the other hand, Sicilian cannoli have a resemblance to bow tie wraps, offering more space for the filling to be prominently displayed. Therefore, although they aren’t officially mini cannoli, the di sfogalia cannoli may be closer in calories to the figure for mini cannoli calories than the Sicilian cannoli (*although we can’t guarantee).

Feel free to chat with our lovely team at our Soho café about these different varieties next time you pay us a visit to Goloso!

How Many Calories in a Large Cannoli Vs. How Many Calories in a Small Cannoli

As mentioned, the number of calories depends on the exact recipe used and the size of the cannoli. However, it is safe to assume that a small cannoli will have far fewer calories than a large cannoli. Therefore if you wish to try multiple flavours we recommend ordering a couple of small cannolis so you can see which flavour is your favourite.

How Many Calories in a Ricotta Cannoli?

Unfortunately, it is hard to say the exact number of calories in our ricotta cannoli. However please feel free to refer sleeve of information for a rough guide.