High Protein Vegan Cannoli Dip
Last Updated on April 3, 2024
This High Protein Vegan Cannoli Dip is the perfect no-bake cannoli-flavored dessert to serve at your next party without all the work! This vegan dessert dip is made with dairy-free ingredients and plant protein powder and served with your choice of dippers!
I’m a little bit bummed, I really wanted to make homemade cannolis this year for Christmas… but unfortunately with all the hustle and bustle of this holiday season I didn’t get around to it 😕. But I did already purchase vegan ricotta cheese so I wanted to make sure I used it before it went bad.
Cannolis are my ALL TIME FAVORITE Sicilian dessert! 🤤 Growing up in a Sicilian family, I would often ask for cannolis instead of a birthday cake for my birthday 🥳 Creating gluten-free dairy free cannolis for the Healthy Little Vittles blog has been in my list of recipes for a very long time, and while this isn’t exactly a cannoli, HOLY CANNOLI does it taste like my favorite dessert! 🎉 This is the best, most scrumptious way to enjoy all the cannoli flavors without all the work or the gluten and dairy!
Why I Love This Cannoli Dip
I am always a big fan of quick & tasty treats that don’t involve a ton of time and effort. Aside from chill time, this dessert dip comes together in about 10 minutes and then just has to chill for a few hours to set up. You can easily make this recipe the day before , chill overnight and then it’s ready to enjoy!
I also love this cannoli dip because it would be a great dip to feed a crowd and is a perfect party dip! 🥳
This dip tastes just like the filling in the beloved dip- I was actually surprised at how great this cannoli dip turned out.
The Cannoli Dip Ingredients
I imagine using different brands will slightly alter the taste of this High Protein Vegan Cannoli Dip, so I’m going to share with you (sponsor free!) the exact brands I use to make this scrumptious dessert dip! 😘
Vegan ricotta cheese. Luckily there are a couple of brands that make vegan ricotta cheese now. You can certainly make your own using plant-based ingredients, or make my recipe for Homemade Vegan Ricotta Cheese, but of course that will add time to this recipe. I used Treeline Cheese Non-Dairy Cashew Ricotta for this recipe, but I also like Kite Hill Foods Almond Ricotta. Toffuti makes a dairy-free ricotta cheese as well. You can most likely find these dairy-free ricotta cheese products at Whole Foods, Kroger, Meijer, or check your local health foods stores.
Dairy-free yogurt. Plant-based yogurt is pretty readily available at most grocery stores now. For this recipe I used Silk Dairy-Free Vanilla Soy Yogurt. You will need one 5.3 ounce cup, so no need to buy a large container, unless of course you enjoy yogurt.
Ways to use leftover dairy-free vanilla flavored yogurt:
Vegan Abstract Yogurt Popsicles
An easier-than-they-look popsicle recipe perfect for summer at home with the kids! These Vegan Abstract Yogurt Popsicles are made with just 4-ingredients and are a healthy treat for hot summer days.
“Snickers” Frozen Yogurt Chocolate Covered Date Bites
Looking for a sweet treat to cool down this summer? Look no further than these "Snickers" Frozen Yogurt Chocolate Covered Date Bites! They're easy to make and will satisfy all your chocolate candy cravings. 🍫
Breakfast Chia Yogurt Granola Tart
This Breakfast Chia Yogurt Granola Tart features a simple granola crust filled with a strawberry chia yogurt filling topped with fresh strawberries, blackberries, and raspberries for a gorgeous, healthy, gluten-free, vegan, naturally sweetened breakfast!
Coconut milk. You will need 1/2 cup of coconut milk, the solid part only for this recipe. You may also use coconut cream. I like to place the coconut milk in the fridge the day before to help separate the solid from the liquid in the can.
Vanilla extract. The yogurt already has vanilla in it (unless you couldn’t find it, in which case plain yogurt is fine), but we’re going to add 1/2 teaspoon more of pure vanilla extract. If you are using plain yogurt instead of vanilla, add 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract to the dip.
Do not use imitation vanilla as it’s not gluten-free!
Almond extract. You will need 1/2 teaspoon of pure almond extract.
Do not use imitation vanilla as it’s not gluten-free!
Orange zest. You will need 1 tablespoon of orange zest. I used a cute little (fresh) mandarine orange and it perfectly created 1 tablespoon of zest. Make sure you wash the orange well before zesting!
Powdered sugar. Much like traditional cannolis, this cannoli dip calls powdered sugar. You will need 1 cup of preferably organic powdered sugar. You could try to use a sugar-free powdered sugar substitute if you’re trying to watch your sugar intake, however I have not tried to use anything other than organic powdered cane sugar in this recipe so I can’t guarantee the same results.
Protein powder. I originally created the dip without the protein powder but realized that the dip was a bit too runny, so I had the great idea of adding an unflavored plant protein powder and calling this High Protein Vegan Cannoli Dip! I LOVED that idea and was actually so happy to be able to include vegan protein to this dessert recipe. You could try to use a vanilla plant protein powder, but I used PlantFusion Complete Vegan Protein Powder in this recipe.
Chocolate chips. I like to use the mini chocolate chips from Enjoy Life Foods, but you can use any dairy-free semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips you’d like.
OPTIONAL ADD IN: Pistachios!
Cannoli Dippers
For the closest tasting true cannoli flavor I suggest using Siete Foods Grain Free Cinnamon Churro Strips, as shown in the photos. They are SO GOOD with this cannoli dip, tastes like a true cannoli shell! I also like that they are grain-free. Here are some other ideas to use as dippers:
- gluten-free graham crackers
- fresh fruit
- pizzelle cookies
- broken gluten-free waffle/sugar ice cream cones
- gluten-free, vegan cookies
- homemade air fryer churro chips as seen in this recipe
How to Make This Cannoli Dip
When I say this cannoli dip is simple to make, I mean it! You simply stir together, or alternatively you can beat together the ricotta, yogurt, coconut milk, vanilla and almond extracts and then fold in the orange zest, powdered sugar, protein powder, and chocolate chips.
* Note: it helps to sift the powdered sugar so you don’t end up with lumps in your dip.
Then you cover and chill the cannoli dip for at least 3-4 hours, or preferably overnight for a firmer dip.
Serve with your choice of dippers. Store any leftover in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week.
Things to Note/Tips
• The kind of dairy-free ricotta, yogurt and plant protein you use may alter the color of the dip and it might not be that creamy white color that traditional cannoli filling looks like. But it still tastes like cannoli dip and that’s what counts 😉. You could use a coconut vanilla flavored yogurt instead of soy and that may help with the coloring, if desired.
• You don’t want the dip too thick or your dippers might break, but if the dip is too runny, add a little more protein powder until you achieve the desired consistency. Remember, it will set up in the fridge when it chills, so it’s best to chill it first and then if the dip still needs thickening you can always add more protein powder before serving. Mine didn’t need it though.
I hope you enjoy this High Protein Vegan Cannoli Dip as much as I do! I’d love for you to give dessert recipe a five star rating ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ so that others can discover this sweet treat. Tag me on Instagram, Facebook, or Pinterest if you make it!
High Protein Vegan Cannoli Dip
This High Protein Vegan Cannoli Dip is the perfect no-bake cannoli-flavored dessert to serve at your next party without all the work! This vegan dessert dip is made with dairy-free ingredients and plant protein powder and served with your choice of dippers!
Ingredients
- 1 cup (7.5 oz) vegan ricotta cheese*
- ½ cup (5.3 oz) dairy-free vanilla flavored yogurt**
- ½ cup coconut milk, solid part only
- ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon pure almond extract
- 1 tablespoon fresh orange zest (I used a small mandarin orange). WASH & DRY BEFORE ZESTING!
- 1 cup organic powdered sugar
- 5 tablespoons unflavored plant protein***
- ⅓ cup mini chocolate chips (or regular sized), plus more for garnishing
Dippers
- Cinnamon Churro Crisps (as pictured, from Siete Foods)
- fresh fruit
- pizzelle cookies
- broken gluten-free waffle/sugar ice cream cones
- gluten-free, vegan cookies
Instructions
Simply stir together, or alternatively you can beat together, the vegan ricotta, yogurt, coconut milk, vanilla and almond extracts and then fold in the orange zest, powdered sugar, protein powder and chocolate chips.
* Note: it helps to sift the powdered sugar so you don’t end up with lumps in your dip.
Cover and chill the cannoli dip for at least 3-4 hours, or preferably overnight for a firmer dip.
Serve with your choice of dippers. Store any leftover in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week.
Notes
I used Treeline Cheese ricotta but you could also use Kite Hill or Tofutti dairy-free ricotta cheese.
I used Silk vanilla soy yogurt.
I used PlantFusion Complete Vegan Protein Powder. You may also use vanilla, but for best results I would stick with an unflavored protein powder.
It may help to chill the coconut milk in the fridge overnight to help separate the solid from the liquid. Ideally you want the coconut cream to resemble the texture of a soft buttery spread.
The kind of dairy-free ricotta, yogurt and plant protein you use may alter the color of the dip and it might not be that creamy white color that traditional cannoli filling looks like, but it still tastes like cannoli dip and that’s what counts 😉. You could use a coconut vanilla flavored yogurt instead of soy and that may help with the coloring, if desired.
You don’t want the dip too thick or your dippers might break, but if the dip is too runny, add a little more protein powder until you achieve the desired consistency. Remember, it will set up in the fridge when it chills, so it's best to chill it first and then if the dip still needs thickening you can always add more protein powder before serving. Mine didn't need it though.
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About the author
Gina Fontana
Gina Fontana is a certified health coach, recipe developer, food photographer, published author, and blogger. Her own personal health challenges led her to a gluten-free, vegan, plant-based lifestyle where she found significant improvement in her symptoms. Her passion and mission is to now share that with others who also need (or want) to pursue a healthier lifestyle.
