Today we’re making super healthy oven baked Sicilian cannoli. They are gluten free, vegan, 100% sugar free, Low fat content and rich vegetable proteins. We show you how to make both the filling and the cannoli shells. Don’t worry if you don’t have cannoli molds; We’ll help you build them with foil. How much fun!
After our delicious vegan cannoli with chocolate and orange filling, we promised you a variant that would also be gluten-free. Here it is! The filling we’re making below is the classic Sicilian pistachio cream. But of course dairy-free and vegan. If you want to make gluten free cannoli with chocolate and orange filling, follow this recipe from step 2 to step 7 and then follow the other recipe to make the filling.
The hardest part about making gluten-free baked goods is keeping the dough stretchy. This property is important here as we need to wrap the dough around the cannoli shape. We can’t break it or crack it! We tested this recipe extensively and found the perfect ratios of plant-based ingredients to create a smooth and flavorful dough. So just relax and follow our list of ingredients. Success is guaranteed!
The biggest difference between this recipe and our other vegan cannoli is in the flour. Here we used gluten-free rice flour. Most store-bought GF flours are rice based, so you shouldn’t have any trouble finding them. But in case you don’t, we’re going to tell you how to make the same flour mixture we used here.
Now for our favorite part. Nutritional information! These gluten-free cannoli are really healthy. A cannolo has 16% RDI for proteins, 5% RDI for saturated fats, 3% RDI for carbohydratesAnd 139 calories. If you’re not gluten intolerant, be sure to check the nutrient profile of our other vegan cannoli recipe and use what better suits your dietary goals.
Don’t forget to read the tips and FAQ below to learn more about this recipe and the possible substitutions. Have fun!
frequently asked Questions
How do you roast cannoli shells?
We chose to oven bake the cannoli shells in this recipe to keep the fat content, and therefore calories, low.
However, if you want to cook them using the classic frying method, below we explain how to do it:
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Heat one liter (1.7 pints) of vegetable oil in a saucepan until it reaches 180°C (355°F).
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Add cannoli bowls at a time while holding them on a slotted spoon.
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Fry for less than 1 minute, turning constantly. That way the shell doesn’t sink to the bottom of the pan and burn.
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Then place the fried shell on a baking sheet lined with kitchen paper.
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Allow to cool before removing the mold.
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Repeat the above steps until you have fried all the mussels.
What can I use instead of erythritol?
We’ve swapped white sugar for erythritol to make this dessert recipe sugar-free and suitable for those on a low-sugar diet.
Erythritol is a zero-calorie sweetener that tastes almost as sweet as sugar. However, unlike sugar, it is not digested and absorbed, making it a safe and diabetes-friendly alternative to sugar.
If you don’t have erythritol or prefer to use sugar, you can also prepare the gluten-free cannoli with white or brown sugar. Because the conversion of sugar to erythritol is a 1 to 1.5 ratio, you need 135g (4.7 oz) of sugar instead of the 200g (7 oz) listed in the ingredients to make 12 cannoli.
In summary, if you want to make cannoli with sugar, follow our recipe as above and:
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In step 4, add 35 g (1.2 oz) of sugar to the cannoli shell batter.
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In step 4, also reduce the amount of almond milk from 35 ml (1.2 fl oz) to 25 ml (0.8 fl oz) in the shell batter to compensate for the reduced volume.
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In step 8, add 100g of sugar to the pistachio filling.
How do you make a gluten free flour mix from scratch?
Most grocery stores sell ready-made gluten-free flour mixes, but you can easily make them from scratch at home.
To make about 500g / 1.1lbs of gluten-free flour, combine:
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White Rice Flour, 280 g / 9.8 oz
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Starch (potato or corn), 110 g / 3.8 oz
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Tapioca Starch, 115 g / 4 oz
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xanthan gum, 1 tsp
Tapioca starch is made from the starch extracted from the cassava root and gives your baked goods a thick, chewy texture. You can substitute it with cornstarch, potato starch, cassava flour, or arrowroot starch.
Xanthan gum is made from fermented sugar. It has thickening properties and gives elasticity to gluten-free baked goods. You can substitute psyllium husk (2 parts to 1 part xanthan gum) or guar gum (3 parts to 2 parts xanthan gum).