You’ve probably had NJ’s most iconic dessert without knowing it

Who can possibly resist a sweet treat after dinner… or… maybe before as well?

New Jerseyans with a sweet tooth have likely had the most popular dessert in the state without realizing what they’re eating is iconic.

Reader’s Digest gained insight from readers of Taste of Home Community Cooks to find the best desserts from every state.

Best desserts from each state

Our neighbors in New York prefer their cheesecake, whereas Pennsylvanians like something called a “Shoofly pie,” which is a molasses crumb cake.

As for the Garden State?

New Jersey’s most iconic dessert is the cannoli

A cannoli consists of a thin, crispy shell filled with a sweet ricotta filling with some melted chocolate or chocolate chips to garnish.

How could New Jersey not be proud of our cannolis, considering how many delicious Italian markets we have?

Reader’s Digest notes:

Even with all their hits—biscotti, pignolate, sfogliatelle—it’s hard to top cannoli.

The fried tubular shells stuffed with creamy ricotta cheese can be studded with chocolate, ground pistachios and more.

SEE ALSO: NJ pizza joint named one of the best in the nation

This is one of the best state desserts around, so good that people die for it — at least in ‘The Godfather.’ After they shoot a disloyal compatriot, one movie mobster says to another, ‘Leave the gun, take the cannoli.’

”Leave the gun, take the cannoli.”

The cannoli is so New Jersey that this exact scene was actually filmed in the Garden State. It was shot at what is now Liberty State Park in Jersey City

Enjoy your cannolis, New Jersey. Just hope that you don’t meet the same fate as Paulie Gatto.

The post above reflects the thoughts and observations of New Jersey 101.5's Kylie Moore. Any opinions expressed are Kylie's own. You can follow Kylie on Instagram.

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