Pizzelles
Sweetened with anise or vanilla extracts, our Pizzelles are a classic Italian cookie!
I’m so excited to introduce you to one of my favorite holiday cookies, Pizzelles! These tasty treats are traditional Italian waffle cookies made on specialty irons called pizzelle irons. Loosely translated, the name of this cookie means “thin, round, and flat”, which is exactly what these are! They’re not too sweet like a lot of other cookies you’ll find this time of year. I know you’ll love them as much as I do!
SAVE THIS PIZELLE RECIPE TO YOUR FAVORITE PINTEREST BOARD!
Pizelles
These classic Pizzelles are a great choice for a cookie swap, as they are so beautiful and reminiscent of the holiday season with their intricate pattern and powdered sugar dusting!
You will need a pizzelle maker, though. This is one of those times when there really is no substitution if you want to make perfect pizzelles. Waffle irons and griddles just don’t produce the same result. The great news is, there is an iron for every budget and they will all get the job done!
Pizzelle Ingredients
Dry Ingredients—I use all-purpose flour, salt, and baking powder as a leavening agent in this recipe, with granulated white sugar for a little sweetness.
Wet Ingredients—Unsalted butter and eggs give structure to the cookies, and I use pure vanilla extract for flavor.
Extras—Fresh orange zest and anise seed are optional, but provide a fresh, holiday flavor to these cookies. I also use powdered sugar for dusting, using this OXO Dusting Wand to sprinkle the sugar over the pizzelles.
You can find a detailed ingredient list in the recipe below.
Equipment Notes
Gather the following equipment to make your pizzelles:
Mixing bowl
Measuring cups and spoons
Whisk
Spatula or wooden spoon
Pizzelle iron with a little vegetable oil
How to make this classic Pizzelle Recipe
It’s easy to make these thin Italian waffle cookies!
Prepare to Bake: First, I grease and heat up the pizzelle iron as described above. I melt the butter and set it aside to cool.
Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, I whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, orange zest, and anise seeds.
Wet Ingredients: Then, in a large bowl, I beat the sugar and eggs until light in color, about 3 minutes. Then I add the unsalted butter and vanilla extract to the egg mixture and mix well.
Make the Batter: I add half of the dry ingredients to the wet and mix until just blended. Next, I fold in the remaining flour mixture and combine until just mixed
Bake Pizzelles: I drop the batter by placing a heaping tablespoon of batter into the center of the pizzelle pattern and close. I’ll bake each pizzelle for about 1 – 1 ½ minutes or until golden (the times will vary depending on the pizzelle iron you are using). Your pizzelles should be lightly golden brown.
Cooling: Finally, I carefully remove each pizzelle with a spatula and place it on a wire rack to cool completely before dusting it with powdered sugar.
Recipe Notes:
This recipe makes 2 dozen pizzelle cookies.
You can substitute anise extract for vanilla extract if you want. Anise is the traditional flavor of pizzelles and tastes somewhat like black licorice. It pairs really well with the orange zest. Other choices are almond extract, lemon extract (or lemon zest), or orange extract.
Excess batter on the cookie edges? No worries! Just gently trim around the cookie with some scissors as it cools.
More Pizzelle Recipes
Italian Cookie Recipes
We have several biscotti recipes here, which is another classic Italian recipe. Try one of these variations next time:
Cranberry Orange Pistachio Biscotti
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I use a Pizzelle maker?
Pizzelle irons are easy to use and this is the one I have! Whether you are new to baking these cookies or have made them for years, it can take a little practice to get cookies to be shaped consistently. Make sure to read and follow the manufacturer’s directions for use.
Before you plug in the iron, grease the cooking plates. Do this by dabbing a little vegetable oil on a paper towel, then rubbing it on each iron plate until the entire pattern is lightly coated.
First, plug in the iron, and a light will come on. As it heats up, prepare your cookie dough. When the iron is ready to use, the light will turn off.
Add a rounded 1 tbsp of dough to each pizzelle pattern, then close and latch the iron. Generally, the indicator light will turn on when baking and then turn off again (or change color) to indicate the cookie is done baking. Remove from the oven and move to a cooling rack.
How do I make my pizzelles more crispy?
The Pizzelles will harden as they cool on a wire rack, but If your pizzelles aren’t thin and crispy when baked, you are probably either using too much pizzelle batter, or your pizzelle dough itself may be too thick. Try thinning it out with a bit of water or milk. Then put just enough dough to cover the pattern. Remove the cooked pizzelles when they stop sizzling, then place them on a wire rack to cool so the air movement can help them stay crisp.
Also, if your cookies don’t come out of the iron perfectly and there is extra batter around the edges, no worries! As they cool, you can trim them with scissors, or trim the excess by gently breaking it off, and they’ll be beautiful
Can I make Pizzelles ahead of time and freeze them?
If you want to make a big batch of Pizzelles for a cookie swap or other gathering, bake and completely cool the pizzelles as directed. Wrap each one in plastic wrap and store them in a freezer bag or other airtight container. They will keep for months and can be thawed by letting them sit out at room temperature.
How do I store leftover cookies?
Make sure you have completely cooled pizzelles before storing them. They should stay crisp for weeks! Simply stack them and store them in a zip-top bag or another container at room temperature.
Did you make this recipe? Let me know how it turned out for you in the comments!
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Pizzelles
Equipment
Ingredients
Instructions
Notes
Nutrition
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