An easy Pizzelle recipe for the classic Italian cookie. Lightly sweetened and flavored with vanilla or anise, they are perfect for holiday gift-giving!
I learned about Pizzelle from one of my best childhood friends. Her family made Pizzelle the traditional way, with an iron that had engraved plates and a clamp to hold it together.
It reminded me of a campfire pie iron.
Put away your kindling, though. These days, buttery, crispy, and perfectly-sweetened Pizzelle are easier than ever to make.
What does the word Pizzelle mean?
Loosely translated, Pizzelle means “small, flat, and round” and that’s exactly what these cookies are. (Thanks to my assistant Jana who happens to be fluent in Italian).
How to make Pizzelle
If you love tossing all your ingredients together in a bowl, this recipe is for you. 6 ingredients, 1 bowl, and a partridge in a pair tree. No mixer of any kind required!
You do, however, need an iron. Modern pizzelle irons
are just like a waffle maker. A silvery, shiny, beautiful waffle maker that makes cookies.
One of the most common flavors of Pizzelle is anise (black licorice). However, some of my favorite flavors include vanilla, almond, lemon, and even chocolate!
You can also roll Pizzelle into tubes for cannoli (or whatever else you can dream up).
Pizzelle are ideal for a bake sale or cookie swap because they are more rare than the usual chocolate chip cookies or brownies, and they look so fantastic wrapped in a small plastic treat bag tied with a pretty bow.
Pizzelle Recipe
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup sugar
- 3/4 cup butter melted and cooled
- 1 tablespoon anise or vanilla extract
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 4 eggs
- Preheat pizzelle iron and lightly coat with nonstick cooking spray.
- In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, butter, anise or vanilla extract, baking powder, and eggs. Drop slightly rounded tablespoons of batter on to pizzelle iron and close.
- Bake as directed by manufacturer or until golden brown, 30 seconds to 1 minute. Using a nonstick spatula, remove each pizzelle to a cooling rack; repeat with remaining batter.
- Cool completely and dust with powdered sugar if desired.
Nutrition
To the lady asking about an engraved iron Palmer in West Newton sales a lovely engraved iron I have my monogram in mine they also offer an engraved iron for weddings. They do have a website. Google Palmer oitzelle irons. Mariann601@comcast.net
If I need to stop for awhile, should I put the dough in the refrigerator. Must you cook all of them at once? I am pressed for time. Thanks! Susan
Hello,
I mix my dough a day or up to four days before and refrigerate it. I was taught that way by my very experienced Mother-in-law, she was 93 when she passed. She used her mother’s recipe from way back!!!
When you refrigerate the dough it lets the flavor “settle” as I was taught. If you press the dough chilled it makes for a very crisp cookie. Enjoy!!
Hi Susan, I don’t know! I doubt it. I think the batter would be fine in the fridge because, although they have a leavening agent, it’s not like they are tall cookies. They don’t rise. So I can’t imagine it would make a difference. I’ll test it when I get the chance, but likely not in time for you. Thanks for the question! Sorry I couldn’t give you a better answer! -Meggan
Hi, I was wondering if you have to cool the pizzelles before you eat them.
Hi Tanya, yes, you can definitely eat them warm. They will be soft if you do, and if you wait until they cool they will get crunchier. That’s the only difference. Hope this helps!
I have a question regarding the directions for mixing the ingredients. Other recipes say to mix the sugar, eggs, vanilla/anise together then add the dry ingredients. Your recipe indicates mixing all the ingredients together at same time. Which way is better ?
In a lot of baking recipes, you begin with wet ingredients, then add in the dry ingredients. In this recipe, I found that it didn’t really make a difference. By doing this, it eliminates one bowl.
They are so good
Would you know where I can get an engraved pizzelle maker? I’ve been trying to find one as a gift for my mom but can’t seem to find them anywhere.
Hi Tania!
That sounds like such an amazing gift! My first thought was Things Remembered, a mall store. I found this on thingsremembered.com: “Did you know? Things Remembered can engrave gifts that you bring in, like that treasured heirloom from your great-grandmother or a piece of unique jewelry you picked up on your last European vacation. Carry yours into any of our stores throughout the U.S. to learn more.”
Hopefully this helps! Good Luck!
This is truly the best recipe !!! As this is the first time I’ve used my iron. They slide right off and right onto the plate. Very light and crispy. The only recipe I’ll ever use. Thank You So Much
Wow! Thanks so much Sandi! I’m glad you like the recipe! :D -Meggan
I’m having trouble finding a round metal tin for my pizzelles. I don’t buy coffee in a can but might have to just for the can. I saw some at a dollar store but can’t remember which one it was. The recipe is great though I’ll make half a recipe and use Splenda rather than sugar. Growing up my mom made these and tried different flavors each time. The coconut and the lime pizzelle were the best. I’m thinking of trying to make a strong liquid batch of raspberry-lemonade drinks mix and using it. With so many flavors of sugar free drink mixes available for a dollar, it’s worth it.
Love making these every year for Easter. I hand them out to neighbors. They look beautiful in a clear covered tower jar.
I accidentally purchased extra large eggs. Sadly, my pizzelles came out too cake :(((. Is there a way to “fix” the batter? My first batch were done with my large eggs.
Jean,
Just add more flour until the dough becomes firmer.
Hi Jean, wow, that sounds so wonderful! That’s so nice of you to hand them out to your neighbors, and I’m glad that you love the recipe. As far as your batter, I’m sorry, but I don’t have a solution for you. I haven’t tested it with the extra large eggs, so I wouldn’t know where to begin. I hope you are able to salvage the batter, but unfortunately you may just have to start over. :( Have a wonderful Easter and thank you for reading, and for being such a wonderful neighbor. :D -Meggan
Very easy to make the batter. Hardest part is getting the amount right. The really hard thing I had to deal with is keeping my fingers clean. I think I need suggestions on this. One noted- I used Duck eggs and the flavor was great. Will try chicken eggs next. Thanks Meggan.
Hi! I made these the other day and they were really good. The only problem I was having is when I closed my press quite a bit of the dough squished out of the iron. I tried less dough but then it didn’t make full cookie. Any suggestions? Maybe refrigerating the dough for an hour os so?
These were so simple to make and tasted great! This recipe is a keeper! Last year I tried to make some and it was a real mess! I made these in about an hour and put them in a clean coffee can as a gift – they were so beautiful and tasted so good and I was pleased I could give them as a gift to a friend who is is Pizzelle connoisseur!
Wow! Those options sound great.
I love making pizzelles. It goes so fast and is theraputic. I’ve done Anise, orange, rum, almond, rum, chocolate and coffee.
I been making pizelles for over 40 years . For those who say that get soggy cool them on a cookie rack before you stack them and if you put them in a zip lock storage bag when they are cooled they stay crisp. Do not put them with any other cookies you make because they will get soft. I found this out the hard way. The butter in the other cookies softened them . also instead of butter I use wesson vegetable oil. 3/4 of a cup. Good luck everyone.
Thank you for sharing this information. I’m excited to try this recipe.
My grandmother made these all the time and they are my son’s favorites. I wanted to make them gluten free so I used 1/2 each of casava, almond, tree nut and a wonderful GF blend, when using GF upping the fat or binder is helpful so I added one more egg. They are amazing! I even shaves some dark chocolate into the last few for a little variation!
Hard to imagine freezing pizelles. This are very thin and delicate Italian specialities. If they are kept in an airtight container they will stay fresh a long time.
You think so? Not disagreeing. I just feel like the ones I make could be frozen without issue as long as they aren’t knocked around. If they were in a square tupperware container, for example (in addition to being wrapped properly) I feel like it would work. But I should probably try this to know for sure!
Can you freeze them?
Hi Dara, yes. Grocery stores do it all the time! These are probably some of the best cookies for freezing. Just keep them wrapped well so they don’t pick up any freezer flavors (that’s more of a note-to-self than a suggestion for you… I’m sure your freezer is immaculate unlike mine ;) ) Thanks for the great question! If you try them, I hope you love them. -Meggan
I wonder if my krumkaka iron would work. Its the same principal.
Hi there
Why is it no matter how much lemon I put they do not taste lemony?
Don’t know what I am doing wrong.
Hi Carla, I tested this ALL DAY. I tried so many variations – zest, juice, extract, all three together. It is surprisingly difficult to get that lemon flavor to show up in the finished cookies!! I am genuinely shocked. The last combination I tried, which wasn’t lemony enough in my opinion, was 1/4 cup lemon juice, 4 tablespoons lemon zest, and 2 tablespoons lemon extract. I also added a pinch of salt. This did not get the job done. You can taste lemon, but I feel like it’s just not convincing. So, I’m going to order some lemon oil (as Yvette kindly suggested, and because I’m not sure what else to do) and will keep you posted. -Meggan
If I may ask, are you adding any fresh lemon zest? I might suggest that along with your lemon extract. Another suggestion might be to add a little lemon oil to your lemon extract, but be careful as it has a very strong flavor and may over power your cookie.
I need to test this and figure it out for you. I’ll put it on my list for next week. I’ll reply back once I’ve cracked the code!!! Thanks Carla.