Sweetened with anise or vanilla extracts, our Pizzelles are a classic Italian cookie! All you need for this easy pizzelle recipe is a handful of ingredients and a pizzelle iron! Make this beautiful cookie recipe to bring along to your next gathering!
What are Pizzelles?
These cookies 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! Not too sweet like a lot of other cookies you’ll find this time of year, Pizzelles are one of my favorite Christmas cookies.
Welcome to Day 9 of our 12 Days of Cookies!
Take a look at the holiday cookies we’ve been sharing!
Day 1 – Copycat Crumbl Reese’s Peanut Butter Cookies
Day 2 – Linzer Cookies
Day 3 – Chocolate Dipped Orange Cookies
Day 4 – Turtle Tassies
Day 5 – Fruity Pebbles Cookies
Day 6 – Brownie Mix Cookies
Day 7 – Cornflake Wreaths
Day 8 – Double Chocolate Peppermint Cookies
Day 9 – You’re on it!
Day 10 – Bourbon Toffee Cookies
Day 11 – Peppermint Gooey Bars
Day 12 – Chocolate Cherry Thumbprints
SAVE THIS EASY PIZZELLE RECIPE TO YOUR FAVORITE PINTEREST BOARD!
Can I make Pizzelles without a special iron?
This is one of those times when there really is no substitution for a pizzelle maker 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!
How to 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.
What ingredients do I need for these Italian pizzelle cookies?
Gather the following things to make your cookie dough:
- 4 large eggs, room temperature
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- ¾ cup unsalted melted butter, completely cooled
- 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- pinch of kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon fresh orange zest (optional)
- ½ teaspoon anise seed (optional)
- powdered sugar for dusting (optional)
I use this OXO Dusting Wand to sprinkle them with confectioners’ sugar and absolutely love it! You can see it in pictures throughout my post.
How to make this classic Pizzelle Recipe
It’s easy to make these thin Italian waffle cookies! First, grease and heat up your pizzelle iron as described above. Melt butter and set aside to cool.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, orange zest, and anise seeds. Then, in a large bowl, beat the sugar and eggs until light in color, about 3 minutes. Add the unsalted butter and vanilla extract to the egg mixture, then mix well.
Add half of the dry ingredients to the wet and mix until just blended. Next, fold in the remaining flour mixture and combine until just mixed
Drop the batter by placing a heaping tablespoon of batter into the center of the pizzelle pattern and close. Bake 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.
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 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.
- 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!
- Excess batter on the cookie edges? No worries, gently trim around the cookie with some scissors as it cools.
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.
Other Italian Treats
We have several biscotti recipes here, which is another classic Italian recipe. Try one of these variations next time:
You could also try this Italian-inspired Tiramisu Poke Cake or our tangy Lemon Ricotta Pound Cake.
Make an Italian meal!
Why not carry the Italian theme to your entire dinner? We’ve got some perfect main course recipes for you to try:
Spinach and Cheese Manicotti is a mouthwatering favorite. The whole family will enjoy my Mom’s Favorite Lasagna with slices of her mom’s Italian Bread. This savory One-Pot Sausage Linguini might be your new go-to meal. Or, keep it light with this scrumptious Prosciutto Mozzarella Panini sandwich.
Don’t forget to come back for more delicious treats in our 12 days of Cookies!
Pizzelles
Equipment
Ingredients
- 4 large eggs room temperature
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- ¾ cup unsalted butter melted and completely cooled
- 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract can be substituted with 1 tablespoon of anise extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- pinch of kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon fresh orange zest optional
- ½ teaspoon anise seeds optional
- powdered sugar for dusting optional
Instructions
- Melt butter and set aside to cool completely. Preheat the pizzelle Iron and spray with cooking spray, if needed.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, orange zest, and anise seeds.
- In a large mixing bowl, beat the sugar and eggs until light in color, about 3 minutes. Add the butter, and vanilla, and mix well.
- Add half of the dry ingredients to the wet, and mix until just blended. Fold in the remaining flour mixture and combine until just mixed.
- Drop batter by heaping tablespoonfuls into the center of pizzelle pattern and close. Bake for about 1 – 1 ½ minutes or until golden. Times will vary depending on the pizzelle iron you are using.
- Carefully remove with a spatula and place on a wire rack to cool completely before dusting with powdered sugar.
Comments & Reviews
This looks so delicious. I wish I can taste it. It will make my day brighter.
Oh, Look so tasty.