Light, crispy, sweet….the very best Pizzelle recipe is super easy to make. A staple during the holidays, this Italian cookie Pizzelle recipe is such a classic. A great idea for gift giving!

Overhead shot of pizzelles on a white platter with powdered sugar and a plaid napkin.


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Just 9 days until Christmas and I haven’t wrapped a thing but I’ve been baking all the Christmas cookies……all of them. It’s been awhile since I’ve made cookies to give away but this year I’m determined to have tins stack to the ceiling ready to deliver to all the people in my life.

I used to do the cookie giving thing every single year but since I started blogging full-time I didn’t have any spare time to actually make the cookies I know and love…..like these classic Pizzelles! Pizzelle cookies are my absolute favorite and has been for years, the lacy, crisp edges, the hint of vanilla and anise, the subtly soft interior, they are, in my opinion, the perfect holiday cookie recipe.

And this year, Landon got to help me out in the kitchen making a few batches of these easy Pizzelles and he’s getting quite good! It’s nice to finally have an extra hand in the kitchen….even though he moves at the pace of molasses being poured from a jar….or a snail. Which is slower….that would be use in the kitchen.

Ingredients for The Perfect Pizzelle

  • Eggs – Large eggs, room temperature are best.
  • Sugar – Granulated white sugar is my go-to but you can experiment with brown sugar for richer flavor.
  • Vanilla – My Pizzelle is vanilla flavored and I use pure vanilla extract. You can substitute with Anise oil, anise extract or anise seeds for classic Italian pizzelles.
  • Lemon – I love the hint of lemon zest in this recipe, you can omit if you prefer a classic flavor.
  • Butter – Unsalted butter adds richness. You can substitute with salted butter but reduce the amount of salt to 1/4 teaspoon.
  • Flour – All Purpose Flour is used in testing this recipe.

For the full ingredient list and instruction, see the recipe card below.

Powdered sugar wand sprinkling sugar over a platter of homemade pizzelles on a white platter.

What is a Pizzelle?

Pizzelle are a traditional Italian cookies made from eggs, sugar, anise (or vanilla), butter or oil and flour. The Italian word “pizzelle” means small, flat and round….which is actually, exactly, what the cookie is.

The waffle cookies are cooked in an iron with Pizzelle batter and are crispy with rough edges. Popular around Christmas time, they’re one of my favorite cookies.

Close up of Pizzelles on a gray background.

How To Make Pizzelle

The secret to perfect Pizzelles is really in the simple ingredients used and the technique in which they’re blended together. Be sure that the sugar and eggs are beaten until light in color and fluffy before adding the dry ingredients slowly to the egg mixture. That will help the batter come together smoothly without any lumps.

  1. Melt the butter and set aside.
  2. Using an electric mixer, beat the eggs and sugar in a large bowl on low speed until light in color and fluffy.
  3. Add the melted butter, salt and anise, if using.
  4. Whisk together the flour and baking powder. Fold the flour mixture into egg mixture.
  5. Heat pizzelle iron.
  6. Place 1 heaping tablespoon of batter into the center of the design with a cookie scoop and bake until golden brown, approximately 1 minute.
  7. Transfer to a cooling rack and repeat with remaining batter.
  8. Dust cooled pizzelles with a bit of confectionary sugar before serving.

If you prefer to skip the butter, you can make this pizzelle recipe with oil. Simply replace the butter with the same amount of vegetable oil or canola oil in the recipe. The butter does create a more crisp cookie than oil does.

When the cookie Pizzelles are still warm you can roll them up around a wooden dowel or wooden spoon and use them as pizzelle cannoli shells or fill them with chocolate chips….that’s a family favorite!

If you’re a chocolate fan like I am, give these Chocolate Pizzelles a try!

Homemade Pizzelles on a white platter with a plaid napkin underneath.

What does a Pizzelle taste like?

The most traditional flavoring for a classic Pizzelle recipe is anise extract or anise seed which taste a bit like black licorice. If you don’t like the anise flavor you can use just about any flavor you like by substituting the anise with vanilla extract, lemon zest, orange, chocolate or even cinnamon.

The very BEST Pizzelle recipe here does not taste like licorice because I use vanilla and a bit of lemon zest for a nice, clean balance of flavor that’s light and sweet.

Overhead shot of platter of pizzelles on a gray background with bottle brush trees and a plaid napkin.

How to Make Pizzelle Batter in Advance

This easy pizzelle dough is extremely versatile and comes together quickly in about 5 minutes. But if you need to plan ahead, you can make the dough in advance and store in an airtight container for up to three days in the refrigerator.

Allow the dough to come to room temperature before beginning the cooking process.

Pizzelles on a gray background.

How To Freeze Pizzelles

The simple answer…..yes, you can freeze your baked pizzelles wrapped in plastic wrap and stored in an airtight container for up to 3 months. BUT, once your pizzelles have been thawed from frozen they may be a bit more brittle than freshly made pizzelles.

What is the best Pizzelle maker to buy?

Oh my gosh, guys….this was a puzzler for me. I read so many reviews before I pulled the trigger and bought not one, not two….not three…..but four pizzelle irons to test out and I was so disappointed with all of them, except one.

All three thumbs down pizzelle irons caused my dough to stick even though they boasted a superior non-stick surface. And then they were tricky to clean. One of them even died during a batch of pizzelles and I had it plugged in for about 15 minutes.

So, the winner for me is this non-stick iron. NOT ONE Pizzelle stuck to that iron and they lifted right off without any stubbornness whatsoever. This was the best pizzelle maker of the whole batch!

These are seriously the best pizzelles outside of an Italian bakery and are so incredibly easy to make. The hardest part about the whole thing was waiting for the cookies to bake so we could eat them still warm from the pizzelle iron!

While I do love a stainless steel pizzelle iron, this non-stick iron ensures your cookies will pop right out without any issues. Still crisp and perfect every time.

Click to Buy
Platter of pizzelles on a white platter with a sugar wand on a plaid napkin.

Want even more easy classic recipes? I share all the behind the scenes and kid approved meals over on Instagram…be sure to follow us!

Overhead shot of pizzelles on a white platter with powdered sugar and a plaid napkin.

Get the Recipe: Pizzelle Recipe

Yield: 24
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes
Super easy to make Pizzelle cookies are an Italian classic that’s crispy and sweet!
4.95 from 18 votes
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Ingredients

  • 3 eggs
  • 3/4 cups sugar
  • 2 1/2 tsp vanilla extract, If using anise, replace the vanilla with 1 tsp anise extract or 1/2 tsp anise seed.
  • 1 tsp grated lemon zest
  • 1/2 cup melted butter, cooled to room temperature
  • 1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp salt

Equipment

  • 1 Pizzelle Iron

Instructions 

  • Preheat the pizzelle iron.
  • With a hand mixer, beat the eggs and sugar in a large bowl until light in color and fluffy, approximately 2-3 minutes.
  • Add the vanilla, lemon zest and butter. Beat until well blended.
  • In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt.
  • Fold the dry ingredients, a little bit at a time, into the egg mixture until just incorporated and the batter is smooth.
  • Place 1 heaping tablespoon of batter in the center of the design on the pizzelle iron. Close the iron to press the dough flat and bake until golden brown, approximately 1 minute. (Cooking times may vary depending on your appliance, please adjust accordingly.)
  • Using a spatula, remove the cookie from the iron and transfer to a rack to cool.

Video

YouTube video

Notes

Pizzelle dough can be made in advance and stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days in the refrigerator. Allow the dough to come to room temperature before  cooking.
Pizzelles can be frozen in an airtight container for up to 3 months.
Calories: 100kcal, Carbohydrates: 13g, Protein: 1g, Fat: 4g, Saturated Fat: 2g, Cholesterol: 30mg, Sodium: 90mg, Potassium: 59mg, Fiber: 0g, Sugar: 6g, Vitamin A: 150IU, Vitamin C: 0.1mg, Calcium: 24mg, Iron: 0.6mg
Author: Kellie
Course: Baking, cookies, Dessert
Cuisine: Italian