The Very Best Pizzelle Recipe
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!
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Just 9 days until Christmas and I haven’t wrapped a thing but I’ve been baking all the 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! A Pizzelle cookie is 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.
What is a Pizzelle?
Pizzelle are a traditional Italian waffle cookie made from eggs, sugar, anise (or vanilla), butter or oil and flour. The word “pizzelle” means small, flat and round….which is actually, exactly, what the cookie is.
How do you make the perfect Pizzelles?
The secret to perfect Pizzelles is really in the 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 mixture. That will help the batter come together smoothly without any lumps
- Melt the butter and set aside.
- Using a hand mixer, beat the eggs and sugar until light in color and fluffy.
- Add the melted butter, salt and anise, if using.
- Whisk together the flour and baking powder. Fold into egg mixture.
- Heat pizzelle iron.
- Place 1 heaping tablespoon of batter into the center of the design and bake until golden brown, approximately 1 minute.
- Transfer to a cooking rack and repeat with remaining batter.
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 or canola oil in the recipe.
When the cookie Pizzelles are still warm you can roll them up and use them as pizzelle cannoli shells or fill them with chocolate chips….that’s our favorite!
INGREDIENTS YOU WILL NEED
To make your easy Pizzelle cookies you will need the following ingredients:
- eggs
- butter
- sugar
- anise flavor or vanilla extract (You can also use other flavoring like lemon, orange or our favorite….chocolate!)
- flour
- baking powder
- salt
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.
HOW TO MAKE 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.
HOW TO FREEZE
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 was the CucinaPro Polished Pizzelle Maker without the non-stick surface. I was so shocked because I was certain that my pizzelle dough would stick to it since it was shiny and new! 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!
If you’re looking for even more easy cookie recipes, you have to try THESE family favorites:
- Candy Cane Shortbread Cookies are a holiday classic!
- These Gooey Butter Cake Cookies are one for the record books.
- No Bake Peppermint Bark Cookies are like the best treat ever.
- Neiman Marcus Chocolate Chip Cookies…without going to the mall.
- Cream Cheese Cutout Cookie recipe for every single holiday all year long.
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!
Get the Recipe: The Very Best Pizzelle Recipe
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
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.
Notes
46 Comments on “The Very Best Pizzelle Recipe”
Oh I love pizzelles. My grandmother used to make them for the holidays when I was younger.
They’re so good. Total nostalgic treat!
This pizzelle recipe is a hit!!! The ingredients are simple and the results are perfection. Light and crispy, just delicious! Thank you!!
Thank you so much! I’m so happy you enjoyed it!
I’ve been looking forever for the best pizzelle recipe and I found it with this one. Delish. Crispy, sweet and flavorful. And so easy to make.
Thank you so much for your comment! They are pretty fabulous, if I do say so myself. 🙂
How can you make these chocolate — melted chocolate, cocoa?
You’ll want to add 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder to the batter to make them chocolate.
Can you substitute apple sauce for the fat in this recipe?
I haven’t tested it with apple sauce.
Sounds delicious! Any chance you have this recipe reduced to make less? Would love to try but don’t want to make this quantity. Thank You!
I used to have a little slider that you could toggle the serving size but now see it vanished! I would just halve the recipe. Give some to friends. 🙂
Can you email me a copy of your recipe. I’ve bee told my pizzelles…but yours look so much better. I’m looking for more recipes
The recipe card is at the bottom of the article.
I read the entire article but could not. Find the recipe just the ingredients were listed. Help would love to try.
Hi Judy! The recipe card is at the bottom right above where you made the comment. If you go to the top of the article, there’s a jump to recipe button that will take you right there. Enjoy!
Sorry I did find your recipe at beginning of article. Can’t wait to try them, but have to buy iron first. Where is the best place to purchase one that you recommended?
I found mine on Amazon but any kitchen supply store would have them.
Do you use salted or unsalted butter?
I use salted butter, always. 🙂
The recipe indicates if you choose to use anise, replace the vanilla with one teaspoon anise. Do you reduce the amount of vanilla used if you’re using anise, or do you ONLY use the anise?
Hi Eileen! I only use the anise but if you want a hint of vanilla then use 1/2 teaspoon anise and the amount of vanilla called for in the recipe. Thank you and I hope you enjoy them!!
excellent. I have been making pizzelles for 30 years . This one is my favorite.
easy, simple, Right Amount to make
Thank you so much! I’m so glad you enjoyed them!
hi there! I make pizzelles every year around the holidays, and they are a big hit. So much so, my husband’s clients keep asking him when I am making them! It is funny, We celebrate Hanukkah, and one of his clients thinks they are Jewish cookies….LOL. I made these with my mother as a young girl, and I still have her 50 year old pizzelle maker. I would use it every year, but got tired of have batter stick to it….I still keep it for sentimental reasons but am so glad I spurged on a new one! Mom use to keep the recipe in her maker, so you can imagine how grease filled it is, and hard to read, so I am glad to try out your recipe! Thanks so much!
They turned out perfect! and your yield amount was spot on!
Thanks again!
Thank you so much! Enjoy!!
I can’t wait to get my new Pizzelle maker to try this recipe. Have you ever tried using a gluten free flour such as almond or coconut flour?
I haven’t used almond or coconut flour but the gluten free AP flours do convert well in this recipe.
Thank you so much! I love that they think they’re Jewish cookies….but I do see them in a lot of Jewish delis in the area. 🙂 Happy Holidays to yoU!
I just made these. They are fantastic. My husband can’t stop eating them. They came out perfect and crisp. I used 1 tsp almond and the rest vanilla with the lemon zest.
Thank you so much! I’m so happy you enjoyed them@
Do I need to spray the iron with anything or does butter in recipe prevent sticking to iron?
I don’t spray the iron but if you find your batter is sticking, I usually just wipe it with a paper towel that has a bit of oil on it. Cooking spray on the iron gets a little weird and tends to burn.
Recipe made a great crisp cookie. Do we need to add the salt? I thought it was a bit salty.
You don’t have to use salt….if you use salted butter it can make it taste a bit saltier depending on the brand.
I do not find the ingredient amounts to make the pizellies. How much of each ingredient do you need? Please advise ..Thank you! Gerry…puzzlenut01@mail.com
Hi! They’re in the recipe card at the bottom of the article. The full recipe is there with ingredient amounts and instructions.
Can I substitute lemon juice for the lemon zest in the Pizzelle recipe and if I can how much lemon juice should I use in the Pizzelle recipe
Thank you
Lin
Hi! I would just skip the lemon, I haven’t tested it with just lemon juice.
Love the taste and texture came out wonderful
Thank you so much!
These pizelle are so light and crispy. I replaced my mother’s recipe with this one.
Thank you so much!
Delicious! Wonderful right after the were cooled a little but tremendously better the next day! I also used 2tsp. of vanilla and a scant 1/2 tsp of anise extract ( I’m not very fond of anise but wanted a hint of it.) Tomorrow I’m going to use orange zest. I just know they will be just as delicious as the lemon.
Thank you so much for trying the recipe! I’m not a fan of anise either but love it in pizzelle for some reason. It’s like a classic addition.