Classic Crispy Italian Pizzelle Cookies
Make these traditional Italian waffle cookies at home. This recipe yields light, delicate, and crispy pizzelle cookies, perfect for holidays or serving with coffee.
- Prep Time: 15 min
- Cook Time: 15 min
- Total Time: 30 min
- Yield: About 3 dozen 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Waffle Iron
- Cuisine: Italian
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 3 large eggs
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon anise extract (optional, for traditional flavor)
Instructions
- Combine flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. Whisk these dry ingredients together.
- In a separate large bowl, whisk the eggs and sugar until the mixture is pale and slightly thickened.
- Whisk in the melted butter, vanilla extract, and anise extract (if using) into the egg mixture.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing until just combined. Do not overmix the batter.
- Preheat your pizzelle maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions. This tool is essential for authentic pizzelles.
- Lightly grease the iron if your model requires it.
- Drop about one teaspoon of batter onto the center of the hot iron. Close the lid quickly.
- Bake for 30 to 60 seconds, or until the steam stops escaping and the cookie is golden brown. The time depends on your specific iron.
- Carefully remove the hot, soft pizzelle with a thin spatula.
- Place the cookie immediately onto a wire cooling rack. It will crisp up as it cools.
- If you want to shape the cookies (into cannoli shells or cones), do so while they are still warm and pliable.
- Repeat with the remaining batter. Serve these Italian waffle cookies plain or dust with powdered sugar.
Notes
- For a crisp texture, cool the cookies completely on a wire rack away from humidity.
- To make chocolate pizzelle, substitute 2 tablespoons of the flour with 2 tablespoons of unsweetened cocoa powder.
- For almond pizzelle variations, increase the almond extract to 1 teaspoon and omit the anise extract.
- These are excellent holiday cookie recipes; make them ahead and store them in an airtight container.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 85
- Sugar: 5
- Sodium: 35
- Fat: 4
- Saturated Fat: 2
- Unsaturated Fat: 2
- Trans Fat: 0
- Carbohydrates: 11
- Fiber: 0
- Protein: 2
- Cholesterol: 25