Classic Pizzelle Recipe For Italian Waffle Cookies - Unsophisticook (2024)

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This easy classic pizzelle recipe produces light and crispy vanilla Italian waffle cookies using a pizzelle iron! Includes tips for how to make pizzelles + variations for making traditional anise, almond, lemon, and chocolate pizzelle cookies.

Classic Pizzelle Recipe For Italian Waffle Cookies - Unsophisticook (1)

Pizzelle Recipe For Italian Waffle Cookies

So here’s the thing — pizzelle cookies were never really on my radar until I got married. Oh, I’m sure I’d eaten them before, but I’d never made them.

As a newlywed, my husband begged me for weeks to make pizzelles for Christmas. I kind of smiled and nodded and said I’d look into making them — you know, brushed him off, basically… I mean, I had no idea how to make them!

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Then one day he mentioned that his grandmother made them every single year for Christmas. How an Italian waffle cookie became a Polish family tradition is beyond me… But at that point, I knew I couldn’t keep putting him off.

So I scoured the Internet for a pizzelle recipe — because, of course, he didn’t have his grandmother’s recipe. Using several different sites, I created one that sounded like what he’d described.

Only problem? We didn’t own a pizzelle iron.

Classic Pizzelle Recipe For Italian Waffle Cookies - Unsophisticook (2)

Electric Pizzelle Iron

Traditionally, pizzelles were baked with a cast iron pizzelle iron over an open fire, a hot and tedious undertaking.

Thank goodness for modern conveniences! We can now purchase electric pizzelle irons that make baking pizzelles simple and easy.

After a little research, I settled on this nonstick pizzelle maker. The price was slightly more than I was hoping to spend, but I’ve definitely gotten my money’s worth from it over the years… We only pull it out a couple times a year, but it’s still as shiny and pretty as ever!

Classic Pizzelle Recipe For Italian Waffle Cookies - Unsophisticook (3)

Vanilla Pizzelle Recipe

The most common flavor used in pizzelle recipes is anise, which is a spice that tastes a bit like black licorice. If you’re not a fan of the flavor of anise (I am decidedly NOT), don’t worry… Pizzelles are wonderfully flexible when it comes to both flavoring and shaping them.

Vanilla, chocolate, almond, citrus — these are all fabulous flavors to add to the pizzelle cookie batter. And warm pizzelles can be shaped into cones or cannoli shells, formed into bowls or tacos, and much more.

I really need to start using my pizzelle iron more throughout the year!

I opted to keep these pizzelle cookies very simple, just flavoring them with pure vanilla extract. Sometimes, I’ll change it up and use a vanilla bean paste — the flecks of vanilla bean are SO pretty.

This recipe is also easily adapted into a chocolate pizzelle recipe, and my kids are always thrilled when I make chocolate pizzelles.

Whatever flavor you fancy, when you’re making a recipe as simple as this, high-quality ingredients make ALL the difference. So choose the best you can afford!

Classic Pizzelle Recipe For Italian Waffle Cookies - Unsophisticook (4)

Pizzelle Making Tips For Perfect Cookies

Just like when you make pancakes or waffles, it’s not unusual for your first couple of pizzelles to turn out a little wonky. They will still TASTE good, they just may not be as pretty as you’d like.

Here are a few tips for making pizzelles that will help you turn out the most perfect pizzelle cookies!

1| Even if you’re using a nonstick pizzelle maker, you may still need to mist it lightly with oil before the first use.

2| Place your batter slightly behind the center of the mold because it will spread forward as you close the lid. I highly recommend this medium cookie scoop for measuring perfect portions and releasing the batter easily.

3| Speaking of closing the lid, do it slowly to allow steam to escape easily and not burn the heck out of your fingers. Don’t ask…

4| Have a couple of wire cooling racks easily accessible next to the pizzelle maker to keep things moving.

5| It’s virtually impossible to achieve perfect edges on pizzelle straight from the iron. Any excess pieces can be trimmed with kitchen scissors while the pizzelle are still warm. Or you can carefully break off the ragged edges once the pizzelles have cooled.

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Best Pizzelle Recipe Workflow

I’ve found that the best workflow for me is to use a wooden spatula to remove the cooked pizzelles from the pizzelle maker to the cooling rack.

Then I start another batch of pizzelles cooking in the iron. When the new batch is almost done cooking, I move the cooled pizzelles to a stack to make room for the next round of fresh and hot cookies.

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How To Make Pizzelles Crispy

Don’t expect your pizzelles to be crispy when you remove them from the pizzelle iron. They will actually be super flexible, and this is totally normal. If you want to mold your pizzelles into a different shape, it’s ideal to do it now while they’re still warm and pliable.

Pizzelle cookies will crisp up as they cool. And the real secret to perfect pizzelles is that you should allow them to cool completely before stacking them. If you stack them too soon, they will basically steam each other.

Spreading them out on wire racks allows the air to circulate around them, making for the crispiest cookies. I actually prefer my pizzelle after they sit for about a day, but they don’t often last that long!

If you live in a humid area or your pizzelles are still not as crispy as you’d like, you can crisp them up in your oven. Place the pizzelles on a cookie sheet and bake them at 350 degrees for about 2 minutes.

How To Store Pizzelles

The best way to keep pizzelles crisp is to store them in an airtight container. They will keep at room temperature for up to two weeks. If they do happen to soften up, you can restore them by baking them in the oven as outlined above.

You can also store pizzelle in a ziploc bag in the freezer. Thaw them on a wire cooling rack, and they should be as crisp as when they’re freshly made!

Classic Pizzelle Recipe For Italian Waffle Cookies - Unsophisticook (6)
Over the years, making this classic pizzelle cookie recipe has become a Christmas Eve tradition. When they were younger, my kids would help by pulling the cooked pizzelles off the pizzelle iron, while I started another batch cooking. Then they’d stack the cooled pizzelles up to make room for the next batch.

Now that my girls are older, they make the pizzelle batter earlier in the day and pop it in the fridge for later. Then we can just pull the pizzelle dough out and let it warm up for a few minutes before we cook the pizzelles later in the evening.

I’m hoping they continue this tradition with their own kids someday!

Classic Pizzelle Recipe For Italian Waffle Cookies - Unsophisticook (7)

Classic Pizzelle Recipe for Italian Waffle Cookies

Yield: 24 pizzelle cookies

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 25 minutes

This easy classic pizzelle recipe produces light and crispy vanilla Italian waffle cookies using a pizzelle iron! Includes tips for how to make pizzelles + variations for making traditional anise, almond, lemon, and chocolate pizzelle cookies.

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. Beat eggs and sugar in a mixing bowl for approximately 2 to 3 minutes, until they're fluffy and a light yellow color.
  2. While still beating, slowly drizzle in the melted and cooled butter. Then add the vanilla extract.
  3. In a separate bowl, whisk the baking powder into the flour. Using a spatula, fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until just incorporated.
  4. Bake one medium cookie scoop of batter (about 1 1/2 tablespoons) per mold in a pizzelle maker until golden brown, about 30 seconds. Remove with a wooden spatula to a cooling rack and cool completely.
  5. Dust cooled pizzelles with powdered sugar, as desired.

Notes

VARIATIONS:

  • chocolate pizzelle recipe -- omit the vanilla, and add 3 tablespoons cocoa powder + an additional 1/4 cup granulated sugar.
  • almond pizzelle recipe-- substitute 1 tablespoon pure almond extract for the vanilla extract in recipe above.
  • lemon pizzelle recipe -- reduce the pure vanilla extract to 1 teaspoon, and add 2 teaspoons of finely grated lemon zest.
  • traditional anise pizzelle recipe-- add 1/2 teaspoon anise seed to recipe above.

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Nutrition Information:

Yield: 24Serving Size: 1 pizzelle
Amount Per Serving:Calories: 95.8Total Fat: 4.4gSaturated Fat: 2.6gCholesterol: 37.2mgSodium: 49.3mgCarbohydrates: 12.8gFiber: 0.3gSugar: 6.2gProtein: 1.7g

Have you tried this recipe?

Leave a comment below and share a photo on Instagram. Tag it @unsophisticook and hashtag it #unsophisticook!

Classic Pizzelle Recipe For Italian Waffle Cookies - Unsophisticook (14)

Variations On Classic Pizzelle Cookies

Want to try a new take on this pizzelle cookie recipe? In addition to the chocolate pizzelle pictured above, you can easily modify this vanilla pizzelle recipe to make the flavor variations below:

almond pizzelle recipe

— substitute 1 tablespoon of pure almond extract for the vanilla extract in the recipe above.

lemon pizzelle recipe

— reduce the pure vanilla extract to 1 teaspoon, and add 2 teaspoons of finely grated lemon zest.

traditional anise pizzelle recipe

— add 1/2 teaspoon anise seed to recipe above.

I’d love to see how your pizzelle cookies turn out… Tag me @Unsophisticook on Instagram or use the hashtag #Unsophisticook so I can check it out. Enjoy!

Classic Pizzelle Recipe For Italian Waffle Cookies - Unsophisticook (2024)

FAQs

Why are my pizzelles chewy? ›

There are a few reasons why your pizzelle might not be crispy: Humidity – If you live in a very humid climate it can affect the crispiness of your cookies. Cooling – You must cool your cookies completely before storing. They need to cool completely on a cooling rack before being stored.

Why aren t my pizzelles 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.

Can you use a waffle maker for pizzelles? ›

Put 2 tablespoons of batter in the iron (depending on how big your waffle iron is), close the lid and cook until golden. Turn the iron it over halfway through to ensure even cooking. Repeat with the remaining batter, then dust with icing sugar and serve immediately.

What is the difference between a pizzelle and a waffle cone? ›

Waffles are cooked in a waffle iron, which imprints a distinct grid pattern onto each waffle, whereas, pizzelle are cooked in a specialized iron, which imprints a distinctive pattern onto each cookie. This pattern is usually floral or geometric in nature.

How do I make my cookies chewy instead of crunchy? ›

How To Make Cookies Chewy Without Cornstarch
  1. Go heavy on brown sugar. It has more moisture than its granulated counterpart, which means the cookie comes out less crispy. ...
  2. Choose margarine or shortening instead of butter. ...
  3. Use baking powder instead of baking soda. ...
  4. Rest your dough. ...
  5. Shorten baking time.
May 14, 2023

Why are my cookies chewy and not crispy? ›

The ingredients you use and how you shape your cookies both play an important role in whether your cookies turn out crispy or chewy. The type of flour and sugar you use, if your cookie dough contains eggs, and whether you use melted or softened butter all factor into the crispy-chewy equation, too.

How can I crisp up my pizzelles? ›

If you have access to an oven, preheat it to 300 degrees. Stack the cookies on a sheet pan and place in the oven, then turn the oven off. Let cookies remain in warm oven for an hour or longer to dry out. This should help return some of the crispiness to the pizzelles.

Is butter or margarine better for pizzelles? ›

As far as the fat used in pizzelle, some recipes will call for oil, others margarine, lard or Crisco. But having tried other fats, I always return to unsalted butter. They crisp up nicely, don't have an oily aftertaste, and cook to perfection in their special pizzelle press.

What does pizzelle mean in Italian? ›

A Crispy History

Pizzelles, the oldest known waffle cookies, originated in Italy. The name pizzelle is based on the Italian word 'pizze' meaning round and flat, with the ending 'elle' referring to its small size.

Should I spray my pizzelle maker? ›

Oil - it could very well be that modern pizzelle makers are so "nonstick" that you do not need to use any cooking spray. Am noting here that when you research recipes, you may encounter a debate about whether or not to use oil or butter. For years our family uses a light spray of cooking oil as needed - it's just fine.

What is the difference between a waffle maker and a pizzelle maker? ›

Unlike waffles, the stamp in pizzelle is more decorative than functional. And, unlike waffle cone makers, pizzelle irons are outfitted with thicker plates, meaning the appliance is versatile enough to make a variety of different treats.

Why are my pizzelles sticking to the pizzelle maker? ›

A: Did you coat the pizzele maker with oil before starting to make a batch? That's the first thing you must do each time. Put a little oil on it, wipe up the excess and heat it up!

Why is my pizzelle batter so thick? ›

Some recipes use baking powder in their batter – this gives a slightly softer, thicker pizzelle.

How do you fix soft pizzelles? ›

They will be REALLY soft and flexible when they come off the iron. This is normal and they firm up as they cool. But to get them really crisp, you need to let them hang out and dry out in a warm oven. Your pizzelle usually come off the iron with extra bits attached that overflowed each pizzelle shape.

What can cause a cookie to be too chewy or not chewing enough? ›

Brown sugar—particularly dark brown sugar—makes a cookie chewy; white sugar makes it crispy. If your recipe calls for all white sugar and you want a fudgier result, try swapping out some of the white sugar for brown (go for half and half and adjust from there).

Why are my cookies tough and chewy? ›

Adding too little butter can cause the cookies to be tough and crumbly. You should use unsalted butter to control the salt content, but if you only have salted on hand, reduce the amount of added salt accordingly. Sugar sweetens the cookies and makes them an enticing golden brown.

How do you fix soggy pizzelles? ›

If you have access to an oven, preheat it to 300 degrees. Stack the cookies on a sheet pan and place in the oven, then turn the oven off. Let cookies remain in warm oven for an hour or longer to dry out. This should help return some of the crispiness to the pizzelles.

References

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