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An easy Pizzelle recipe for the classic Italian cookie, lightly sweetened and flavored with vanilla or anise. All you need are 6 ingredients and 1 pizzelle maker!
I learned about Pizzelle from one of my best childhood friends. Her family made Pizzelle the traditional way, with an iron that had engraved plates and a clamp to hold it together.
Loosely translated, Pizzelle means “small, flat, and round” and that’s exactly what these cookies are.
Table of Contents
- Recipe ingredients
- Equipment and ingredient notes
- Do you need a pizzelle maker to make pizzelle?
- Step-by-step instructions
- Recipe tips and variations
- Recipe FAQs
- Pizzelle Recipe
Recipe ingredients
At a Glance: Here is a quick snapshot of what ingredients are in this recipe.
Please see the recipe card below for specific quantities.
Equipment and ingredient notes
- Pizzelle iron:Modern versions of pizzelle makers are just like waffle makers. They’re silvery, shiny, and beautiful, and they also make cookies! We rounded up thebest pizzelle makers you can buy, and our top pick is the one I personally own and love – theCuisinart Pizzelle Press.
- Anise: Anise is a common flavor, or you can use vanilla or almond extract. For lemon, use 1 teaspoon lemon oil instead of lemon extract (lemon extract doesn’t have enough flavor).
Do you need a pizzelle maker to make pizzelle?
I tested some of the most popular hacks on the Internet to see if you can in fact make pizzelle without a pizzelle iron—and none of them worked! I tried making them in a waffle maker, the oven, and on a stovetop. The waffle maker made pizzelle-flavored waffles, and the oven and stove top both led to pizzelle-flavored pancakes.
We rounded up thebest pizzelle makers you can buy, and our top pick is the one I personally own and love – theCuisinart Pizzelle Press. You can buy it at Walmart for $44.99. If you’re not looking to spend a ton of money, theDash Mini Pizzelle Makeris a great option, too. It’s so cute—and it’s only$9.99 at Target!
Step-by-step instructions
- Preheat pizzelle iron and lightly coat with nonstick cooking spray. In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, butter, anise or vanilla extract, baking powder, and eggs.
- Drop slightly rounded tablespoons of batter on to pizzelle iron and close.
- Bake as directed by manufacturer or until golden brown, 30 seconds to 1 minute. Using a nonstick spatula, remove each pizzelle to a cooling rack; repeat with remaining batter.
- Cool completely and dust with powdered sugar if desired.
Recipe tips and variations
- Yield:This recipe makes about 36 cookies, 12 servings of 3 cookies each.
- Storage: Store Pizzelle at room temperature for up to 2 weeks (for best results, layer the cookies between pieces of parchment paper or wax paper).
- Freezer: Pack cooled Pizzelle in a sturdy container between layers of parchment or wax paper (they may get broken if they are just in plastic bags). Label, date, and freeze for up to 2 months.
- Rolled: While the pizzelle are still warm from the iron, wrap them around a wooden dowel. You can even fill them with sweetened ricotta for a Mock Cannoli.
- Bake sale: Pizzelle are ideal for a bake sale or cookie swap because they are rarer than the usual chocolate chip cookies or brownies, and they look so fantastic wrapped in a small plastic treat bag tied with a pretty bow.
- Italian menu: Create your own Italian Feast with a traditional Antipasto Platter or Bruschetta, Spaghetti and Meatballs or Lasagna, Caesar Salad, Garlic Bread, or Panzanella Salad. Finish up the meal with Pizzelle, of course, or thick slabs of Tiramisu.
- Drinks with dessert: Looking for a cool Italian co*cktail? Try a bright Aperol Spritz, a sweet Bellini, or a classic Negroni or Americano. Or, sip on some Limoncello.
Recipe FAQs
Do you really need a pizzelle maker to make pizzelle?
I tested every internet hack I could find to see if you can make pizzelle without a pizzelle iron. None of them worked! I tried making them in a waffle maker, in the oven (between 2 baking sheets), and in a skillet (flattened with something heavy on top). The waffle maker made pizzelle flavored waffles, and the oven and stove-top both led to pizzelle flavored pancakes. If you’re going to make pizzelle, you need a pizzelle iron.
What does pizzelle mean in Italian?
Pizzelle comes from the word pizze which means round and flat, like a pizza. The elle part of the word means small (the diminutive). So pizzelle are small and flat.
What is the oldest cookie in the world?
The oldest known cookies in the world are Pizzelle, a small, flat cookie from Italy. Centuries ago, a small village called Colcullo was overrun by snakes. They were driven out by a Benedictine monk namedSan Domenico. The village celebrated with pizzelle and the Festival of the Snakes (or the Feast Day of San Domenico), still held every year on May 1st. Snake lovers, bring your own snake!
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Pizzelle
By Meggan Hill
An easy Pizzelle recipe for the classic Italian cookie, lightly sweetened and flavored with vanilla or anise. All you need are 6 ingredients and 1 pizzelle maker!
Prep Time 5 minutes mins
Cook Time 40 minutes mins
Total Time 45 minutes mins
Servings 12 servings (3 cookies each)
Course Dessert
Cuisine Italian
Calories 88
5 from 780 votes
Equipment
Pizzelle maker I love my Cuisinart Pizzelle Press, but, I'm also a big fan of CucinaPro pizzelle makers! You can get one that makes mini cookies or regular size on Amazon.
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 3/4 cup butter melted and cooled
- 4 eggs
- 1 tablespoon anise or vanilla extract (see note 2)
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
Instructions
Preheat pizzelle iron and lightly coat with nonstick cooking spray.
In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, butter, eggs, anise or vanilla extract, and baking powder. Drop slightly rounded tablespoons of batter on to pizzelle iron and close.
Bake as directed by manufacturer or until golden brown, 30 seconds to 1 minute. Using a nonstick spatula, remove each pizzelle to a cooling rack; repeat with remaining batter.
Cool completely and dust with powdered sugar if desired.
Recipe Video
Notes
- Pizzelle iron: Modern versions are just like a waffle maker: a silvery, shiny, beautiful waffle maker that makes cookies. I use and recommend the Cuisinart Pizzelle Press, which you can buy for $49.95 on Amazon.
- Anise: Anise is a common flavor, or you can use vanilla or almond extract. For lemon, use 1 teaspoon lemon oil instead of lemon extract (lemon extract doesn’t have enough flavor).
- Yield:This recipe makes about 36 cookies, 12 servings of 3 cookies each.
- Storage: Store Pizzelle at room temperature for up to 2 weeks (for best results, layer the cookies between pieces of parchment paper or wax paper).
- Freezer: Pack cooled Pizzelle in a sturdy container between layers of parchment or wax paper (they may get broken if they are just in plastic bags). Label, date, and freeze up to 2 months.
Nutrition
Serving: 3cookiesCalories: 88kcalCarbohydrates: 11gProtein: 1gFat: 4gSaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 28mgSodium: 64mgPotassium: 18mgFiber: 1gSugar: 6gVitamin A: 145IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 19mgIron: 1mg
Did you make this recipe?Tag @culinaryhill on Instagram so we can admire your masterpiece! #culinaryhill
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Meggan Hill is a classically-trained chef and professional writer. Her meticulously-tested recipes and detailed tutorials bring confidence and success to home cooks everywhere. Meggan has been featured on NPR, HuffPost, FoxNews, LA Times, and more.
Questions and Comments
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Comments
If I use lemon emulsion instead of lemon oil, do I still use 1 teaspoon of lemon emulsion?
Reply
Hi Rojelia, yes! I would use about the same. If you prefer a milder flavor you can start with 1/2 teaspoon, make and taste one pizelle and add more to your preference. Take care! – Meggan
Great recipe! I was always told you have to use margarine, not so! Delish with the butter
Reply
I’m so happy you enjoyed them, Nancy! – Meggan
Can I use coconut oil instead of butter?
Reply
Hi Vanessa, thanks for your question. I haven’t tried this myself, but I don’t see why not! A reader has shared they used coconut oil instead of non-stick spray for the pizzelle iron, but no one has shared if they’ve substituted it for butter. I would make sure it is melted and cooled, just like the butter, before adding to the batter. Please write back once you’ve tried it! – Meggan
Great recipe, though thicker than my aunt and grandma’s recipe. Came out really good – just made vanilla ones.
Reply
Thank you Melissia, I’m glad you enjoyed making them! For your next batch, you can thin the batter out with a little bit of milk or water, making test ones as you go, if you like. Take care! – Meggan
Excellent recipe! A few tips from my experience:
1. 260 grams of flour gave me a little sturdier cookie, which I liked.
2. 1 tsp lemon zest, 1 tsp almond extract, and 2 tsp vanilla is a nice alternative to just vanilla without being overwhelming.
3. If you’re using the mini pizzelle maker, use a #100 cookie scoop. It dispenses the perfect amount of dough.
4. Again, for the mini pizzelle maker, play with how you close the iron. I found I got the best shape allowing gravity and the weight of the lid to press for approximately 10 seconds, then slowly applying pressure until I could slip on the latch.Reply
Hi Breanna! Thank you so much for sharing your insight and tips! These are wonderful. – Meggan
Do you need to spray with oil before each cookie
Reply
Hi Loretta, I spray before I start making the cookies, and again when I see them starting to be difficult to release. Depending on your pizzelle iron, you may need to spray more or not at all, as one reader shared because their iron has nonstick plates. I hope this helps! Please write again if you have anymore questions! – Meggan
Easy recipe! I have the mini Pizzelle iron and this is my first time making them. I was concerned with how strong the anise would be so split the recipe in half and used vanilla in the second half. It took me awhile to get the right amount of batter and timing. Needless to say there are quite a few “ not so good” to munch on! They are also very thin so might have to get the other full size maker. All in all it went well and I’ll surely make again.
Reply
Hi Laurie, sounds like you handled the challenge of a new recipe and a new pizzelle iron well! I imagine the mini ones were adorable, but the full size are great. Your next batches will be even better! – Meggan
Did you use salted or unsalted butter? Thanks!
Reply
Hi Joy, I tend to keep salted butter on hand (and I prefer the taste) so that’s what I use here, but unsalted butter is fine too. I usually list if one is needed over the other in a recipe if it makes a difference. I hope you love these pizzelle! – Meggan
