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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
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 the best pizzelle makers you can buy, and our top pick is the one I personally own and love – the Cuisinart 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 the best pizzelle makers you can buy, and our top pick is the one I personally own and love – the Cuisinart Pizzelle Press. You can buy it at Walmart for $46.99. If you’re not looking to spend a ton of money, the Dash Mini Pizzelle Maker is 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 cocktail? Try a bright Aperol Spritz, a sweet Bellini, or a classic Negroni or Americano. Or, sip on some Limoncello.
Recipe FAQs
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.
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.
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 named San 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
Equipment
- Pizzelle iron 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.
It just would not be Christmas without pizzelle. I still have my grandmother’s original pizzelle iron… not with plates as you describe, but a singular iron with long handles. I can still remember her making pizzelles one at a time… it was definitely a labor of love! Great post! Wishing you all the best during this holiday season!
This recipe turned out really well! Thanks for sharing it 😀
Thanks Nicole, I’m so happy to hear that! Happy New Year. 🙂
Hello Megan. I’ve been making these for Year’s. A while back when I took them off the iron I put them in little cups like a basket when cooled they kept their shape. I have filled with moose fruit which is my favorite but I’m having a problem with the juice for the fruit. Do you have any suggestions? something maybe with whipping cream? Happy holidays Linda
Have you had any luck on the applesauce or banana? I have a granddaughter who is dairy free?
Hi Patricia, unfortunately I haven’t had a chance to test those! 🙁
Hi Megan,
Every time i make pizzalles they smell like eggs. How do I avoid that smell.
Jyothy
Hi Jyothy, have you tried using more vanilla or almond extract? Or you could try a stronger flavor such as lemon or anise. Good luck!
Meggan. This recipe is amazing. Thank u so much making my second batch because the first is almost gone
So great to hear!!! I love pizzelle; I’m obsessed. Happy cooking making!
Hello! I am brand new to the pizzelle world. I have a stainless steel pizzelle maker, and I am having trouble with sticking. Orginally I used vegetable oil (poured it on the maker), and the cookies came out great, but made a HUGE mess. I then tried butter spray, and I didn’t like the texture and it discolored the cookie, as well as it completely absorbed the powered sugar (even after it cooled). Do you have any suggestions of how to keep the cookies from sticking without making a big mess?
Also, keeping them for long term (A week or 2), I’ve heard to not freeze them…could I refrigerate? Or just put them in an airtight container in the cupboard?
Thank you! I’m very excited to try this recipe!
Hi Isabelle! I have always used just regular Pam nonstick spray, not anything flavored. When you say Stainless Steel, though, do you mean the cooking surface is stainless steel? Or just the outside like mine? I would say that if regular nonstick spray still gives you problems, I would put vegetable oil in a bowl and get a brush and just brush the surface with it. Hopefully that keeps the mess down but gives you the results you want. That’s probably what I’d do. Regarding keeping them long term, I have not heard about the no-freezing rule, but I haven’t frozen them either. You could try the refrigerator but not sure I’d do more than a week. They might be fine in the cupboard but I feel like the quality will suffer over time. I will look into the freezing thing and comment again if I find any info!! Good luck and thanks for your question. 🙂
I have found that storing in an air tight container the cookies go soft. To keep them crisp my mom used a cardboard box, they have nice ones at Joanns, they have a clear window so the cookies show through.
We’ve been making pizzerias for ever. My mom taught me to store in a tin can—we use an old plaid thermos can—it’s pretty large and holds many dozen. We usually make 12 dozen at a time. Can also use popcorn tins. The pizzelles literally last a year,,, don’t soften and still taste wonderful —found this out accidentally one year
I love pizzelles I add anise.
Yes, Betty! Anise is so classic, I should post that version. Thanks for reading.
Been eating and making pizzelles for many years. My iron was a gift from my grandmother on my first wedding anniversary. My 30th anniversary is on April 5, and it is still going strong, knock on wood. We use it at least twice a year (Christmas and Easter) and crank out many dozen when we do. After moving to four states over those 29 years, it’s one of my favorite reminder of home…… 🙂
What a lovely story, Diane! So you probably have a traditional pizzelle iron, then. It’s the kind of thing where once you get going, it’s really easy to just make tons of them, isn’t it? And they are just so good. Thanks so much for sharing your story. 🙂 I hope mine is still working when I get to my 30th anniversary (will be 7 years married this year so I still have a long way to go)!
Just a caution…depending on where you get your pizza dough, it may contain egg. It shouldn’t, but I bought frozen once (I was traveling, so didn’t want it to go bad on the 10 hour drive.) and I noticed the ingredients included eggs. If you purchase from a real pizzaria, it shouldn’t…but ask!
Dang, I wish you’d gotten my name for the swap–I would have loved to try your pizelles! So pretty and delicate and they just scream “Christmas” to me. 🙂