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Learn How to Make the Best Italian Wafer Cookies
Pizzelle’s come from Italy. They are also known as Italian wafer cookies and there are various ways which to spell pizzelle such as “piazelle,” “piazella,” “pizzele” and “pizelle.” The name comes from the Italian word “pizze” for round and flat. Pizzelles are eaten flat or folded into cone shapes that are filled with ice cream and other sweets.
Many different cultures have adapted this cookie and re-named it accordingly. In Scandinavia they are also known as “Lukken” and the Krumcake is baked using a similar iron as the pizzelle In some parts of Italy, the irons would be made with family crests on them which would be passed down to each generation.
Learn more about the interesting History of Pizzelles.
More favorite Cookie Recipes and Secrets To Making Perfect Cookies. Also learn How To Have A Successful Holiday Cookie Exchange or Cookie Swap.
Equipment Needed:
Pizzelle Baker Press
Italian Pizzelles Recipe:
Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
1 min
Total Time
11 mins
Course:Dessert
Cuisine:Italian
Keyword:Italian Pizzelles Recipe, Italian Wafer Cookies Recipe
Servings: 30 Pizzelles
Author: What's Cooking America
Ingredients
- 1 1/2cups all-purposeflour
- 1teaspoonbaking powder
- 3eggs,beaten
- 3/4cup granulatedsugar
- 3/4cupbutter,melted
- 2teaspoonspure vanilla extract
- 1teaspoonanise seeds
- Powdered sugar(confectioners' sugar)
Instructions
In a bowl, sift together the flour and baking powder.
In the bowl of your electric mixer, beat together the eggs and sugar, Add the melted butter, vanilla extract, and anise seeds. Add the flour mixture and beat until smooth.
Preheat your pizzelle baker according to the manufacturer's directions. The red indicator light will begin to glow, indicating that the baker has begun preheating. It will take approximately 5 to 8 minutes to reach baking temperature. At this point, you will see the red light going on and off. This only means that the baker is maintaining the proper baking temperature, it does not tell you when to start or stop baking.
Lightly spray the pizzelle grids with non-stick spray or lightly brush with vegetable oil.
Drop batter by rounded tablespoonful onto center or each preheated grid pattern. You will find that by placing the batter slightly behind the center of the pattern, your pizzelles will come out closer to a round shape (this is because, as you close the baker, the batter squeezes forward slightly).
The amount of batter used can vary according to the size of your Pizzelle Maker. Usually my first batch of pizzelles are my test batch to determine the amount of dough to be used and also the baking time.
Close lid and bake approximately 40 to 50 second depending on your preference for browning and/or the consistency of your batter. You may open the lid briefly to examine the color and bake longer as desired to create the darkness you want.
Lift the lid and remove the cooked pizzelles with the edge of a fork or a thin spatula. Place them on paper towel lined cooling racks in single layers. Be sure to lay the hot pizzelles in a single layer on the cookie sheet. When they are completely cool, you can stack them.
Recipe Notes
NOTE: If you wish to shape your pizzelles, do so by removing one from the grid and immediately shaping it while still warm. The other pizzelles will remain warm and pliable until you are ready to remove them for shaping.
Cool baked pizzelles completely and sprinkle each with powdered sugar. Continue making pizzelles until all the dough is used.
When completely cool, wrap them in groups of six (6) in plastic wrap and place them in airtight containers. Pizzelles can be made ahead and frozen for up to 3 months.
Pizzelle Variation Ideas:
Lemon Pizzelles – Omit vanilla extract and anise seed. Add 2 teaspoons lemon extract and 1 tablespoon grated lemon zest.
Chocolate Pizzelles – Mix 3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder and 3 tablespoons sugar. Add to basic recipe.
Nut Pizzelles – Add 1 1/2 cups very finely chopped or ground nuts to basic recipe.
Maple Pizzelles – Omit vanilla extract and anise seed. Add 3 teaspoon pure maple syrup.
Rolled Pizzelles – When just removed from the pizzelle maker and they are still hot, they can be rolled around cannoli forms or pressed between two small custard cups to form shapes that can be filled with cream, custard, or fruit.
Liqueur Pizzelles – Omit vanilla extract and anise seed. Add 2 teaspoons of your favorite liqueur.
Additional Family Favorite Christmas Cookies:
Merry Christmas Cookies
Christmas would hardly seem like Christmas without fancifully shaped and decorated cookies. You and your children will love these cookies. The honey in this recipe makes these cookies melt in your mouth.
Russian Teacakes –Mexican Wedding CakesThis favorite holiday cookie is known by many different names around the world, such as Mexican Wedding Cakes, Russian Teacakes, Swedish Tea Cakes, Italian Butter Nut, Southern Pecan Butterball, Snowdrop, Viennese Sugar Ball, Sand Tarts, and Snowballs.
Spritz Cookies
Crisp, fragile, and buttery tasting. Great for Christmas goodies. What Christmas holiday cookie plate would be complete without Spritz Cookies? My mother made these every Christmas season since I was little, and I make them now.
German Lebkuchen Squares
A wonderful German Christmas tradition that is consumed and enjoyed around the world. It is thought that the Lebkuchen was probably the first cookie traditionally associated with Christmas and oldest form of cookie known to humankind.
Nanaimo Bar – Original Nanaimo Bar Recipe
There have been many versions of Nanaimo Bars made over the years, but the Original Nanaimo Bar recipe still stands as a favorite. These bars are very rich!
Related Recipes
Categories:
Christmas Cookies Drop Cookies Italian Recipes Tea Cookies
Comments and Reviews
19 Responses to “Italian Pizzelles Recipe – Wafer Cookies”
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Nicole
Hi! You have a lovely website 🙂
Could you please tell me what pizzelle maker you used?Reply
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Linda Stradley
Mine is an older pizzelle make that was my husband’s mothers.
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Shirley
One must remember, that all Italian Pizzells are not alike. Everyone has a favorite one in mind. When I think of Pizzells , I think of my Moms ( may she rest in peace with her recipe ) she took it with her. And my Aunt Mary’s. She still survives. She is still baking. Italian favorites. She just turned 97, lives in her beautiful home and makes her family’s favorite foods. I love her Pizzels also. I know she uses oil instead of melted butter, as most recipes call for today. They are rolled in a ball before baking in her Pizelle iron. They come out a little harder, which I love. They don’t crumble so easily and keep longer. Delicious. I have to get that recipe! She likes to keep them secret. Aunt Mary is a terrific Cook. God Bless her.
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Joann Savini
Can whipped butter be substituted for butter?
Can egg beaters or egg whites be substituted for eggs?
Can trivia be substituted for granulated sugar?
Where can I purchase the pizzelle maker pictured above?Reply
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Linda Stradley
I really do not know how to answer your questions with all the substitutions you want to make. It is always best to follow the recipe completely that you choose to use. Following are a couple to recipes that might help you:
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Kathy Wilson
In response to the lady asking about all of the substitutions: my husband is diabetic and I have been making mine with Splenda blend for years. Trivia should work just as well.
My mother used egg beaters instead of eggs. It worked but there is some difference in consistency. As for the whipped butter – not a good idea. You can use stick margarine – my mother-in-law swears by Land of Lakes for hers.
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Lori
You can find on Amazon. I have this model. Nice price as well. I don’t know about the substitutions. Blessings to you and yours. Here’s the link.
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ELIZABETH GRAHAM
I clicked on the link above and went right to the Amazon site where they sell pizzelle makers! Thank you so much!!!. I think they will be a nice addition to my Easter meal.
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Dorothy
You can find a variety of different models on Ebay in different price ranges as well as Amazon!
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Bonnie brasel
Can cake flour be used ?
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Linda Stradley
To substitute cake flour for all-purpose flour – use 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons cake flour for every cup of all-purpose flour.
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Gayle
Nice website. Could you please share the name/model of the vintage pizzelle maker shown above? Thank you!!
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Whats Cooking America
The comments string has a link someone posted where you can find a similar pizzelle maker.
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jeni
Hi,Gayle
I was looking for similar kind of pizzelle maker.
But, ALAS i ain’t find that exactly.
However, I find something similar, Here is the link, Hope it will help
https://cozyhousetoday.com/best-pizzelle-maker-reviews/God Bless
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SunshinyDa
Love, love this recipe, I give it 5 stars!!! I have the EXACT maker shown above by Toastmaster, no model number that I can find BUT it’s about 43 or so years old!! It was a gift from my daughter who fell so in love with these cookies that she got the maker for my Christmas gift about 43 years or so ago with this request, “Please, Momma, make these for my Christmas gift & triple the anise flavoring. I don’t want anything else, just lots of these cookies”!!!! I fill her up a huge pretzel jug full of these cookies every Christmas & spend days making enough for family members to have extra as well in anise, almond, lemon, vanilla, or chocolate!! Everyone wants these cookies in their favorite flavor!!
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SunshinyDa
Wish I could show you a picture of her cookie jug!!
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Elizabeth
I bought the #1 recommended option from this site: https://www.top5reviewed.com/pizzelle-makers/
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George John Viamari Jr.
I have a larger pizzelle maker from my grandmother. It measure around 7″ in Diameter. I was looking for a recipe that would make a dough. Most of the recipe I have tried see to be too thin. Can you help me.
Thank you
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Gayle
Thank you SunshinyDa! Much appreciated for the info about the vintage Toastmaster pizzelle maker.
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