Elena Davis is a true Italian cook with true Italian flair! Her website is one to bookmark come dinner time. You can check out all of her recipes at cucinabyelena.com.
Make some Italian pizzelle cookies this Christmas!
It’s sort of like eating a snowflake… but even more delicate and delicious! These cookies are an Italian Christmas classic, and a family favorite of Elena Davis!
Elena shares the recipe, and the tools to get it done. She uses an electric pizzelle press to get the intricate design on each cookie.
Find more recipes from Elena on Instagram, @cucinabyelena, or on her website, www.cucinabyelena.com.
Find the full recipe with all of Elena’s notes here.
Pizzelle Cookies Recipe
Total Time: 30 minutes
Yield: 24-36
INGREDIENTS
- 3 large eggs, room temperature
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
- 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon Anise Extract or Anise Seeds (optional, but that is the flavor that makes them traditional)
- Pinch of salt
METHOD
- Preheat the Pizzelle Iron: Plug in your pizzelle iron and let it heat up according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Usually, it takes a few minutes to reach the right temperature.
- Prepare the Batter: In a large mixing bowl, beat the eggs and sugar together until well combined and slightly thickened. You can use an electric mixer or do this by hand, about 3 minutes.
- Add the Butter: Add the melted and cooled butter to the egg and sugar mixture. Mix until fully incorporated.
- Add Flavoring: Stir in the vanilla extract and any optional flavoring you desire, such as anise extract or almond extract. Anise is a traditional flavor for pizzelle, but you can skip it or use other extracts for a different taste.
- Combine Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and a pinch of salt.
- Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing until you have a smooth batter. The batter should be thick enough to hold its shape on the pizzelle iron.
- Cook the Pizzelle: Lightly grease or spray the pizzelle iron with cooking spray.
- Drop a spoonful of batter onto the center of each pizzelle pattern on the iron. The amount of batter will depend on the size of your iron, but it’s typically about 1 heaping tablespoon per pizzelle.
- Close the iron and cook according to the manufacturer’s instructions. The cooking time may vary, but it’s usually around 30-60 seconds, or until the pizzelle are golden brown and have a lacy pattern.
- Remove and Shape: Carefully remove the pizzelle from the iron using a fork or a spatula. For a clean look you can remove the excess edges that go beyond the press pattern. The cookies will be soft initially but will harden as they cool. You can shape them into cones, rolls, or leave them flat.
- Cool: Place the cooked pizzelle on a wire rack to cool completely. They will become crisp as they cool.
- Serve: Enjoy your pizzelle cookies as they are or dust them with powdered sugar for an extra touch of sweetness.
See Elena’s blog post for ideas of ways to serve pizzelle cookies. Store any leftover pizzelle in an airtight container to keep them crisp. This recipe makes about 24-36 pizzelle cookies, depending on the size of your pizzelle iron. Enjoy this Italian Christmas cookie tradition!
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