This easy vanilla pizzelle recipe produces light and crispy 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.
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!
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 similar 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.
Electric Pizzelle Iron
Traditionally, pizzelles were baked with a cast iron pizzelle iron over an open fire. Now that seems like a hot and tedious undertaking! Thank goodness electric pizzelle irons are available these days...
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 more than gotten my money's worth from it over the years. We only pull it out a couple times a year, but it's just as shiny and pretty as ever!
TOP PICK
CucinaPro NonStick Electric Pizzelle Maker
This is the exact electric pizzelle baker that I've been using for 14+ years now, and it's still going strong! The nonstick plates prevent your cookies from sticking, while also making it super easy to clean.
Pizzelle Recipe With Vanilla
Traditional pizzelle recipes are flavored with anise, a spice that tastes a bit like black licorice. If you're not a fan of the flavor of anise (and I am decidedly NOT), don't worry!
I opted to keep this recipe for Italian pizzelle very simple, using just pure vanilla extract for flavoring. Sometimes, I'll change it up and use a vanilla bean paste - the flecks of vanilla bean are SO pretty.
Like these vanilla pizzelle cookies? I think you'll also love this chocolate pizzelle recipe. My kids are always thrilled when I make chocolate pizzelles!
However, there are many flavorings that can be added to pizzelle cookie batter beyond just vanilla and chocolate. Of course there's anise, but also citrus flavors, like orange or lemon, are a perfect pairing. Or try almond, strawberry, raspberry, or coffee - get creative!
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!
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.
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!
Tips For Perfect Cookies
As it often happens when making pancakes or waffles, it's not unusual for the first few pizzelles to turn out a little wonky. They will still TASTE good, they just may not be as pretty as you'd like.
How to make perfectly shaped pizzelles:
- Even if you're using a nonstick pizzelle press, you may still need to mist it lightly with oil before the first use.
- Place the batter slightly behind the center of the mold. 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.
- Speaking of closing the lid, do it slowly to allow steam to escape. And keep your fingers well clear, so as to not burn the heck out of them. Don't ask...
- Have a couple of wire cooling racks easily accessible next to the pizzelle maker to keep things moving. More on this in my workflow below!
- It's virtually impossible to achieve perfect edges on pizzelle straight from the press. No worries! excess pieces can be trimmed with kitchen scissors while the pizzelle are still warm. Or you can carefully break off any ragged edges once the pizzelles have cooled.
Best Workflow
Over the years I've refined my workflow for making this pizzelle recipe. I found that the easiest way to remove the cooked pizzelles from the pizzelle maker is with a wooden spatula. This allows you to transfer them to a cooling rack without scratching the nonstick plate.
I then immediately portion more batter onto the pizzelle press to cook another batch. When this new batch of pizzelles is almost done, I stack the cooled pizzelles off to the corner of the rack. This makes room for the new round of fresh and hot cookies to cool.
After that, it's just rinse and repeat until all the remaining batter is used up!
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.
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.
QUICK TIP
Molding Pizzelles
Pizzelles are super flexible when they're hot off the press. While they're still warm and pliable, they can be molded into a number of shapes.
Use a beechwood cone mold to form homemade waffle cones. Roll them into cannoli with these stainless steel forms. Make ice cream tacos using taco stands. Or use large soup bowls to mold waffle bowls for serving dessert. So easy!
How To Store Pizzelles
The best way to keep pizzelles crispy 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!
Make Ahead Batter
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!
Printable Recipe ↓
Vanilla Pizzelle Recipe for Italian Waffle Cookies
Ingredients
- 3 large eggs
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup European butter, melted and cooled
- 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour, sifted
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
Instructions
- Beat eggs and sugar in a mixing bowl for approximately 2 to 3 minutes, until they're fluffy and a light yellow color.
- While still beating, slowly drizzle in the melted and cooled butter. Then add the vanilla extract.
- 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.
- Bake one medium cookie scoop of batter (about 1 ½ 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. Dust cooled pizzelles with powdered sugar, as desired.
Recipe Notes
VARIATIONS:
- chocolate pizzelle recipe - omit the vanilla, and add 3 tablespoons cocoa powder + an additional ¼ cup granulated sugar.
- almond pizzelle recipe - substitute 1 tablespoon pure almond extract for the vanilla extract.
- 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 ½ teaspoon anise seed.
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Variations
Want to try a new take on this pizzelle cookie recipe? In addition to the chocolate pizzelles pictured above, you can easily modify this vanilla pizzelles recipe to make the flavor variations below:
Almond Pizzelle
Substitute 1 tablespoon of pure almond extract for the vanilla extract in the recipe above.
Lemon Pizzelle
Reduce the pure vanilla extract to 1 teaspoon, and add 2 teaspoons of finely grated lemon zest.
Traditional Anise Pizzelle
Add ½ teaspoon anise seed to recipe above.
Did you make this recipe?
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!
Lea says
I don't know what I did or did not do, but my pizzelle are delicious but hard enough to chip a tooth! Please let me know how not to do what i did this time, it never happened before. Thank you.
Lea
Tara Kuczykowski says
Oh, wow, I have never had this happen! Even when I accidentally left them sitting out on the kitchen island all night. Did you make any changes to the recipe at all? Were they still pliable when you took them off the pizzelle maker?
Emily says
I made this Pizzelle recipe last night and it’s my first time ever making Pizzelle and they turned out very good! I have loved these cookies for years, brought a Pizzelle iron over 8 years ago and it was my first time using it, I don’t know why it seemed so intimidating but this recipe made me comfortable with trying it. Living in Chicago I’ve known lots of Italian families who make these cookies and married into one myself and traditionally they have made it with anise but I like the vanilla and think this will be more palatable for people who don’t like the licorice flavor of anise, personally I love anise and I’m always the one taking home all the anise ones left on cookie day! My mother and Italian husband both tried these yesterday and both liked them, I’m excited to bring these to cookie day this year! Thank you for taking the time to share your recipe and your back story about how you came to making these!
Tara Kuczykowski says
Yay, so happy I could help - enjoy your cookie day!!
Sylva Smith says
I did not use vanilla, but used 1 tsp anise seeds and 1 teaspoons anise extract. They were delicious and got numerous compliments from some true Italians!
JT says
I’d give 10 stars if I could. These were soooo good! I’ve tried so many pizzelles recipes over the years and this was one of the easiest but also the best tasting, thanks for sharing!
Tara Kuczykowski says
Awesome - I'm so happy you loved them!
Lou Boman says
Very good, I also have tried the chocolate ones and they are good too. I have to make a double batch because my family eat them up so fast.
Lorraine Cocci says
Thank you for this recipe, I just made 4 dozen for the holidays and they are delicious and they came out perfect, I followed the recipe to a T. I can’t wait to share them. They remind me of my ITALIAN family’s Pizzelles that we had during the Christmas holidays. Thanks again.
Carol says
Best recipe I have ever used for Pizelles.
Kate says
I LOLed reading your post - my family is all from Poland and every Christmas… you know what we make! In RI where I’m from, all the immigrants worked in the factories. And they swapped recipes. Lo and behold, the Italians taught the Poles pizzelles. And it is as much ours as theirs in certain families. Love this shared tradition!
Tara Kuczykowski says
Love hearing this backstory, Kate. That totally makes sense - thanks for sharing!