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!
adrienne says
so glad you printed this recipe just got my cucina pro on amazon but it had no instructions or recipes and its new! so I will be using your recipe and I am sure they will be great thanks again Adrienne
Lydia says
My first pizzelle's were soggy. More like pancakes than cookies. They were thin and tasted good just not crisp. What did I do wrong?
Tara @ Unsophisticook says
Lydia, were they still soggy after letting them sit for a few minutes? They will be soft when you first pull them off the iron, but they should crisp up after a few minutes when you transfer them to a wire cooling rack. Don't stack them until they've cooled.
Jess says
I don't own a pizzelle iron but I wanted to make cannoli shells without having to fry them. After a failed attempt at cooking them on a crepe pan and trying to press them down, I decided to use a sandwich press. They weren't as pretty as those made in a proper iron, but when I rolled them up it didn't matter. After about 15 minutes they were nice and crispy.
Also, I added a little milk to my mixture as the first few were quite thick and wouldn't crisp up.
Thanks for the recipe!
daniel says
Love making pizzelle;s.....Take you time and experiment with different flavors..and dont rush....Iam Italian
Ray says
Hi All! I have been making pizzelles for a few years. Like a few of you on this post, I am of Polish decent and my family has made them a tradition as well. I usually make 3 different flavors! Ones with Anise, vanilla and chocolate. I am going to try to make some tomorrow and add some crushed/chopped walnuts to them. I use the Cucina Pro. Wish me luck!
Kasandra says
Made some last night with an old recipe calling for 1 1/2 sticks of butter, I will try yours next, a little less fat!!!
I always use anise. I never tell anyone anything other than it is traditional flavor. My boyfriend who HATES licorice flavor anything devours my cookies!!!
What they don't know won't hurt them.
Thanks for the new recipe!
Nora Levine says
Too funny to read about your Polish family and Italian cookies! My grandmother was Czech, and she made them every Christmas. I use a small cookie scooper to get the batter to the iron, and an offset spatula to get the cookie from the iron to the rack. Makes for fewer sticky fingers.
The cookies last forever, if sealed in an airtight container. My husband loves the batch that is from 2 Christmas' ago! They are delish!
Marge Fredrickson says
I love pizzels so much! My batter always seems to be to thick. What am I doing wrong? I use a Wilton Cookie Scoop and it is just the right amount, but my batter seems to thick, and I like my pizzels thin. Any suggestions?
Thanking you in advance.
Tara @ Unsophisticook says
My batter is thick, but I've never had a problem with my pizzelles turning out too thick. Does your pizzelle iron have a lock on the handle? I don't use the one on mine, but it would probably ensure a thinner pizzelle if you use it to compress them while cooking.
Diana says
Santa thought I was a god girl and delivered a Chef Choice Pixxelle Maker under my tree....vunderbar
Tara @ Unsophisticook says
Nice — enjoy your pizzelles!
Donna F says
Thank you so much for this recipe. I have the CucinaPro Pizzelle Baker and just love it, but have misplaced (lost) the recipe book. Today is Christmas Eve and my grandkids are coming on Weds and I need pizzelles for them, but you have saved me.
Again thanks and Merry Christmas.
Tara @ Unsophisticook says
We made them tonight, Donna! It's our Christmas Eve tradition.
Don Eubank says
I have been making pizzelles now for about 50 years, I'm on my second iron. Anyway for Christmas and parities, when the batter is all mixed up I divide it in half. Then I put some red food coloring in half, then green in the other half. It takes about 12 drops each. Make small balls of each color press them side by side then bake it. It sure make a beautiful cookie for Christmas. And for July 4, do the same thing only make them red, white and blue. The white is just the natural of the batter. A few time you will catch on and they are well received by all. Enjoy. I always make about 10 doz.
Tara @ Unsophisticook says
Love this idea — thanks for sharing!
Bob meadows says
I make the best pizzelle !
adrienne says
so where is the recipe?
sally ingram says
I have a villaware pizzelle iron but i keep losing my recipies
rita sullivan says
Can I use splenda instead of sugar?
Tara @ Unsophisticook says
I don't use Splenda in my baking, so I really can't say, Rita. Sorry!
Allyson says
About how many pizzelles does this recipe make?
Tara @ Unsophisticook says
Hmm, I haven't made them yet this year, so I'm having trouble visualizing just how many it makes (plus we eat so many as we're making them, LOL). I'd estimate it's about 2 dozen or so, but I will update the post for sure later this week.
Tara @ Unsophisticook says
Sorry it took me so long to get a figure, Allyson. A single batch of the recipe makes about 2 dozen pizzelles.