Classic Italian Pizzelle Cookies | Walking on Sunshine Recipes (2024)

Published: Dec 9, 2021 · Modified: Dec 2, 2022 by Lois · As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. This site contains affiliate links · 27 Comments

Grandma Santelli's recipe for Italian Pizzelle Cookies are a light, crisp, slightly sweet Italian cookie made with a special waffle iron. These are one of my family's favorite Christmas Cookies.

It wouldn't be Christmas without these cookies on our dessert table or in our cookie gift boxes. If you're looking for something new to try this holiday season, try my grandmother's classic recipe below. Get in the kitchen and start creating memories with your family!

Today I'm sharing with you my Grandmother's recipe for Classic Italian Pizzelle Cookies.

When I was a little girl, my grandmother would send us a box filled with the most delicious and beautiful cookies. This box always arrived about a week before Christmas. Grandma always included a huge metal container filled with her pizzelle cookies.

Pizzelle cookies are a traditional Italian treat that is often served during the holidays. The cookies are made with a special iron that imprints a design onto the cookie. Pizzelles can be simple or elaborate, and they are often flavored with anise or lemon. For many people, pizzelle cookies are a cherished holiday tradition.

What I love most about pizzelles is their versatility. You can make them in a variety of flavors, including chocolate, vanilla, and even pumpkin spice. No matter what your holiday preference is, there's sure to be a pizzelle cookie that will tantalize your taste buds.

What is a Pizzelle Cookie?

Pizzelles are not only delicious, but they also have a long history. The cookies date back to the Middle Ages, when they were made with flour, water and salt. Today, the dough is typically made with eggs, butter and sugar.

PIzzelle Cookies are thin, crispy,waffle-type cookies made by pouring batter between the two plates of a special electric iron. They're a very common cookie in an Italian household and are often served for special occasions, such as weddings.

It's not uncommon to find a variety of pizzelle cookies on the sweets table at a wedding or bridal shower. We served them for my daughter's bridal shower luncheon.

Whether you eat them plain or topped with chocolate or fruit, pizzelle cookies are a delicious way to celebrate the holidays.

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What is a Pizzelle Iron?

These cookies are closely associated with family; in fact, pizzelle irons have been fashioned with the pattern of a family’s crest. I don't have a family crest pizzelle iron...but how fun would that be?

One year, as my mother was opening the box of goodies,at the very bottom of the box was a brand new pizzelle iron with a note informingmy mother that she would now be making pizzelles for her own family and my mother began making pizzelles the next year andhas been making them every since.

There's nothing like the smell of freshly baked cookies during the holidays. For me, that smell always conjures up memories of my mother, my sister and I baking Christmas cookies. Every year, we would spend hours in the kitchen baking different recipes.

When the cookies were baked Mom would set them out on a crystal tray in the dining room to serve to friends who would stop over to wish us a Merry Christmas.

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Main Ingredients Needed

This is an overview of the ingredients and instructions. Be sure to see the recipe card below for exact quantities, detailed instructions and special notes.

• Butter
• Flour
• Sugar
• Eggs
• Baking Powder
• Anise Extract or Anise Seeds - you could use pure vanilla extract, but my grandmother and my mother always used either anise extract or anise seeds. Only use one flavoring. Do not combine the anise extract with the anise seeds.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1 | Prepare the Batter

• In the bowl with an electric mixer, blend the melted and cooled butter and sugar together.
• Add the eggs and the anise flavoring (or vanilla extract, or anise seeds.)
• In a separate bowl, combine the baking powder with the flour.
• Slowly incorporate the dry ingredients with the wet ingredients.

Step 2 | Baking Instructions

• Preheat the pizzelle iron.
• Once it is hot, brush the iron with melted butter or spray with non-stick cooking spray.
• Add about a tablespoon of batter to the center of the iron. You do not want to fill it like you would a traditional breakfast waffle iron.
• Close the iron lid. Most pizzelle makers come with a sensor that lets you know when the baking is finished.
• Remove the baked pizzelles from the iron using either a small spatula or a fork.

Step 3 | Cooling Tips

• Lay the pizzelle cookies out on a piece of parchment paper or waxed paper as you take them off the iron.
• Allow them to cool completely before stacking and storing in an air-tight container.

Storage Tips

• These cookies store very well in an airtight container for a few weeks.
• Keep them in a cool, dark area of your kitchen. My mother always stored them on our enclosed back porch that was not heated.
• You can package these cookies and send them in the mail to family. They make great gifts.

Recipe FAQ

Italian Pizzelle Cookies - A Holiday Tradition

Yield: 40 cookies

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

Grandma Santelli's recipe for Pizzelle Cookies are a light, crisp, slightly sweet Italian cookie made with a special waffle iron.

Ingredients

• ½ cup butter; melted and cooled
• ⅔ cups white sugar
• 3 eggs
• 2 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon anise extract or anise seeds

Instructions

1. In the bowl with an electric mixer, blend the melted and cooled butter and sugar together.
2. Add the eggs and the anise flavoring or anise seeds.
3. In a separate bowl, combine the baking powder with the flour.
4. Slowly incorporate the dry ingredients with the wet ingredients.
5. Preheat the pizzelle iron.
6. Once it is hot, brush the iron with melted butter or spray with non-stick cooking spray.
7. Add about a tablespoon of batter to the center of the iron. You do not want to fill it like you would a traditional breakfast waffle iron.
8. Close the iron lid. Most pizzelle makers come with a sensor that lets you know when the baking is finished.
9. Remove the baked pizzelles from the iron using either a small spatula or a fork.

Notes

Lay the pizzelle cookies out on a piece of parchment paper or waxed paper as you take them off the iron.

Allow them to cool completely before stacking and storing in an air-tight container.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 40Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving:Calories: 62Total Fat: 3gSaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 20mgSodium: 36mgCarbohydrates: 8gFiber: 0gSugar: 3gProtein: 1g

The nutrition information is calculated automatically. I cannot guarantee its accuracy. If this data is important to you, please verify with your trusted nutrition calculator.

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This recipe has been updated since it first appeared in 2013 with new photos, information and a new printable recipe card that includes nutritional information. I hope you enjoy the updates as much as I enjoyed working on them!