This classic Italian pizzelle recipe is a really easy and delicious recipe that makes crisp pizzelle cookies every time. These thin and crisp Italian waffle style cookies are made from flour, eggs, butter, anise, and vanilla and cooked in a pizzelle iron.
Make these pizzelle as a traditional Italian dessert for special occasions or holidays as a treat everyone will love. I will walk you through all the steps to make these traditional Italian cookies so you can make them a tradition in your home the way we have in ours.
This pizzelle recipe makes a classic Italian pizzelle cookie flavored with anise and it is lightly sweet and crisp. If you are not familiar with anise, it has a flavor of black licorice so you only use a little bit in this recipe.
This recipe will walk you through all the steps to making these classic Italian cookies. From making the pizzelle batter, how much anise to add, and different pizzelle flavor variations if anise is not your thing.
What does pizzelle mean?
Pizzelle in Italian basically means small rounds. Pizze means round or flat and is the same root word that pizza comes from.
Pizzelle are actually thought to be one of the oldest cookies in the World and was created in Abruzzo, Italy back in the 8th century. When you make these wonderful Italian cookies, you are experiencing a wonderful old Italian tradition that dates back generations.
I just love recipes like this!
I grew up eating pizzelle cookies that my grandmother made at every family get-together and on holidays. These Italian cookies have so many great memories associated with them.
Many people will pronounce these Italian cookies, pizzelles, but the actual plural of them is pizzelle. My family uses the term pizzelles as do many Italians.
This recipe is the recipe I grew up with and the one we continue to make each year.
The extract that makes these pizzelle traditional
Classic Italian pizzelle are a crisp and thin Italian waffle cookie that is made with anise. When you make this classic Italian cookie, you will be rewarded with the most delicious traditional Italian cookie that is perfect at the holidays or any special gathering.
This is a family recipe so it is a traditional Italian recipe that uses anise oil (or extract) but you can use vanilla if you prefer. It really is the best pizzelle recipe and it makes crisp delicious pizzelle everytime.
How to Measure The Anise for These Italian Cookies
When I first made these on my own after I was married I used so much anise that my husband's mouth was numb for the whole day. The reason was my Italian grandmother wrote down all her recipes but she would always alter one key ingredient.
She felt you should be in the kitchen learning not just reading recipe cards. The altered ingredient was anise 🙂
For reference, too much was 1 teaspoon full. That may not seem like much if you are working with vanilla extract but with anise, it is numbing. I mention this as a cautionary tale so you do not make this mistake 🙂
After many trials, I have figured out the perfect ratio to use so that it has a very faint flavor and makes these Classic Italian pizzelle taste amazing! It is the same tasting pizzelle I grew up eating.
Ingredients
- All-purpose flour
- Eggs. I use large eggs for this pizzelle recipe.
- Sugar. Granulated sugar is perfect for this recipe.
- Butter. This is a butter pizzelle recipe so you will need unsalted butter.
- Vanilla extract. The best quality you can find.
- Anise extract (or anise oil)
How to make
Making these Italian cookies could not be any easier. You are merely adding all of your ingredients to a large bowl and mixing it together.
When you are ready to make your pizzelle, you will want to scoop a good tablespoon full of dough onto your pizzelle iron and then close. While every pizzelle iron varies and you will want to follow your manufacturer's instructions.
You can almost always tell when they are about ready when the steam slows down that is coming out of the pizzelle in the pizzelle maker.
When I start to see that steam slow down I will give a little peak at the pizzelle by gently lifting the top of the pizzelle maker and seeing if the outside is a nice light golden color.
Once the pizzelle are ready, you want to gently scoop them off with a spatula and place them onto a cooling rack. They will be somewhat soft and pliable for a few seconds until they cool.
If you wondered how to make crisp pizzelle this is it. This cooling time is when the pizzelle gets crispy so make sure to let them cool fully.
The Pizzelle Batter
Pizzelle batter is very thick and sticky. When you scoop it up with a spoon, it will stick to the spoon so you will have to push it off with your finger to get it on to the pizzelle maker.
When I make these, I always like to have lots of paper towels on hand so I can wipe my fingers off in between scooping out the dough.
The Pizzelle Maker (Pizzelle Iron)
To make these Italian cookies, you will need a special pizzelle iron. If you have never seen one, it looks like a small waffle iron but the grooves on it are more shallow.
These are very cheap to buy (as long as you buy them well before the Christmas holidays) and last a long time! I think I paid $20.00 for mine over 15 years ago and it is still going strong.
You can make homemade ice cream cones and faux cannoli shells with these as well if you want to put it to use more often.
Buying a pizzelle iron: If you are looking to buy a pizzelle iron, I like to remind people to look at the grooved plates of the pizzelle iron and make sure they love the pattern. Some pizzelle irons have a swirled design and some make a beautiful flower shape.
Keep this in mind when buying one and what design you prefer. A good brand either from Italy or the store is always your best bet. You can also buy pizzelle irons secondhand if you prefer.
Many Italians prefer buying a used pizzelle iron (if one wasn't passed down) because they are looking for a particular design or style that their family used. My daughter has already asked me for our pizzelle iron when I am ready to give it up.
If you like the flavor of Italian pizzelle cookies but maybe do not want to buy a pizzelle maker, you should check out my pizzelle cookies recipe that is made without the pizzelle maker. The cookies are not thin and crisp like Italian pizzelles but the flavor is perfect.
The dough is the same as this pizzelle recipe that uses anise oil so the flavor will be the same.
If you have never tried making classic Italian pizzelle you should give it a try and I know you will love it!
Shaping the pizzelles
At the point that the pizzelle are just coming out of the hot pizzelle maker, you can shape them into a mock cannoli or into ice cream cone shapes since they are pliable. Just make sure to have something cylindrical on hand so you are ready to make the shapes when you are making these.
I like to use the end of my tapered rolling pin to make cannoli shapes.
Cleaning up the cooked pizzelle
The last step when making this pizzelle cookie recipe is cleaning up the edges after they have cooled. This is fun and part of the pizzelle tradition.
If you can see from the picture above, they will go over the edge of the pattern a little on the pizzelle maker. Once they are fully cooled, you just gently snap the edges that go past and your pizzelle are all set!
We nibble on these pieces as we go!
Tips
How to make pizzelle crispy and how to store pizzelle
Pizzelle crisp up while they are cooling so making sure they cool on a wire rack is important. This will allow the pizzelle to crisp up nicely.
Pizzelles are meant to be eaten right away or the same day you make them but you can store them in an air-tight container or bag for up to a few days with good results.
Freezing
Yes! Just let them cool completely and then wrap them in plastic wrap and place them in a freezer-proof container for up to 2 months. To thaw, just remove them from the freezer and place them on the counter to come to room temperature.
Can you make pizzelle without a pizzelle maker?
Yes and no. You can technically place your dough onto a hot griddle and place a hot grill press over top. This will take some experimentation for how long to do this.
You won't get that beautiful pattern that you would get with the pizzelle maker. I have made a pizzelle cookie recipe that uses a cookie press for those who love the flavor but do not have a pizzelle maker.
They are not the crisp traditional pizzelle but they are delicious and more of a classic cookie than a flat waffle cookie.
Other pizzelle flavors
This pizzelle cookie recipe uses anise extract and makes an anise pizzelle, a traditional pizzelle flavor. If you do not have anise or you want to try other flavors, here is a list of some great options that you can substitute for the anise.
I have also included the ratios to use in the recipe below.
- Vanilla: Vanilla extract
- Lemon: Lemon extract
- Almond: Almond extract
- Chocolate: Chocolate flavor or chocolate extract
Pizzelle are all about tradition and bringing people together. You can make this recipe your own by switching up the flavors or make these pizzelle as is but remember to enjoy the company you are with when you make them.
More Italian Desserts
If you love this recipe for pizzelle, you may also like:
How to serve
I love making these during the holidays to go with my classic cheesecake or to serve alongside my non-alcoholic eggnog. I also make these throughout the year on the weekends. In our Italian family, these pizzelle are made on Sundays to end a meal of either pasta Genovese, cheesy polenta, Italian baked meatballs or pasta with bolognese sauce.
Whenever you decide to make these, just lay them out on a plate after they have cooled and dust them with powdered sugar to enjoy right away. They are a treat for any occasion.
Here are a few more holiday baking recipes you might like!
Mini Cheesecake Bites, Classic Cheesecake
Tried this recipe? Please leave a star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating below or a review in the comments section at the bottom. We love hearing from you!
More Faqs about this Italian Cookie
Pizzelle is an Italian cookie.
Pizzelles are crisp Italian cookies that should snap when broken in half. They are not soft.
No. Pizzelle dough should be made right before you are ready to add them to the pizzelle iron.
Pizzelle are best eaten the same day they are made. You can however store them in an air tight container for a few days.
A single pizzelle will have about 10 calories each
Classic Italian Pizzelle: My Family recipe
Tried the Recipe? We Would Love To Hear From You In The Comments Below!
Ingredients
- 3 eggs
- ¾ cup of sugar
- 1 ¾ cups of all purpose flour
- 2 teaspoon of baking powder
- 1 ½ teaspoon of vanilla extract
- 3 tiny drops of anise to do this, pour a tiny amount of anise on to a spoon. Slowly turn the spoon downward over your mixture and wait for 3 tiny drops to fall and then you are done!
- 8 tablespoon melted unsalted butter
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions
- Whisk together your eggs, sugar, vanilla and anise (see how to measure anise above) in a medium bowl.3 eggs, ¾ cup of sugar, 3 tiny drops of anise, 1 ½ teaspoon of vanilla extract
- Now add your flour, salt and baking powder and mix it well until there are no lumps and it looks smooth.1 ¾ cups of all purpose flour, 2 teaspoon of baking powder, ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- Now add your melted butter and mix that in to your mixture.8 tablespoon melted unsalted butter
- Pre-heat your pizzelle maker. They are all a little different so follow the manufacturers instructions for this.
- Once it is heated, add a heaping tablespoon of your thick dough to the middle of each of your pizzelle areas on the iron. Close and cook for about 30-45 seconds until it is a light golden color. If the pizzelle is too light in color you can just close the pizzelle maker and cook the pizzelle for a few more seconds.
- Once they are cooked, remove the pizzelles from the iron (they will still be soft and pliable at this point) and place on a cooling rack where they will cool and get nice and crispy. Keep doing this until all the dough is used up!
- Once all of your pizzelles are fully cooked and cooled, you can go ahead and clean them up if you would like by lightly breaking off any parts of the pizzelle that went beyond the design edge. I find this to be relaxing but it is not necessary 🙂
To serve
- Stack them up or fan them out on a plate and eat them as is or with a light dusting of powdered sugar. Serve with tea or Italian coffee and Enjoy!
Video
Notes
Different Flavored pizzelles:
To make different flavored pizzelles, follow the recipe the same except use these substitutions. To make chocolate pizzelles: Use 1 ½ cups of flour plus 2 tablespoons. Add ¼ cup of cocoa powder (good quality) to the flour before adding the wet ingredients. For the sugar, increase the amount of sugar in the recipe by ¼ cup (for a total of 1 cup of sugar in the recipe). To make Vanilla pizzelles: Omit the anise and add an extra ½ teaspoon of vanilla extract. To make lemon pizzelles: Omit the anise and vanilla and add ½ teaspoon of lemon extract. To make almond pizzelles: Omit the anise extract and add ¼ teaspoon of almond extract.Nutrition
Nutrition Values are estimates only.
See full nutrition disclaimer here
Lou Ann Myatt says
First time making these & they came out perfect. Here is my changes to the recipe: 2 cups sifted all purpose flour; 1 cup sugar; 2 eggs; Grape Seed Oil for the Pizzelles’ Maker; 1 stick room temperature butter. I used lemon paste for flavor-2 Tablespoons
Melissa says
Sounds wonderful! So glad you enjoyed them.
Aimee says
Could you use a dropper from a dropper bottle to get 3 drops of anise?
Melissa says
Absolutely!
Jenna says
These are amazing! First time making them and it was a huge success, thank you!
Melissa says
Love hearing that!
Cheryl says
These were perfect! Everyone enjoyed them. Nice and crisp and very easy to make.
Melissa says
Glad you enjoyed it Cheryl!
D says
This recipe is EXCELLENT! I'm so glad I found you. Your instructions regarding whisking and order of ingredients (adding the butter last) make ALL the difference in the texture of the pizzelle! Another recipe just said to mix it all, without the whisking. What a difference! This light crispiness is what I was looking for in a pizzelle! Thank you so much!
Melissa says
I am so glad to hear that 🙂
Bill says
This is my favorite new recipe for pizzelle! They were so crisp almost right away after cooling. Other recipes I tried took a long time for that to happen. The flavor is amazing too.
Thank you for sharing!
Melissa says
I'm so glad you enjoyed them!
Jonie says
Easy, crisp and delicious. Great recipe
Melissa says
Love hearing that! Thanks so much for sharing 🙂
Mary Margaret says
Everyone loved them! Thanks for sharing this recipe
Melissa says
I'm so glad you enjoyed them 🙂
Jenny says
I highly recommend this recipe! I’ve tried a couple different recipes and this was by far my favorite and similar to what I had growing up.
Really delicious
Melissa says
Wow, thanks so much Jenny 🙂 I love hearing that and thanks so much for sharing!
Izzy says
My first time making pizzelle and they came out perfect. Just a hint of anise and very crisp.
I can’t wait to make more!
Melissa says
Hi Izzy, I am so happy to hear that!
Jennifer says
This was exactly as the name suggests, a true classic pizzelle! They were perfect. I added a little more anise because I like the flavor a lot 🙂 definitely a keeper recipe
Melissa says
Hi Jennifer. I am so glad you are enjoying it!
Joy says
A lovely recipe!
Melissa says
Glad you enjoyed it!
Fiona says
Love how you laid out all the steps- it was very helpful. The pizzelle came out perfect!
Melissa says
I am so glad it was helpful!
James says
They were perfect!
Melissa says
Glad you enjoyed them james!
DD says
These reminded me of the pizzelle my grandmother made. I have tried a few recipes but this was the closest. My family loved the flavor.
Melissa says
I love hearing that! So glad your family enjoyed them.
Marie says
The whole family loved them!
Brita says
This is our family’s new go to recipe! We just love it
Melissa says
So glad to hear that 🙂
Joyce says
Tried this recipe and it is my amazing! I had crisp pizzelle right away. No waiting days like other recipes.
Definitely a keeper!
Melissa says
I am so glad you enjoyed the pizzelle recipe!
Cheryl L says
This is our favorite pizzelle recipe! Delicious and easy
Maria M says
This is my new go to pizzelle recipe. They came out perfect right away. They crisped up in minutes too. I absolutely love this recipe and the flavor of the pizzelle. If I could give this more than five stars I would 🙂
Melissa says
I'm so glad you enjoyed it 🙂
Jessie says
These pizzelle were amazing! So crisp and light and very delicious.
Melissa says
So glad you enjoyed them!
Maddy says
These were lovely
Melissa says
Hi Maddy. I am so glad you enjoyed them 🙂
Victoria says
These pizzelle came out crisp and delicious. Great recipe
Melissa says
Hi Victoria. I am so glad you enjoyed it. Thanks for sharing!
Fran says
Absolutely perfect pizzelle!
Melissa says
Hi Fran. Glad you enjoyed them 🙂
Mary says
Suggestion: instead of scooping off the dough to the iron with your finger, use another spoon to scoop off the dough. Hand stay clean. And less risk getting burned
Melissa says
Thanks Mary! Great tip!
Momma K says
I stand corrected. I just made these following the recipe for vanilla (cut flour to about 1 1/2 cups). They were cool, dry and crisp within minutes. No overnight drying for me. I still prefer the anise flavor but for my friends who don't care for it, these are great. Glad I found this recipe. It's hard to deviate from the family recipe but frankly, this is better. Nice job!
Melissa says
I'm so happy to hear that 🙂
Momma K says
I am planning to make these today. I have been making anise ones for years but want to try vanilla so I'm using this recipe. One important note, too be really crispy, let pizzelles cook and dry overnight on a table (do not overlap cookies). They will be crisp and dry in the morning. Then can be stored in an airtight tin (think popcorn or potato chip tin) for several weeks (if they last that long). I have no pets, if you have pets, cover with a thin layer of paper towels or napkins (that can allow the cookies breathe).
Melissa says
Thanks so much for sharing! Some really great tips 🙂
Elizabeth Lipfert says
This looks like a wonderful recipe. I have one but this is a little different so I can’t wait to try it!
Thank you for posting it!
Melissa says
We hope you enjoy it!
Judith Pusateri says
How do you store them? How long can they keep?
Melissa says
Hi Judith. You can store them in an air tight container for up to 3 days for the best results 🙂 They are the most crisp the same day they are made.
Emma Campbell says
A very nice lady made Pizzels with me. Shall never forget her. Love having the pictures to go with the recipe making!
Debbie says
This was a wonderful recipe
Melissa says
So glad you enjoyed it 🙂
Ben says
This recipe was great!
Melissa says
Glad you enjoyed 🙂
Gina says
These came out great! They didn’t stick to the pizzelle iron like some other recipes I tried. We ate them all in one evening 🙂
Bethany says
They were amazing. Our new go to pizzelle recipe!
Melissa says
Love hearing that 🙂
Carm says
Hi so if I substitute oil for the butter how much oil?
Melissa says
Hi Carm. I have not tried this recipe with oil but my grandmother also had a recipe that uses oil and it uses about 3/4 the amount of oil in place of the butter. This would be about 6 tablespoons of oil if you were using this recipe.
I hope this helps. Let me know if you try it and how it works out 🙂
Ian says
Absolutely delicious!
Dan says
Great recipe!
Jennifer says
Followed the recipe exactly and it was perfect! Nice crisp pizzelle and everyone loved them.
Melissa says
I am so glad everyone enjoyed them
Tina says
They were delicious!
Leah says
Made perfect pizzelle!
Mandi says
These were incredible! I think the thick batter really helps make them crisp. A keeper recipe!
Melissa says
I am so glad to hear that 🙂
Melissa says
I am glad you enjoyed it!
Dana says
This made perfect pizzelle. Everyone enjoyed them!
Melissa says
I am glad you enjoyed them 🙂
Miranda says
Hi Melissa! I’m excited to try your recipe, but I’m thinking of adding some fall/holiday spices (like cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg etc.) to the vanilla base. Do you think the spices would burn or throw off the flavor?
Melissa says
Hi Miranda. Fall spiced pizzelle sounds like a great idea! I think the spices will be fine in terms of not burning. If you do decide to add the Fall spices I would omit the anise portion of the recipe. I think the anise would throw the Fall spices off.
Let me know how it comes out! I am always looking for new recipe variations for these pizzelle to share with readers 🙂
Chrissy says
I have tried a few pizzelle recipes and this one was my favorite. It was very easy and it made nice crisp and delicious pizzelle
Melissa says
Hi Chrissy. I love hearing that and so glad you enjoyed them!
Gina says
This is my first time making pizzelle and they came out crisp and beautiful! This pizzelle recipe will now be part of our family tradition. Thanks for sharing this gem!
Melissa says
That makes my day hearing that 🙂 Thanks so much for sharing!
Gina says
Very good recipe. I’ve tried a few other recipes but this one is the best
Melissa says
Thank you 🙂
Michelle says
I am printing this to go along with a pizzelle maker I am gifting to a friend. It looks amazing
Melissa says
What a great idea. I hope they enjoy it 🙂
Tina says
Thanks for sharing this. They were delicious
Melissa says
You're welcome. I am glad you enjoyed them
JR says
Loved them!
Melissa says
Happy to hear that 🙂
Izzy says
This was very easy to follow and make fantastic pizzelle
Melissa says
I am so glad you enjoyed them!
Annabeth says
Thank you for this recipe. They pizzelle were perfect.
Melissa says
You're welcome 🙂
Martha says
They were nice and crisp and very tasty
Laura says
They were delicious
Melissa says
I am so glad to hear that!
Vicky says
Everyone loved them! This pizzelle recipe reminds me of pizzelle I grew up eating.
Melissa says
Thank you 🙂
Brian says
They were delicious 🙂
Lisa says
These were a hit. Great recipe
Liz says
My firs time making these and they came out perfect. So easy and tasty
Melissa says
So glad to hear that!
Jeff says
Our new go to recipe!
Melissa says
So glad to hear that!
Prya says
Such a perfect pizzelle! We really enjoyed it!
Melissa says
I am glad you enjoyed them 🙂
Amanda says
These were amazing and very easy to make. I’ve tried other recipes before this one and this is the best!
Gina says
My new favorite pizzelle recipe
Melissa says
Thank yoU!
Lee says
We made these pizzelle over the weekend and they were loved by everyone!
Melissa says
Love hearing that!
Patti says
Such a lovely recipe
Melissa says
Thank you! I'm glad you enjoyed them
Janet says
Thank you for this recipe!
Maria says
Love this recipe! We made vanilla pizzelle yesterday and now I want to try the traditional anise flavor next.
Thank you for sharing your family recipe!
Melissa says
I am so glad you enjoyed them!
JR says
Perfect recipe!
Mahri says
The pizzelle came out crisp and perfect! Thank you
Vicki says
Amazing! The best pizzelle recipe I have made. This is definitely my new pizzelle recipe for the holidays. Thank you for sharing your family recipe
Melissa says
That makes me so happy to hear that 🙂
Meg says
They were perfect!
Melissa says
Thank you! I am glad you enjoyed the pizzelle
JR says
We loved them.
MammaD says
They were great!
Melissa says
I am so glad you enjoyed them!
Hannah says
These were a hit! My first time making pizzelle with my new pizzelle maker. I can't wait to make more
Melissa says
I am so glad you enjoyed them 🙂
Chrissy says
I have tried many pizzelle recipes and this is the BEST! They were crisp and flavored beautifully. A very good pizzelle recipe!
Melissa says
Thank you so much!
Christine says
This is my new go to pizzelle recipe! They were crisp and perfect. The tip with the anise was so helpful!
Melissa says
I am so glad to hear that 🙂
Brita says
They were perfect! Can’t wait to make these pizzelle at the holidays
Amy says
The pizzelle came out perfect!
Christina says
This pizzelle recipe is exactly what I was looking for and they came out amazing! So crisp and just the way I remembered them.
Helena says
Our family just loved these, they pair really nicely with some pastry cream, like a cannoli!
Miranda Jasper says
These came out great, it was definitely worth getting the Pizelle maker, the patterns on them are so pretty ☺️
Judy says
These remind me of my grandmother's pizzelle! Perfectly crisp and so delicious. Thank you for sharing 🙂
Alie says
These reminded me of the pizzelle we had in Italy. They were so good!
Lila says
My family loved them. We were looking for a great pizzelle recipe and now we found it! We grew up saying pizzelles too 🙂
Mary says
Hi there, these turned out GREAT! I would like to try making the chocolate flavored ones. What do I need?
Melissa says
Hi Mary.
I am so glad you enjoyed them! I just added instructions in the notes section of the recipe (at the bottom) for how to make the different flavored pizzelles, including the chocolate 🙂
Emily says
These came out perfect. We made the traditional pizzelle shape but next time we will try rolling them for cannolis
Daniel says
These are going to be our new go to pizzelle recipe!
They were delicious.
Amy Stenglein says
Do you know what brand pizzelle maker you have? The ones I’m seeing online are very expensive. Thanks!
Melissa says
Hi Amy. I have an older pizzelle maker made by Villaware that I bought many years ago for about $20.00. It only plugs in and has no off /on switch but works amazingly. When buying a pizzelle maker just look for one that can make 2 pizzelles at a time and has a somewhat pleasant looking pattern on the iron. You do not need anything else. At the holidays, you may spend more because companies mark them up during this time unfortunately.
Sandy says
I seem to be missing the amount of baking powder to put in the pizelle. Could you help me out?
Melissa says
Hi Sandy.
For this recipe it calls for 2 tsp of baking powder 🙂
Sarah says
My family love these Italian cookies!
Meghan says
These we will be making on repeat! They were so good, thank you!