This Pizzelle recipe is my favorite Christmas cookie recipe, hands down! Well it is a tie between this and a top secret sugar cookie recipe I promised never to share.
Find me at Christmas with a pizzelle in one hand and a cup of Wassail in the other!
When I was a "kid", first working in corporate America, I met an older woman named Betty whose family had previously had a bakery in South Philly for decades.
We all know that South Philadelphia is known for some amazing bakeries and food!! One day Betty brought in Italian Pizzelle Cookies to pass out to those of us working at the bank. When her family owned the huge center city Philadelphia bakery, she said the Pizzelles were one of the most popular items.
One bite later I-was-smitten! I had never seen or heard of Pizzelle. AND I did have a few Italian friends and one all Italian uncle, whyyyy did it take until I was almost 20 years old??
Uncle Joe and Schipani family!! Were you keeping these delicious Italian cookies all to yourselves?? At first bite I knew these would stay in my life.
Table of Contents
Why You LOVE this Pizzelle recipe
- To me, Pizzelle do not taste like any other cookie. They are light, lightly scented with anise, crisp and delicious.
- They are easy to make, they just take time since typically you can only make 2 at a time.
- Kids love helping make these, pizzelle making is a perfect intro to baking/cooking and makes a fantastic holiday ritual.
Betty generously gave me the family recipe from their bakery, along with (at that time) a precious bottle of anise oil.
The original recipe yielded 48 dozen cookies!!! I since cut it down but one thing I truly love about cooking and recipes is remembering those you got a recipe from or cooked with later in life.
Back when she gave me this recipe (1990 or so), you could really only get the anise seeds and not the oil that was used commercially. However, Betty also very generously gave me a bottle of her "precious" Anise oil.
I still have the original recipe card, taped in my oldest, falling apart, cookbook on the back cover.
While I can't remember Betty's last name and know she is long gone. I remember her kind face and smile EVERY time I make these (I have passed her legacy on to my children, nieces and nephews as well). Thank you Betty, you are remembered!
Someday I hope many of my readers, friends and family do the same for some of the recipes I have shared. I will live on through those and that makes me happy 🙂
What are Pizzelle?
Most commonly called Pizzelle, these traditional Italian waffle cookies, are also known as ferratelle or neole. A special iron press, used to cook them, imprint a design onto the thin, crispy cookies. History states the first Pizzelle cookies were made in Abruzzo, Italy back in the 8th century.
The first pizzelle presses where of course not electric, but rather an iron press with a long handles. Many had the family crest etched onto it for the cookie design. These presses were held over an open flame until the cookies were baked. So interesting!
Enjoyed for generations in Italy, Pizzelle are typically flavored with anise. However they can also be flavored with vanilla, or lemon, and are often enjoyed during the Christmas holidays as well Easter, and Italian celebrations such as weddings and baptisms.
Pizzelle can be served plain or dusted with powdered sugar or even with a filling between two cookies.
As pictured above, you can make chocolate dipped pizzelles and decorate them as well. A fun edible craft or food gift for the kids!
Ingredients
- Eggs
- Sugar
- Vegetable oil
- Anise oil
- Flour
- Salt
Variations
- Originally Pizzelle were made with anise seeds, later bakeries began using anise oil. Today anis oil is readily available. I find that I prefer my Pizelle cookies made with the oil. However you make them they way you enjoy.
- Alternative flavors include vanilla, lemon, coffee or whatever extract you wish.
- You can fold and dip edges in chocolate and then decorate them as shown above. You could add vanilla instead of anise oil or lemon oil if you wish.
Tips
- Read your pizzelle irons instructions before using and m,ake sure your iron is well greased.
- Typically the first two pizzelles I make I toss, as the iron heats up.
- After you make the dough, cover and allow it to sit in your refrigerator a couple hours or overnight to allow flavor to deepen.
- If dough has been chilled, allow it to come up to room temperature before cooking the pizzelles.
- You can make ½ the cookies, store dough in the fridge and make the rest the following day.
- They no longer make my favorite pizzelle maker by Villaware, however this one works great.
- Be sure to oil your iron and preheat it. Oil as often as necessary if you see a pizzelle begin to stick.
- Remove pizzelle from iron with a metal spatula and quickly place onto cooling racks. The will quickly firm up.
- Do not place in container until completely cool.
Storage
These keep well for weeks in an airtight container or jar.
Christmas Recipes You Will Love
Originally published 2009, updated in 2023.
Enjoy your Holiday season!! XO Colleen
Pizzelle Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 dozen eggs
- 3 cups of sugar
- 2 cups of vegetable oil
- 1 ½ teaspoons Anise oil
- 6 cups of flour
- ½ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Blend eggs and sugar until smooth.
- Add in flour and salt, blend well.
- Add in oil and Anise oil and blend well.
- Let the batter sit for 6 hours or overnight in your refrigerator, covered, to allow flavors to blend.
- Make your Pizzelles according to your Pizzelle iron's instruction.
- Choose how crispy you enjoy them
- Remove each pizzelle from your pizzelle iron with a small spatula, and place on wire cooking rack until cooled and crisped up.
- Store in a sealed container, cookie jar, tin or plastic bag. Do not store in same container as other cookies.
Amy says
I have never heard of Pizelles, but they look so beautiful and airy! And even more, I love the story that goes with them--the best culinary tales are those that have a bit of kindness and a few generations thrown in. 🙂
Question: where does one find a Pizelle iron?
Wendy says
Amazon has a wide selection.
Karen says
You just have to google pizzelle makers. They have them in stores al over like Walmart, Tartet, and Bed and Bath. Also on Amazon or some used ones on EBay.
Carrie says
Online or in Italian specialty stores.
breadandputter says
So beautiful! Someone brought these to a Christmas party I attended this year and people went crazy for them.
Robyn says
I've bookmarked this recipe, Colleen! Such beautiful cookies and so delicious. I need to pick up a pizzelle iron the next time I'm at Williams-Sonoma.
Karen says
Can you cook on waffle maker
Colleen says
I have never done this, however, I would say no. Pizzelle's are very thin. I don't think the waffle maker could replicate that. And trust me I use the waffle maker for more than just waffles (lol...quesadillas are the BEST in a waffle maker). When it comes to a pizzelle maker, they last forever. So if you do pick one up, you most likely will pass it down to the next generation 🙂
Maureen says
Is this recipe for crispy or soft (cake like) pizzelles. I am looking for a recipe for the soft ones.
Teresa says
Colleen,
My mother was an Italian lady from South Philly and we made Pizzelles every Christmas and Easter. But, my mother and grandmother's recipe calls for butter instead of oil. We can also split the recipe into a 3 egg batch, 6 egg batch or the 12 egg batch. My cousin also makes them and she rolls them into a hallow tube and fills them with a mixture of ricotta cheese, chocolate chips and 10X sugar and makes the Italian treat Canoli. For a variation you should try this. They are great.
Colleen says
Love South Philly!! Stuffing them like a cannoli sounds delicious! I always think of halving the recipe but I swear, no matter how many I make...There are never enough.
Erica says
Colleen I’m so glad I found this recipe. Because I trust my hometown pastry and food more than any other place in the world. I’m a south philly born and raised.
Colleen says
Philly girl high-five! You will LOVE these Erica! I am literally thinking of making my first batch this weekend for Thanksgiving...which I never do this early but I am dying for some! Happy Holidays!
Elizabeth says
I’m surprised oil is used we use margarine/butter. Have you tried with margarine?
Colleen says
I have not. This recipe was given to me by a now-closed famous Philadelphia bakery family. I have never deviated from the recipe since I am smitten!
Honestly, I have never even purchased margarine. I am a butter girl all the way. Let me know if you do switch it up and how it goes. Thanks!
Angela says
I have same recipe handed down my generations they used crisco in the old days and I use butter taste the same thin crispy delicious...my recipe also adds vanilla with the anise oil
Colleen says
I have never used butter, I should try it and see the texture difference (if any). Just made the first batch of Christmas 2019 a couple of days ago and my teen daughter said to add in some of the homemade vanilla syrup I had made a few days prior so I did, lol! Sorta like adding vanilla!
Colleen says
I have only used anise oil. I get mine from an Italian deli by me. YOu would fine it at any Italian deli or on Amazon. Some grocery store may carry it like Wegmans.
Erica says
Colleen did you use regular regular measuring cups or a baking scale ? I’m in the process of doing the flour.
Colleen says
Hi Erica, regular baking measuring cups.
Gwynn Galvin says
These cookies are almost too pretty to eat, almost! I couldn't resist eating more than one. So delicious and so beautiful on a dessert table!
Colleen says
They are my fav! Enjoy!
Lawrence Cappuccio says
My grandfather was a pastry chef from Italy. Your proportions are exactly what he taught me and easy to remember and make. Passed down four generations, my grandkids have fun making them in a vary of flavors like vanilla, cocoa powder, orange, almond, strawberry, and coconut. They even swirl bi-flavors like orange or almond & chocolate in the Pezzelli Iron.
Colleen says
Love hearing that!! Your flavor ideas sound delicious as well!
Jeanine DiNoia says
My family’s recipe calls for both butter and oil. This makes the pizzelles so crispy. We also roll our pizzelles with a piece of hershey chocolate in the middle.
Colleen says
Both sound delicious! Thanks!
Eileen Kelly says
I love pizzelles and your recipe delivered amazing flavor. It is a quick process for the most tender cookie. I loved adding the Anise oil for that additional flavor.
Colleen says
These really are the best! Glad you enjoyed!!
Lisa says
These cookies are so good and remind me of going to my aunts house whejn I was a child. She always made the best pizelles. So glad I hav ethis recipe now to make them myself!
Kristina says
This is a really great recipe and my favorite for pizzelles. I make the dough in 2 batches so I can make different flavors, one with chocolate extract and the other with cinnamon extract. They come out wonderful dipped in chocolate too, and go great on our annual hot cocoa charcuterie board for Christmas movie night.
Kristin says
Who doesn't love a good pizzelle? Store bought pizzelles are OK but nothing beats homemade. Thanks for including such great tips - I was definitely glad to have used my good mixer. These are perfect to take to holiday cookie swaps, too. Delicious!
Shelby says
I am a huge fan of anise so this cookie was a new one I had to try for the holidays. They were delicious! I love the story that went with this post. It's stories that make a recipe shared with us so much more special!
Pamela Krauchak says
luv these. the best of the best.. I need to no how much vanilla extract I use to make vanilla ones?
Colleen says
I would add 3 TBS of vanilla to get that flavor. and maybe an extra TBS of flour. However vanilla bean paste would give the most intense flavor as well as some speckling.