Christmas Cookie Series: Pizzelle
These cookies are a special treat for me. Every year at Christmas my two Aunts would make them. They were also featured at every family wedding I have gone to, although in the recent future, I see them less and less because the old tradition of the older generation baking the cookies for the couple happens less and less as most people have jobs these days and can’t afford all that time in the kitchen! It is sad that these traditions are being lost. So I have decided it is high time I get to making these traditional recipes with my mom, that make celebrations so special and memorable.
Anyway, back to the cookie. They are a delicious wafer cookie that is cooked on a special pizzelle iron and can be flavored in all sorts of ways. Traditionally in my family, they would be anise flavored. This year, we did anise, orange and vanilla all together and then we also added a bit of cinnamon to the last half of the batter. They are good! This is the fun of them – add your own flavor combinations or put some finely chopped nuts in! You can also shape them when they first come off the iron – you can make mini waffle cones or waffle bowls. Yum!
The thing that always struck me about these cookies are how beautiful they are, how crunchy they are (I LOVE crunchy cookies) and how quintessentially Italian they are. Now last Christmas, I was talking to Roberto about them when we were discussing holiday food traditions. I hadn’t had pizzelle in a few years, and he had never even heard of them. I couldn’t believe it! This cookie had graced the table of my family’s Christmas celebrations for generations and I had seen it as a part of other Italian Christmases. But he had never heard of them! Imagine! Again, this tells us a lot about regional Italian cooking. Being from Rome, his normal holiday cookie would be amaretti or a different kind of wafer cookie with flavored cream in the layers. I just love the food culture of Italy! So regionally specific! So of course I had to get him in on the pizzelle making too!
INGREDIENTS:
6 eggs
3 Β½ cups all purpose flour ( I use unbleached)
1 Β½ cups sugar
1 TBS pure anise extract
1 TBS pure vanilla extract
juice of one orange
*note: you can also use lemon, anisette, or whatever you like here
1 cup butter, melted and cooled
4 tsp baking powder
METHOD:
Beat eggs in a mixer adding sugar gradually, until smooth. Add cooled butter and flavorings (extracts, juices, etc). Sift flour and baking powder into a separate bowl. Blend into the egg mixture until smooth. Dough will be sticky enough to be dropped by a TEASPOON.
Bake Pizelles in Pizelle iron according to the manufacturer’s directions.
Makes @ 60 cookies.
Stay tuned next for a delicious and wonderful Sicilian cookie, and my family’s favorite,Cuccidata.
Bellini Valli - December 18, 2007 at 9:01 am
Such a wonderful tradition to have Jenn. It is so special to get everyone in on making such beautiful creations as Pizelles.
DaviMack - December 18, 2007 at 9:15 am
They look fabulous!
Peter - December 18, 2007 at 9:18 am
Another great Pizzelle post, they a simple wafer. Question, do you still have the old pizzelle moulds? If so, keep them!
Peter G - December 18, 2007 at 9:38 am
They look wonderful Jenn. Nice and crunchy. Perfect! It’s great to see you keeping up with traditions and everyone being involved. Great post.
Suzana - December 18, 2007 at 10:25 am
Those are beautiful! I never know if it’s best looking or eating pizzelles.
Kat - December 18, 2007 at 8:20 pm
Brings back memories of helping my mom make these. We used to use a timer so that we knew when to take them out π
Kevin - December 18, 2007 at 11:23 pm
The patterns of the pizzelle are really nice.
Pixie - December 19, 2007 at 7:12 am
Those cookies look so incredibly tasty! I really really want one, NOW!
Patricia Scarpin - December 19, 2007 at 1:16 pm
I have never had pizzelle, Jenn – they look wonderful!
Jennifer - December 19, 2007 at 2:35 pm
I love the picture of you and your mom!!!!! The cookies look great, too!
Toni - December 20, 2007 at 12:55 am
These look so special! And the fact that they’re part of the fabric of your family makes them even more special!
nΓΒΊria - December 20, 2007 at 4:02 am
What a great Team you are, Jenn!!! I love to keep traditions and this one, specially, is wonderful. Really beautiful pictures! π
Windy - December 20, 2007 at 6:39 am
Looks like you guys had fun. The cookies seem nice, but need to find the Pizelle iron thou. π
Sue - December 20, 2007 at 11:21 am
Such a cute mom! Those pictures are gorgeous and the pizelles should be framed they’re so pretty. How do you stop yourself from eating every single one that comes off the iron?
The Leftover Queen - December 20, 2007 at 12:11 pm
Hi Valli! Yes it was fun! I guess this is the whole point of the holidays, right? Getting together with family to do traditional things!
Hi DaviMack! Thanks!
Hi Peter, no we just have a pizzelle iron. Yes, they are so amazing, such a simple wafer.
Hi Peter G, thanks! I believe it is so important to keep these traditions alive. I really want them to carry on.
Suzana! I think making them is the best!
Hi Kat ! I know, we were all counting aloud to make sure they weren’t in for too long. I like them browner and my mom likes them lighter, so it was fun!
Yes, Kevin, they sure are beautiful, aren’t they?
Pixie, I wish I could give you one – we have so many!
They are delicious Patricia!
Thanks Jennifer! I love it too!
Yes, Toni, that is the most special part of all.
Hi Nuria! Thanks! It was really fun. I am commited to keeping the traditions alive.
Yes, Windy, the iron is a neccessity for making these beautiful cookies!
Thanks Sue! She is pretty cute! π I don’t know, it is really hard beacuse they smell SOOOO good!
HΓΒ©lΓΒ¨ne - December 20, 2007 at 1:54 pm
Really nice pictures. I would love to try these someday. Merry Christmas!
Cynthia - December 20, 2007 at 5:08 pm
Jenn! these are exquisitely beautiful. Ah the holidays a great time to make memories.
Ivy - December 20, 2007 at 5:44 pm
Hi Jenn,
It’s the first time I heard of pizzelle but they look wonderful, just like embroidery. Nice keeping traditions and I am quite new at blogging but I am trying to record recipes from my country which is Cyprus.
Emiline - December 21, 2007 at 2:50 am
That’s it. I’m going out and buying a pizzelle iron. I must make my own waffle cones.
Deb - December 21, 2007 at 2:58 pm
Hey Jenn, Just catching up from a snowy trip up to Ohio. Glad to be back in sunny KW. This post caught my eye as I have always wanted to make these but have not. Not only do they look great for Christmas, but in the summertime to have ice cream sandwiches, yum. Summertime…hey it is here!
Nice too that everyone gets to play!
sognatrice - December 22, 2007 at 3:27 pm
Yup this is definitely a northern Italian cookie–thank goodness there were some northerners from the Tirol area in my neighborhood so we always had pizzelle too π
I’ve been wondering, though, how far north I’m going to have to go to find an iron here!
Our were always anise-flavored too–seeds if we could find ’em. Yum π
Happy holidays Jenn and Roberto and families!
The Leftover Queen - December 24, 2007 at 12:04 pm
Hi Helene! You should try making them, they are sooo good!
Thanks Cynthia! It is true, this is the memory-making time.
Hi Ivy, I would love to see your blog but your URL doesn’t work π Cyprus looks like a beautiful country!
Hi Emiline! I think you would love it – you should definately go out there and get yourself one!
Hi Deb! They are great for ice cream sandwiches which would probably be fine for eating in Key West right now! π
Hi Sognatrice! I really didn’t know these were from the North! I wonder where my family got into making them – they are all Southern Italians! Well, you learn something new everyday!
cathy - February 24, 2008 at 1:00 am
I love these pizelles….i have 4 different machines that i use constantly….some make the pizelles thicker than other machines I have…friends go crazy other them. I use all different extracts in them. I have dipped the ends in melted chocolate also.
The Leftover Queen - February 25, 2008 at 10:17 am
Yum, those sound really good Cathy – perfect for a little ice cream! π
emga - December 19, 2010 at 6:50 pm
what could you do with all of the extra pizzelle crumbs that are leftover after making them all nicely shaped?
Jessica - March 10, 2011 at 1:49 am
Just found your site – love your pizzelle article! π I’m getting married this august and want to make pizzelles with my mom…I LOVE the pattern on your pizzelle iron. Where did you get it? I couldn’t find the pattern after several attempts at googling irons. Thanks for your help! π
Andrew - April 29, 2011 at 2:50 am
Yummy, they look delicious. I will sure try to make some at the next Christmas. Thanks for sharing with us
Arlene (Mom) - December 10, 2012 at 11:49 am
Well, we can make up a batch whenever you are ready. Making me hungry.
Tsu Spinali - December 21, 2012 at 2:15 am
What pizzelle iron do you recommend buying? I have one from Bed Bath beyond but it does not make them thin enough. My grandma use to make them all the time. I’d love to find a good pizzelle iron. Any suggestions!
The Leftover Queen - January 15, 2013 at 5:56 pm
I have no recommendations, we always use my grandmothers and I don’t know where it came from!
Brenda - July 20, 2013 at 9:24 pm
When I make these, I deep fry the batter on moulds and dust them with a little bit of powdered sugar. So nice and light. They do take time to make but are well worth it.
judy smith - October 5, 2013 at 10:33 am
can pizzells be made on the electric iron maker for krunbakka?
The Leftover Queen - October 5, 2013 at 12:13 pm
I don’t know. Maybe some of my readers have tried this and will comment?
Danielle - July 28, 2014 at 1:02 am
How much butter do you need in this recipe?
Grazie! π