Italian Pizzelle cookies are the FIRST Christmas cookie I make every year. Both because they are my favorite and because they have a very long shelf-life when they are stored correctly. They are perfectly sweet, thin, and crisp with just a hint of anise. You can certainly make them with a different flavoring like vanilla, lemon, or almond.
These cookies = Christmas for our family. The smell. The flavor. The fun pattern in the cookies. Everything about them reminds me of being a child, sitting on a rickety old stool in my mom’s kitchen making them two at a time.
Equipment Needed for Italian Pizzelle Cookies
You will need a pizzelle iron to make these beauties….or have an Italian grandma like me who passed hers down to me. It is older than I am and every Christmas I worry if it will still turn on when I plug it in 🙂
Also, a stand mixer or hand electric mixer is really important because you need to beat the eggs for 10 minutes. Not to say you couldn’t do that by hand, but you are a beast if you do!
If anise isn’t your thing, you can easily make these with vanilla, lemon, or almond flavoring instead. The only difference will be the flavor. Changing to a different extract will not affect the texture of the cookie at all.
While it may seem a bit odd to beat the eggs for so long, but doing so helps create a light, crisp cookie so don’t skip out on that step!
Looking for more cookie recipes?
Soft Sugar Cookie Cut-Outs 
Almond Meltaway Cookies
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Italian Pizzelles
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 60 cookies
- Category: Cookies
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: Italian
Description
These classic Italian pizzelle cookies use anise to flavor them and make the perfect Christmas cookie!
Ingredients
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6 eggs
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1 1/2 C sugar
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1 C melted butter
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2 T anise flavoring
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3 3/4 C flour
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4 tsp baking powder
Instructions
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In the bowl of your mixer, fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the eggs on high for 10 minutes. Gradually add the sugar and beat well. Add the anise, baking powder and melted butter. Beat. Switch to your paddle attachment and add flour. Mix until combined.
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Heat your pizzelle iron until hot. Using a level 1 1/2″ scoop, place batter onto iron, close the iron and cook until done, about 1 minute. Remove and place on a flat surface to cool.
Notes
Feel free to use vanilla in place of the anise flavoring if you want a different flavor.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 82
- Sugar: 5 g
- Sodium: 8 mg
- Fat: 4 g
- Saturated Fat: 2 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 1 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 11 g
- Fiber: 0 g
- Protein: 1 g
- Cholesterol: 27 mg
Keywords: Christmas cookies, Italian cookies
I love Pizzelles! It’s not the same without leaving some for Santa!
I have tried many recipes for Pizzelles and these are the best. I added a tablespoon of anise seed to original recipe and grated peel of two lemons to lemon Pizzelles. The ten minute minute egg beating gives you time to wash dishes. I made so many I wore out my scoop. Delicious!!
★★★★★
I am thrilled to hear it Sandy! And I love your additions to the flavors as well 🙂
What is the best way to store these so they last for a couple of weeks?
Hi Theresa! I make a few stacks of them and then double wrap them in plastic wrap.