Italian Waffle Cookie Recipe
Pizzelles are thin, crisp Italian cookies made using a special iron that is similar to a waffle iron. The iron bakes an intricate embossed design onto the cookies. The origins of pizzelles can be traced back to the region of Abruzzo in Italy, where they have been made for centuries.
The word “pizzelle” is derived from the Italian word “pizze,” which means “round” or “flat.” It’s easy to see where we got the name for pizza! Historians believe that they were first made in ancient Rome. They used decorative irons to make the ornate wafers to serve at banquets and feasts.
Pizzelles were developed during the Renaissance, which began in central Italy in about 1400. It was an exciting time! All forms of knowledge, culture, and art had a tremendous rebirth.
It was an era where beauty was celebrated and flourished. It changed how people thought about classical philosophy, literature, and art, as well as the discoveries in travel, invention, and style. Even cookies were made to be beautiful. The first pizzelle irons were made of iron and were heated over an open flame.
How We Make Pizzelles Today
Pizzelles were brought to America by Italian immigrants. The batter must be just the right consistency to cook in a special iron, similar to a waffle iron, but much thinner.
In the old days, they were made by holding a bulky and heavy iron on a pole held over a range, careful not to burn them. It was a lot of work!
Charles “Chip” DeMarco thought there must be a better way, so he invented the electric pizzelle iron in his business Tri-State Machine and Driveshaft, in Steubenville, Ohio, in the 1950s. His invention made the process of making cookies much easier and faster. He and his wife patented the invention and began selling them nationwide.
Pizzelles are a popular treat in many parts of the world and are often served on holidays and special occasions. They are especially popular among Italian-Americans, who have passed down traditional recipes from one generation to the next. Today, you can find many varieties, from anise and lemon to chocolate and vanilla.
Here Are Some Basic Instructions To Get You Started
To make these delectable cookies, combine the eggs, sugar, vanilla extract, and almond extract in a medium bowl. Mix the ingredients well.
Next, mix the flour, baking powder, and salt until the batter is smooth with no lumps. After that, add eight tablespoons of melted unsalted butter and incorporate it into the batter.
Preheat your pizzelle maker, following the manufacturer’s instructions. Once the maker is heated, place a heaping tablespoon of your batter in the middle of each embossed area on the iron. Close the maker and cook for 30-45 seconds or until the cookies turn golden. If they are too pale, close the maker again and cook them for a few more seconds.
Remove the cookies from the iron once they are cooked. They will still be soft and pliable, so transfer them to a cooling rack where they can cool and become crispy. Repeat this process until all the batter is used up.
Once your treats are fully cooked and cooled, you can gently break off any parts of the batter that went beyond the design edge if you wish. This is optional, but some people enjoy dipping these in melted chocolate. 😋
We have a special fondness for “fancy” cookies that are lovingly made for special occasions. You may be familiar with Rosettes, where a special rosette iron is dipped into batter and fried, then dusted with powdered sugar. The Scandinavians are known for their Spritz cookies which are extruded through a special press to form a design and then baked.
Printable recipe:
Perfect Pizzelles
A delectably thin, light, and crisp Italian cookie that's baked on a special iron to give it the distinctively beautiful design they are known for.
Ingredients
- Three eggs
- ¾ cup sugar
- 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1 ½ tsp vanilla extract
- ½ tsp almond extract
- 8 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted (one stick)
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions
- Combine the eggs, sugar, vanilla, and almond extract in a medium bowl. Mix the ingredients well.
- Add the flour, baking powder, and salt, and mix until the batter is smooth with no lumps.
- Add the melted butter and mix it into the batter thoroughly.
- Preheat the pizzelle maker, following the manufacturer's instructions.
- Place a heaping tablespoon of the batter on the iron in the middle of each pizzelle area.
- Close the maker and cook for 30-45 seconds, or until the pizzelles turn golden if they are too pale, close the maker again and cook them for a few more seconds.
- Remove the pizzelles from the iron once they are baked. They will still be soft and pliable, so transfer them to a cooling rack where they can cool and become crispy.
- Repeat this process until all the batter is used up.
- Once your finished pizzelles are fully cooled, you can gently break off any parts of the pizzelle that went beyond the design edge if you wish. This is optional, but some people enjoy dipping these in melted chocolate.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 24 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 101Total Fat: 5gSaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 33mgSodium: 63mgCarbohydrates: 13gFiber: 0gSugar: 6gProtein: 2g
Does your family make fancy cookies for holidays or special occasions? Here at Yeyfood, we have shared a couple of favorite cookies that are definitely a labor of love. Amazing Sugar Cookies and Icelandic Kleinur have been popular with our readers.
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