Grandma’s Pizzelle Recipe with Anise (Italian Wafer Cookies)

Grandma’s Pizzelle Recipe with anise makes traditional Italian wafer cookies or waffle cookies that are light, crisp and delicious. A family favorite during the holiday season!

The Best Pizzelle Recipe

My grandma made the best pizzelle cookies using this classic pizzelle recipe. Even though Grandma was Polish, she worked in an Italian bakery and had Italian relatives. Lucky for us!

Grandma made a huge batch of these traditional Italian waffle cookies at Christmas time using her vintage pizzelle iron and stored them in a metal roaster with lid. These diamond-shaped cookies were light, crispy and flavored with a combination of anise oil, vanilla and citrus.

Now that I have a pizzelle press, I make homemade pizzelles using my grandmother’s recipe. I had to modify the recipe slightly for the electric press, and I usually cut the recipe in half because the original recipe makes a ton. But my family loves these crispy pizzelles, and they always go fast!

Ingredients

You only need a few simple ingredients from the grocery store to make this easy pizzelle recipe. Full amounts are in the printable recipe card below. You will also need a pizzelle press.

• Eggs — large eggs
• Sugar — white sugar
• Shortening — or butter, melted and cooled
• Anise extract — or anise oil if you can find it. If using the oil, you won’t need as much.
• Vanilla extract — adds flavor and mellows the anise flavor
• Flour — all purpose flour
• Baking powder — to help the cookies rise
• Lemon zest and orange zest — optional, but brightens the flavor

How to Make Pizzelle Cookies with Anise

First, you will want to melt the shortening and let it cool. Then, add the eggs to a large bowl, and beat slightly using an electric mixer. Add the melted shortening and the extracts, and mix until well combined.

If you are using the citrus zests, you can add those now.

Next, add the flour and baking powder, and mix until smooth and well combined. Make sure you scrape the sides of the bowl.

The batter is not like traditional cookie dough. It is more like a very thick waffle batter. It is also very sticky, which is normal.

Preheat your pizzelle press, according to manufacturer directions. Use a tablespoon or small cookie scoop to scoop up the batter. You can use a small spoon or your fingers to drop the batter onto the hot press.

Close the lid, and wait for these little Italian wafer cookies to cook. When they are done, you can use a fork or silicone spatula to carefully remove the cookies from the press.

They will be very soft and floppy, which is completely normal. Pizzelles crisp up as they cool down. Place the pizzelles on a wire rack in a single layer. When they are completely cool, you can move the cooled piezzelles to a container.

How to Store Pizzelles

Store pizzelles in an airtight container at room temperature. They stay crisp and fresh for about a week. You can freeze pizzelles for 3 months for best taste.

Recipe Tips

If you are using an electric pizzelle press, follow directions for that model. Mine recommended using vegetable oil to lightly coat the press before cooking, as non stick spray can ruin the non stick coating. If your press isn’t non stick, you can probably use cooking spray.

For a crisp pizzelle cookie, allow the cookies to cool completely before storing, and use a wire rack if you have one. If your pizzelle cookies aren’t crispy, it may because you live in a humid climate or there was a lot of humidity when you made the cookies.

You can turn these cookies into waffle cones, cannoli shells or edible bowls for ice cream or fruit. Just mold each warm pizzelle into the desired shape right when they come out of the press! My press included a small wooden dowel for making cannoli shells!

If you don’t like anise flavor, which tastes similar to black licorice, use only vanilla extract or anise seeds for a more subtle flavor. Dip the cooled cookies into melted chocolate and crushed pistachios for a special treat or dust lightly with powdered sugar.

It may take a few tries to get the perfect pizzelle shape. Don’t worry if you have a lot of extra dough around the edges. We like to break the extras off and nibble on them or add them to our favorite Christmas snack mix!

More Family Christmas Recipes

Looking for another tried and true family recipe for the holiday season? You may like our homemade pierogi recipe or grandma’s nut roll recipe or grandma’s halupki recipe or this easy haluski recipe or our favorite Christmas dessert — eggnog pie!

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