Pizzelle

Yields 60 Pizzelles

Recipe Type:

Serves:

About the Recipe

Pizzelle, (Pit-zel-eh) thin and crisp waffle like cookies, have a long history rooted in the Abruzzo region of south-central Italy. These delicate treats were traditionally flavored with anise and cooked between two intricately designed iron plates held over an open flame. The plates often imprinted the cookies with patterns resembling snowflakes or even family crests. While pizzelle are commonly associated with holiday celebrations and special occasions, in my family we enjoy them all year round.

Ingredients

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3 ½ cups all-purpose flour
4 tsp. baking powder
6 eggs
1 ½ cups sugar
2 Tbsp. anisette or vanilla extract
1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks), melted and cooled

Preparation

Preheat the pizzelle maker.
Sift the flour and baking powder together onto a piece of parchment. Set aside.
Beat the eggs, sugar and desired flavoring in a large mixing bowl until smooth and slightly foamy.
Gradually mix in the flour mixture just to combine. Stir in the melted butter until the batter is smooth. Do not over mix. The batter will be thick.
Lightly spray the preheated pizzelle iron with cooking spray.
Place 1 heaping Tbsp. of batter in the center of the bottom of the pizzelle maker. Squeeze the handles of maker together and clamp closed. Bake the cookies for about 30 seconds or until they are golden in color. Remove the cookies to a rack to cool completely.
Store in an airtight container.
When ready to serve, dust with powdered sugar or cinnamon sugar if desired.

Chocolate Pizzelles

Use above recipe and whisk into the flour mixture.

½ cup cocoa powder
½ tsp. baking soda
Dash of salt
Beat in an additional ½ cup sugar into the above egg mixture