My family has a long standing tradition of making Pizzelles - both the Andreattas and the Pagliochinis. They are slightly labor intensive as they are made two or four at a time. Pizzelles are a great celebration cookie anytime of year - we featured them prominently at our wedding. Simply put, they are a traditional Italian lace cookie made from humble ingredients that yield delicious results and can be made in a variety of flavors!
Pizzelles are one of the oldest known cookies globally and originated in the middle of Italy. They were created for the “Festival of the Snakes” that’s also known as the “Feast Day of San Domenico” in the village of Colcullo which is located in the Abruzzo region. Colcullo was once overrun with snakes, and they were chased out. To celebrate, pizzelles were created. I know, I know, sounds a little silly, maybe, but let me tell you - I’m glad those snakes got chased out cause these cookies are legit!
Pizzelle Recipe
Here is an easy Pizzelle recipe for the classic Italian cookie. Lightly sweetened & flavored with vanilla, anise, almond, or lemon, they are perfect for holiday gift-giving & even better to make during the summer when you really don’t want to fire up the oven!
Prep Time 5-10 minutes
Cook Time Approx. 40-50 minutes
Total Time 45-60 minutes
Servings Approx. 36 to 40 cookies
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup sugar
- 3/4 cup butter melted and cooled
- 1 tablespoon anise, vanilla, almond, or lemon extract
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 4 eggs
Instructions
- Preheat pizzelle iron & lightly coat with nonstick cooking spray.
- In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, butter, flavor extract of choice, baking powder, & eggs. Drop slightly rounded tablespoons of batter onto the pizzelle iron & close.
- Bake as directed by the manufacturer or until golden brown, 30 seconds to 1 minute (I’ve found it can be closer to 90 seconds to 2 minutes). Using a nonstick spatula (or a fork like I used in the video), remove each pizzelle to a cooling rack or cleared counter space; repeat with remaining batter.
- Cool completely & dust with powdered sugar if desired.
You can easily find the Pizzelle Maker online by searching Amazon or Google. It’s a lil pricey (about 50 bucks), but I promise it will more than pay for itself when you start making Pizzelles for all of your special occasions.
If you make Pizzelles, be sure to tag me on Twitter @NickPagliochini or Instagram @NickPagliochini so we can share in the joy of these tasty lil cookies together!
Buon Natale a luglio e ti auguro un felice e sano riposo del 2020!
(Merry Christmas in July and wishing you a happy and healthy rest of 2020!)