Lemon Pizzelle Recipe - Classic Christmas Cookie - Savoring The Good® (2024)

FAQs

Why are my pizzelles not crispy? ›

Pizzelles should be crunchy! They're a thin, light, crispy cookie. If your pizelles are soft, it means they have absorbed moisture from the air or they weren't cooked enough.

Pizzelles are the oldest known cookie and originated in the mid-section of Italy. They were made many years ago for the “Festival of the Snakes” also known as the “Feast Day of San Domenico”.

The best way to keep pizzelle cookies nice and crisp is to make sure they are cooled completely before storing or stacking. They're best stored wrapped in aluminum foil but you can also use plastic bags, containers, or cookie tins once cooled.

A: Did you coat the pizzele maker with oil before starting to make a batch? That's the first thing you must do each time. Put a little oil on it, wipe up the excess and heat it up!

Oil - it could very well be that modern pizzelle makers are so "nonstick" that you do not need to use any cooking spray. Am noting here that when you research recipes, you may encounter a debate about whether or not to use oil or butter. For years our family uses a light spray of cooking oil as needed - it's just fine.

Pizzelle are made on a pizzelle iron, which works a lot like a waffle iron. Add the batter to the heated iron (it usually only needs to be greased for the first batch), then close and cook for about 90 seconds.

Pizzelle are popular during Christmas and Easter. They are often found at Italian weddings, alongside other traditional pastries such as cannoli and traditional Italian biscuits. It is also common to sandwich two pizzelle with cannoli cream (ricotta blended with sugar) or hazelnut spread.

Pizzelles, the oldest known waffle cookies, originated in Italy. The name pizzelle is based on the Italian word 'pizze' meaning round and flat, with the ending 'elle' referring to its small size.

Although Anise (Black licorice) is the “traditional” flavor of the pizzelle, modern options include vanilla, peppermint, anisette, lemon and chocolate but there are countless recipes and flavor combinations for this humble Italian cookie.

*Tip: Make sure you fully cool your pizzelles and do not cover for several hours as they will get mushy and soft – you want them to stay crispy! That's why I love my metal tin or glass containers – they keep them nice and fresh!

What do you grease a pizzelle iron with? ›

Heat your pizzelle maker, grease it with a little olive oil and add a generous spoon of your batter. Remove the excess batter with a fork (and remember like Nonna to always clean the stove when you finish!). Lay the cooked pizzelle on the table as they will dry faster.

Recipe Notes

Storage: Store finished pizzelles in an airtight container at room temperature, where they will keep well for 7 days.

Many pizzelle recipes call for vegetable oil but I use half melted butter and half margarine. The oil in the margarine helps thin the batter a bit making it easier to pour into the iron and also helps create a crispier cookie. I posted a chocolate pizzelle recipe that uses all melted butter so check it out too!

Yes, you can freeze pizzelles. While they won't be quite as crisp as freshly baked cookies, they'll still be delicious! Arrange the cooled cookies on a baking sheet, cover, and flash freeze for a few hours or up to overnight. Transfer them to a freezer-safe container or zip-top bags and freeze for up to three months.

If you are using your Nonna's old-fashioned pizzelle iron, give it 5 minutes over a gas flame on each side and test its heat with a few drops of water before you start pressing. While heating your iron, place all of the batter ingredients in a mixer and blend well.

Adding too little flour can cause cookies to be flat, greasy, and crispy. Most recipes assume you'll use all-purpose, but if you want a lighter, crumblier cookie texture, choose one with a lower protein content such as cake-and-pastry flour. Baking soda helps cookies spread outward and upward while cooking.

To make cookies crispy, add less liquid or bake it in the oven for longer to dry out the dough. Generally bake around 13-15min at 180C for a crispy cookie. But if you want a thoroughly crispy cookie – not those just charred on the outside – decrease the temperature to 140C and bake for 30min.

The ingredients you use and how you shape your cookies both play an important role in whether your cookies turn out crispy or chewy. The type of flour and sugar you use, if your cookie dough contains eggs, and whether you use melted or softened butter all factor into the crispy-chewy equation, too.

Summer, though welcomed for the sun and fun, also brings humidity that makes your cookies limp -- not so fun. Keep those cookies crisp by storing them in an airtight container. Some people toss a piece of bread in with the cookies to help absorb any excess moisture.