One of my favorite Christmas cookie recipe is my grandmother's anise pizzelle recipe. Golden brown, thin and crispy pizzelles are a MUST for any holiday cookie tray.
Be sure to add chocolate pizzelles, lemon pizzelles, peanut butter blossom cookies and scotcheroos to your Christmas cookie platter. Keep a jar of seedless black raspberry jam nearby for dolloping on the cookie.
What do anise seeds taste like?
Anise seeds, anise oil, anise extract, and ground anise seed are sweet and fragrant with the taste and smell of black licorice. People in my family either like or so not like anise flavoring. There is no in-between.
What ingredients do you need to make anise pizzelles?
Recipe Card?
To find the full printable recipe with specific measurements and directions CLICK HERE to go to the recipe card.
How to make anise pizzelle batter:
- Melt butter and allow to cool.
- In a mixing bowl with the paddle attachment, beat eggs and sugar until light yellow. 2-3 minutes on medium high speed.
- Add melted butter, vanilla extract, anise extract, anise seeds to the batter and stir until combined.
- In a separate large bowl, sift together the flour, salt and the baking powder.
- Fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and mix until smooth. Do not over mix.
How to cook crisp anise pizzelle cookies:
- Heat the pizzelle iron according to the manufacture instructions.
- Place 1 heaping tablespoon of batter into the center, back portion of the pizzelle press.
- Close the lid and bake for 40-50 seconds or until light golden in color.
- Remove from the iron with a chop stick and cool on a cooling rack.
- Repeat with the remaining batter.
Top Tip
Pizzelles need to 'mature' or 'bloom' over time. The flavors develop over time. Make pizzelles at the beginning of cookie season and you will be able to enjoy them more and more as time goes on.
FAQ's and Tips
For better or for worse, anise pizzelles can have a very fragrant black licorice flavor and that flavor can and will transfer to other baked goods. Anise flavored pizzelles should be stores separate containers. I have had the flavor even transfer on a cookie tray!
Pizzelles need to 'mature' or 'bloom' over time. The flavors develop over time. Make pizzelles at the beginning of cookie season and you will be able to enjoy them more and more as time goes on.
When you want pizzelles to be fresh without freezing them, first wrap them in foil in bundles of up to 6, and place the cookie bundles in cookie or metal tins. Just like grandma had on her kitchen counter.
The key to freezing anise pizzelle cookies is to make sure they are completely cool. Then, wrap the cookies in groups of six, or less, in plastic wrap and store in airtight containers. Freeze for up to three months. They will thaw very quickly.
Ingredients
- 3 Egg
- ¾ Cup Sugar
- ½ Cup Butter melted and cooled (1 stick)
- 1 ¾ Cup Flour, All Purpose
- 2 Teaspoons Baking Powder
- 1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- 1 Teaspoon anise extract
- ½ Teaspoon anise seeds
- pinch of salt
Instructions
How to make anise pizzelle batter:
- Melt butter and allow to cool.
- In a mixing bowl with the paddle attachment, beat eggs and sugar until light yellow. 2-3 minutes on medium high speed.
- Add melted butter, vanilla extract, anise extract and anise seeds to the batter and stir until combined.
- In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, salt and the baking powder.
- Fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until just blended. Do not over mix.
How to cook lemon pizzelle cookies:
- Heat the pizzelle iron according to the manufacture instructions.
- Place 1 heaping tablespoon of batter into the center, back portion of the pizzelle press.
- Close the lid and bake for 40-50 seconds or until light golden in color.
- Remove from the iron with a chop stick and cool on a cooling rack.
- Repeat with the remaining batter.
Nutrition
Notes
What is the secret to keeping the perfect pizzelle crispy?
- As soon as the pizzelle come out of the pizzelle iron, lay them flat on a cooling rack.
- Do not stack the cookies because the steam will make them to lose their crispiness.
- Pizzelles need to breathe. Once all the pizzelle are cooked and cooled, allow them to air dry for a few hours.
Rosemary Lazzaro says
Delicious
Loretta says
Best pizzelles ever! I used my hand held iron they came out perfect thin and crispy!
Thank you for sharing!
Virginia Shepard says
FANTASTIC!! I just learned what pizzelles are. Ordered the iron and made the recipe. Dusted with powdered sugar. They are incredibly easy to make. And quick!
Sarah Mock says
yeah!!! I love to hear this Virginia! Have you tried my chocolate pizzelle recipe?
Sarah