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.
For those new here I also have a runaway popular post on how to clean a sticky wooden banister.
Quick! Before you forget, click here to save this recipe to Pinterest.
Jump to:
- What do anise seeds taste like?
- What ingredients do you need to make anise pizzelles?
- How to make anise pizzelle batter:
- How to cook crisp anise pizzelle cookies:
- ❄️ Storage tips
- What is the best way keep Pizzelles fresh?
- Can you freeze anise Pizzelles?
- 📝 FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS, ANSWERS AND TIPS:
- 👩🍳 Chef Tip
- Anise Pizzelle Recipe
- 👩🏻🍳 Sarah Mock
- Comments
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?
- eggs
- sugar
- butter, melted and cooled
- vanilla extract
- anise extract
- anise seed
- flour
- baking powder
- salt
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.
❄️ Storage tips
What is the best way keep Pizzelles fresh?
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.
Can you freeze anise Pizzelles?
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.
- Peanut butter blossom cookie - It takes just under an hour to make these easy cookies all year long to satisfy both your sweet and salty tooth.
- Chocolate pizzelle recipe - I share with you the secret to perfect pizzelle cookies and why this is the best cocoa pizzelle recipe.
- Anise pizzelle - One of my favorite Christmas cookie recipe is my grandmother's recipe. Golden brown, thin and crispy pizzelles are a MUST for any holiday cookie tray.
📝 FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS, ANSWERS 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.
👩🍳 Chef 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.
Anise Pizzelle Recipe
There is more to a recipe than just the recipe card. Frequently Asked Questions within the blog post that you may find helpful. Simply scroll back up to read them!
HELPFUL KITCHEN TOOLS
Ingredients
- 3 large eggs
- ¾ cup sugar
- ½ cup butter (melted and cooled (1 stick))
- 1 ¾ cup flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon anise extract
- ½ teaspoons 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.
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.
Nutrition
Nutrition Disclosure
Nutritional facts are estimates and are provided as a courtesy to the reader. Please utilize your own brand nutritional values to double check against our estimates. Nutritional values are calculated via a third party. Changing ingredients, amounts or cooking technique will alter the estimated nutritional calculations.
Sharing of this recipe to social media is both encouraged and appreciated. Please share the direct link back to the recipe. Copy/Pasting and/or screenshots of the recipe to any social media is strictly prohibited. Content and photographs are copyright protected. SavoringTheGood®
👩🏻🍳 Sarah Mock
CEO/Owner/Founder/Culinary Blogger
Sarah Mock is a classically trained Chef and graduate of Johnson & Wales University. A culinary blogger for 14 years Sarah helps the home cook prepare her recipes with professional results.
Sarah Mock
yeah!!! I love to hear this Virginia! Have you tried my chocolate pizzelle recipe?
Sarah
Virginia Shepard
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!