Festive Gingerbread Pizzelle Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Why are my pizzelles not crunchy? ›

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.

The Pizzelles will harden as they cool on a wire rack, but If your pizzelles aren't thin and crispy when baked, you are probably either using too much pizzelle batter, or your pizzelle dough itself may be too thick. Try thinning it out with a bit of water or milk. Then put just enough dough to cover the pattern.

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.

If you have access to an oven, preheat it to 300 degrees. Stack the cookies on a sheet pan and place in the oven, then turn the oven off. Let cookies remain in warm oven for an hour or longer to dry out. This should help return some of the crispiness to the pizzelles.

As far as the fat used in pizzelle, some recipes will call for oil, others margarine, lard or Crisco. But having tried other fats, I always return to unsalted butter. They crisp up nicely, don't have an oily aftertaste, and cook to perfection in their special pizzelle press.

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.

A Crispy History

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.

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!

Do you have to grease a pizzelle iron? ›

You'll need to grease your uncoated pizzelle iron before getting the batter on there, and since we suggest using shortening or vegetable oil for best results, we always have a pastry brush on hand to get every little nook and cranny well coated.

Storage: Store Pizzelle at room temperature for up to 2 weeks (for best results, layer the cookies between pieces of parchment paper or wax paper). Freezer: Pack cooled Pizzelle in a sturdy container between layers of parchment or wax paper (they may get broken if they are just in plastic bags).

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

These oven-baked pizzelles are just as tasty as traditional pizzelles and you only need a cookie press and oven to make them. Serve with our pizzelle recipe and our pizzelle cannolis.

🙃 Make sure you clean your metal pizzelle iron properly and often!! While the iron is still hot use a stiff brush or wooden utensil to remove any crumbs and wipe down with paper towels. 🙃 You should also season your iron after every couple of uses. To do this heat add oil to your iron and heat up just until hot.

Soft cookies have a water concentration of 6% or higher – moisture being the variable in texture. To make cookies crispy, add less liquid or bake it in the oven for longer to dry out the dough.

The signature crinkle effect happens when the cookies spread and crack as they bake. If your cookies aren't crinkling, it might be because the dough is too warm (try chilling it for longer before baking), or the oven temperature might be too low (ensure your oven is correctly preheated).

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.

Crinkles Not Forming Properly

They're likely missing their sugar coats. Don't skimp on rolling your dough balls first in granulated sugar and then in icing sugar right before baking. It's this double-sugar combo that gives them their crinkly top.