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

FAQs

Why are my pizzelles not crispy? ›

There are a few reasons why your pizzelle might not be crispy: Humidity – If you live in a very humid climate it can affect the crispiness of your cookies. Cooling – You must cool your cookies completely before storing. They need to cool completely on a cooling rack before being stored.

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!

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.

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.

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.

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.

“We always had pizzelle at the Easter and Christmas holidays.

🙃 Add oil, shortening, or butter to the iron for your first two cookies. You shouldn't need to add more each time. 🙃 Make sure your iron is at full heat before trying to make your first two cookies. If the heat is too low the batter is more likely to stick.

What is the best container to store pizzelles in? ›

How to Store Pizzelles. Make sure the cookies are completely cool before storage. Place them in an airtight container or zip-top storage bag and store at room temperature for up to two weeks.

To season the iron, coat the plates with a vegetable oil and heat on the stove for 5-10 minutes. Flip the iron every minute or so, to heat both sides evenly.

Place 1-2 pizzelle in strainer to soften the cookie, about 10-15 seconds. When cookie is pliable, quickly remove from strainer and form into desired shell shape (taco, cannoli, cone or flower).

The original pizzelle irons would have had long handles and would have been heated over a hearth prior to use. A dough mixed with flour, sugar and eggs would be mixed and spooned onto the hot iron face and then held tightly together over the fire until the pizzelle was formed, golden brown and crispy.

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.

So if you're hoping for a crispy cookie, try using more granulated sugar. Granulated sugar absorbs moisture better, giving you the nice crispy texture you're craving! Weirdly enough, eggs also contribute to soft cookies.