For years my neighbor would give us homemade pizzelles at Christmas time. This lovely Italian gentleman would make a batch of vanilla, and a batch of anise flavored. He inspired me to purchase my own pizzelle maker a number of years ago, and since then it has been one of my favorite Holiday activities with my daughter. If you have one collecting dust somewhere in your house, I hope I am inspiring you to dust it off and make a batch. They are not only delicious, but they look so much harder to make than they actually are.
If you have never made them, be forewarned that you most likely will not be a pro pizzelle baker right away. It definitely takes you a few batches to figure out exactly how much dough is the proper amount, and how long they need to cook. What’s funny with my daughter and I, is that for some reason we always feel the need to switch off right when one of us has finally gotten them right. Maybe it is our subconscious way of keeping a lot for ourselves.
Here is the recipe that I use and enjoy:
1 3/4 cups flour
2 tsps. baking powder
3 large eggs
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 tbsp. vanilla extract
Combine flour and baking powder in a small bowl. Place eggs and sugar in a medium bowl and beat with a hand mixer on medium speed for 1 minute until thickened.
On low speed, add the melted butter and vanilla in a steady stream and mix just until combined. Add the flour mixture just until combined.
Spray both sides of pizzelle mixer with cooking spray. Heat on medium setting.
Scoop about a tbsp. of dough in the center of each pizzelle mold and cook until lightly brown. With my pizzelle maker set at a 3, we found that 55 seconds was the perfect amount of cooking time. It may take you a few batches to get them how you want them.
Remove the pizzelles with a plastic spatula and cool on a wire rack.
When cool you can sift confectioners sugar on each cookie. If you want to step it up a notch, dip one side in melted chocolate and let set on a wax paper lined cookie sheet.
Buon Natale! Merry Christmas! Happy Holidays! Or happy eating!