Pizzelle Are Thin and Crisp Italian Christmas Cookies (2024)

FAQs

How to crisp up soggy pizzelles? ›

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.

You need to cool on a wire cooling rack, NOT a cookie sheet. They need to be on a cooling rack so that the steam can evaporate and they can get crispy. Do not put them on a baking sheet. After cooling & before you serve, dust with powdered sugar.

Pizzelle are also known as ferratelle, nevole or catarrette in some parts of Abruzzo, as ferratelle in Lazio, and as ferratelle, cancelle, or pizzelle in Molise.

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.

*Tip: Make sure you fully cool your pizzelles and do not cover for several hours as they will get mushy and soft – you want them to stay crispy! That's why I love my metal tin or glass containers – they keep them nice and fresh! I never close the lid too tight – they need to breathe!

Some people toss a piece of bread in with the cookies to help absorb any excess moisture. You could also re-crisp them by baking on a wire rack in a 300 degree F oven for a few minutes.

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.

Q: Why are my cookies not crisp enough? They are underbaked. Lower your oven temperature and bake longer but at a lower temperature. Using too much flour or the wrong kind of flour.

To keep crispy cookies crisp, you need to keep them away from moisture. Always store different types of cookies separately—soft cookies can cause crispy cookies to soften due to their extra moisture.

Notes and Tips... Oil - it could very well be that modern pizzelle makers are so "nonstick" that you do not need to use any cooking spray.

What is the official flavor of Italian pizzelle? ›

Traditionally, pizzelle are made with anise extract or anise oil, and that is my preferred flavor, but they can also be made with vanilla, lemon or orange extracts. Some folks dip pizzelle in chocolate, but I find that to be just a bit too much, and not very complimentary to the anise flavor.

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.

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.

the magic of Cornstarch

A secret weapon for achieving thickness in your cookies is cornstarch. Adding just a tablespoon or two to your dry ingredients helps create a softer, more tender texture. Cornstarch inhibits gluten development, ensuring that your cookies remain thick and chewy.

Many pizzelle recipes call for vegetable oil but I use half melted butter and half margarine. The oil in the margarine helps thin the batter a bit making it easier to pour into the iron and also helps create a crispier cookie. I posted a chocolate pizzelle recipe that uses all melted butter so check it out too!

Spread the food out in the air fryer basket. Set the machine to 375°F on the “air fry” setting and let it rip for three to five minutes. They reheat with surprising speed, so be sure to check on them after about two minutes and give the basket a shake.

Heat your pizzelle maker, grease it with a little olive oil and add a generous spoon of your batter. Remove the excess batter with a fork (and remember like Nonna to always clean the stove when you finish!).

If you use granulated sugar it's more likely to spread and become crispy. Find a recipe that uses dark brown sugar. The more moisture, the less spread and less spread means less crispy. Also recipes that call for beating the butter will give you more rise and softness as opposed to recipe as that ask for melted butter.

Preheating causes the teflon to expand a bit, closing up pores and micro-scratches in the surface. It is also common for oils from the past to form a polymerized layer on top of the teflon, making the pan more sticky.