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

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This lemonpizzelle recipe is a citrus variation of the classic pizzelle recipe and a delicious addition to your Christmas cookie recipe box. Thin and crisp, pizzelles are a classic Italian cookie and are a favorite to take to holiday cookie exchanges.

Lemon Pizzelle Recipe - Classic Christmas Cookie - Savoring The Good® (1)

These cookies are a variation of my chocolate pizzelle recipe as well as the classic anise pizzelle recipe. I would advise storing the anise cookies away from your other cookies.The aroma of the cooking cookies reminds me of summers gone by and lemonade popsicles and running through sprinklers.

Here is why this recipe is amazing:

  • My grandmother would make these for us each Christmas and there is a bit of nostalgia for me with this recipe.
  • A delicious variation of anise pizzels with out the licorish flavoring.
  • Easy step by step photo insturctions will give you the formula for success.

Ingredients need:

  • eggs
  • sugar
  • butter, melted and cooled
  • flour
  • Lemon Zest
  • baking powder
  • pinch of salt

How to make this recipe:

Lemon Pizzelle Recipe - Classic Christmas Cookie - Savoring The Good® (2)

How to make lemon pizzelle batter

  1. Melt butter and allow to cool.
  2. In a mixing bowl with the paddle attachment, beat eggs and sugar until light yellow. 2-3 minutes on medium high speed.Lemon Pizzelle Recipe - Classic Christmas Cookie - Savoring The Good® (3)
  3. Add melted butter, lemon zest to the batter and stir until combined.
  4. In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, salt and the baking powder.
  5. Fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until just blended. Do not over mix.

How to cook the pizzells:

  1. Heat the pizzelle iron according to the manufacture instructions. Lemon Pizzelle Recipe - Classic Christmas Cookie - Savoring The Good® (4)
  2. Place 1 heaping tablespoon of batter into the center, back portion of the pizzelle press.Lemon Pizzelle Recipe - Classic Christmas Cookie - Savoring The Good® (5)
  3. Close the lid and bake for 40-50 seconds or until light golden in color.
  4. Remove from the iron with a chop stick and cool on a cooling rack.
  5. Repeat with the remaining batter.

Frequently asked questions, answers and tips:

Top tips:

Break off the excess edges to clean up the cookies
Allow the cookies to cool completely and air our for several hours after cooing.
Make pizzelles in the winter when the humidity is lower.

How do you clean a pizzelle iron?

Wipe a pizzelle iron clean with a damp cloth, and then dry the iron. Remove any burnt-on dough with a brush or other non-metal implement. If your model of iron has removable cooking plates, follow manufacture instructions for cleaning. DO NOT SUBMERGE AN ELECTRIC PIZZELLE IRON IN WATER.

Why do my pizzelle not taste the best straight out of the iron?

Pizzelles need to 'mature' or 'bloom' over time. The flavors mature 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.

How do you 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 a cookie or metal tins. Just like grandma had.

Can you freeze Pizzelles?

The key to freezing pizzelle cookies is to make sure they are completely cool. Then, wrap them 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.

How do I make my Pizzelles crisp again?

If the humidity gets to the pizzelles, making them soft, they can be made fresh again by placing the pizzelles on a cookie sheet and bake them for just under two minutes in an oven preheated to 350. The dry heat of the oven will pull some of the moisture in the pizzelles, keeping them crisp and freshen them up.

More cookie recipes:

  • Hershey kiss cookie
  • Chocolate Pizzelle Cookies
  • Almond Biscotti Recipe
  • Scotcheroos recipe
  • Gluten-free Christmas cookies

📖 Recipe

Lemon Pizzelle Recipe - Classic Christmas Cookie - Savoring The Good® (6)

Lemon Pizzelle Recipe

Sarah Mock

These lemon pizzelles will be a delicious addition to your Christmas cookie recipe box. Learn about the secret to perfect pizzelle cookies.

4.58 from 101 votes

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Note From Sarah

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!

Prep time for the recipePrep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook time for the recipeCook Time 1 minute min

total time to prep and cook the recipe.Total Time 11 minutes mins

Course Cookie Recipes

Cuisine Italian

Makes 20 cookies

Per Serving 122 kcal

Ingredients

Instructions

How to make lemon 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, lemon zest 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?

  1. As soon as the pizzelle come out of the pizzelle iron, lay them flat on a cooling rack.
  2. Do not stack the cookies because the steam will make them to lose their crispiness.
  3. Pizzelles need to breathe. Once all the pizzelle are cooked and cooled, allow them to air dry for a few hours.

Nutrition

Serving: 1 | Calories: 122kcal | Carbohydrates: 16g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 40mg | Sodium: 103mg | Sugar: 8g

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.

Lemon Pizzelle Recipe - Classic Christmas Cookie - Savoring The Good® (7)

👩🏻‍🍳 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.

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    About Sarah Mock

    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.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

      Leave a Reply

    1. Amelia (Amy)

      Dear Sarah Moch , I’ve made these a million times , but I’m a 91 year old Italian and most often used anise , and others but not lemon . I will surely make some lemon , sounds awesome . Just want to mention that I often let the pizzelle get soft so family could enjoy an ice cream sandwich without the cookie crumbling while eating it . They asked me and it works great . Thank you for sharing your recipe . Sincerely , Amelia

      Reply

    2. aurora young

      I have been trying to make these but don't seem to have it right yet. When you say heaping tablespoon of dough are you using a regular dinner tablespoon or a measuring spoon tablespoon? Mother-in-law made the pizzells all the time but I don't have her recipe now that she is gone. Help me please!!!!

      Reply

      • Sarah Mock

        If you have Pampered Chef scoops (hello bridal shower gifts from the '90's!) I use the small scoop but I don't scrape it. I just scoop and dump. Play with it and see what works for you. You will get into a rhythm and find what works for you.

        Reply

    3. Portia

      Lemon Pizzelle Recipe - Classic Christmas Cookie - Savoring The Good® (12)

      Reply

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

    FAQs

    Why are my pizzelles not crispy? ›

    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.

    What ethnicity are pizzelle cookies? ›

    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.

    What is another name for pizzelle cookies? ›

    It is known to be one of the oldest cookies and is probably to have developed from the ancient Roman crustulum. Pizzelle are also known as ferratelle or nevole in some parts of Abruzzo, as ferratelle in Lazio, and as ferratelle, cancelle, or pizzelle in Molise.

    Why are my pizzelles sticking to the pizzelle maker? ›

    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!

    How do you make cookies less crispy? ›

    How To Make Cookies Chewy Without Cornstarch
    1. Go heavy on brown sugar. It has more moisture than its granulated counterpart, which means the cookie comes out less crispy. ...
    2. Choose margarine or shortening instead of butter. ...
    3. Use baking powder instead of baking soda. ...
    4. Rest your dough. ...
    5. Shorten baking time.
    May 14, 2023

    Should I spray my pizzelle maker? ›

    Preheat the pizzelle iron. Mine has a sort of non-stick coating, but it has seen better days – so I spray a bit of "cooking spray" at the beginning and at various moments throughout only as needed (and usually it's not needed).

    What does pizzelle mean in Italian? ›

    Also known by the names ferratelle or cancelle, pizzelle means little pizza and comes from the Italian word “pizze,” meaning round or flat.

    What is the original flavor of pizzelles? ›

    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.

    What is the oldest cookie in history? ›

    Pizzelles are the oldest known cookie and originated in the mid-section of Italy. They were made many years ago for the “Festival of the Snakes” also known as the “Feast Day of San Domenico”.

    What brand is the best for pizzelle maker? ›

    Our Top Pick: CucinaPro Pizzelle Baker

    There is also a clamp on the end of the handles to keep the batter level. Apart from producing two 5-inch cookies at once in two different designs, it's also easy to clean thanks to the high-quality nonstick coating.

    What is the most popular Italian cookie? ›

    Most Popular Italian Cookies
    • Amaretti. These lovely almond-flavoured biscotti were supposedly first made during the Middle Ages. ...
    • Ricciarelli. ...
    • Baci di dama. ...
    • Chocolate-Pistachio Biscotti. ...
    • Savoiardi. ...
    • Canestrelli. ...
    • Biscotti al Cocco. ...
    • Pizzelle.
    Oct 22, 2020

    What is the Norwegian version of pizzelle? ›

    Krumkake is a Norwegian waffle cookie, like an Italian Pizzelle, made with a flat press that is rolled into a cone shape.

    What is the best way to clean a pizzelle iron? ›

    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. Let it cool back down and wipe your iron with a paper towel.

    Can you use a waffle iron as a pizzelle maker? ›

    Put 2 tablespoons of batter in the iron (depending on how big your waffle iron is), close the lid and cook until golden. Turn the iron it over halfway through to ensure even cooking. Repeat with the remaining batter, then dust with icing sugar and serve immediately.

    What can I use instead of a pizzelle iron? ›

    Oven Baked Pizzelles (no pizzelle maker required!)

    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.

    Why did my pizzelle go soft? ›

    *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!

    How do you fix soggy pizzelles? ›

    If your pizzelle have softened, you can re-crisp them in the oven. Preheat your oven to 300°F (150°C). Arrange the pizzelle in a single layer on a baking sheet and bake them for about 5-10 minutes. ​Let them cool completely on a wire rack before enjoying them.

    Why are my cookies soft instead of crispy? ›

    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.

    Why are my cookies flat and crispy? ›

    OVEN IS TOO HOT

    Oven temperatures are a crucial factor in baking. If your cookies consistently come out flat, you may have selected the wrong baking temperature. If you bake cookies using too much heat, the fats in the dough begin to melt before the other ingredients can cook together and form your cookie's rise.

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