Meyer Lemon Pizzelle Recipe on Food52 (2024)

FAQs

Why are my Pizzelles not crispy? ›

Avoid storing them in the refrigerator, as the moisture in the fridge can make them lose their crispness. Over time, pizzelle may become less crisp. If you notice they have lost their desired texture, you can try reheating them in the oven briefly to regain some of their crispness.

Some recipes use baking powder in their batter – this gives a slightly softer, thicker pizzelle.

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!

Our Top Pick: CucinaPro Pizzelle Baker

This CucinaPro delivers standout features, including a nonstick surface that helps the cookies to lift from the grid with ease and extra-thick baking plates for even heat distribution. For the pizzelle traditionalist, it's also available in a polished stainless steel interior.

It is also common to sandwich two pizzelle with cannoli cream (ricotta blended with sugar) or hazelnut spread. Pizzelle, while still warm, can also be rolled into a tubular shape using a wooden dowel to create cannoli shells.

Pizzelle are made on a pizzelle iron, which works a lot like a waffle iron. Add the batter to the heated iron (it usually only needs to be greased for the first batch), then close and cook for about 90 seconds.

What can I use instead of a pizzelle iron? ›

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.

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.

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.