These are my Grandma Yola’s pizzelles: a big, old-school 12-egg batch that turns into stacks of light, crisp Italian waffle cookies. The original card calls for orange extract, but the same base works with almond, lemon, or anise, so you can run different flavors off the same batter.
Snapshot
- Implements: large mixing bowl; hand or stand mixer; rubber spatula; measuring cups and spoons; pizzelle iron; wire racks
- Heat setting: preheated pizzelle iron (medium or “cookie” setting, per your model)
- Batch size: about 7–8 dozen pizzelles, depending on iron size
Ingredients
Pizzelle batter
- 12 large eggs
- 3½ cups granulated sugar
- 3 sticks margarine (1½ cups), melted and cooled to room temp
- 1–2 small bottles pure orange extract
- 1–2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 6 cups all-purpose flour, plus a little extra if the batter seems too thin
- ¼ teaspoon fine salt
Flavor swaps
Instead of orange extract, you can use the same amount of:
- Almond extract
- Lemon extract
- Anise extract
or mix and match (for example: mostly orange with a little vanilla, or half almond and half vanilla).
Optional for serving
- Powdered sugar for dusting
Method
Preheat the pizzelle iron.
Plug in your pizzelle iron and let it heat while you mix the batter. If your iron isn’t nonstick, give it a very light spray of oil and wipe off any excess with a paper towel.
Beat eggs and sugar.
In a large bowl, beat the 12 eggs until they’re well broken up and a little frothy. Add the sugar and beat until the mixture is thickened and lighter in color; it should look a bit like pale cake batter. Traditional pizzelle recipes use this step to build structure and crispness.
Add margarine and flavorings.
Pour in the melted, cooled margarine and mix until fully combined. Stir in the orange (or almond/lemon/anise) extract and vanilla.
Add dry ingredients.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour and salt. Add this dry mixture to the egg mixture in 2–3 additions, stirring just until smooth each time. The batter should be thick but scoopable (heavier than pancake batter, lighter than bread dough).
- If it feels runny and wants to pour instead of mound on a spoon, stir in a bit more flour, 2–4 tablespoons at a time, until it thickens.
Cook the pizzelles.
Place about 1 tablespoon of batter in the center of each pattern on the hot iron (your iron may like a little more or less; adjust after the first couple).
Close the iron and cook until the steam has mostly subsided and the cookies are a light golden color, usually 30–90 seconds depending on your machine and how dark you like them.
Use a thin spatula or fork to lift each pizzelle onto a wire rack. They’ll still feel a bit flexible when hot but crisp up as they cool.
Cool and store.
Let pizzelles cool completely before stacking so they stay crisp. Once cool, dust with powdered sugar if you like. Store in an airtight tin or container at room temperature; they keep well for weeks, which is part of their holiday magic.
Notes, swaps, and guardrails
Flavor choices
Orange is the flavor on the original card, but almond, lemon, or anise extract all work beautifully. Anise is the most traditional Italian version; lemon and orange are bright and floral; almond reads more “classic cookie.”
About the “bottles” of extract
Old family recipes often call for “1 small bottle” of extract. Most grocery-store baking extracts are about 1 ounce / 30 ml, which is 2 tablespoons. Use 1 bottle for a gentler flavor or 2 for a more assertive one, especially with citrus or almond. (If you’re using anise oil, which is stronger than extract, you’ll want much less.)
Batch size and scaling down
Twelve eggs make a lot of pizzelles. For a half batch, use: 6 eggs, 1¾ cups sugar, 1½ sticks margarine, ½–1 small bottle extract, ½–1 teaspoon vanilla, 3 cups flour, and a pinch of salt. The method is exactly the same.
Texture tuning
Thicker batter + slightly longer cook time = a crisper, sturdier cookie. Slightly thinner batter + shorter cook time = a more delicate, lighter cookie. Start with a test pizzelle and adjust the amount of batter and time until you like the thickness and color.
Extra-rich variation (family note)
The handwritten card notes that 4 sticks of margarine “worked good” too. That version will be a little richer and more tender; if you try it, expect the batter to spread a touch more in the iron.