Pizzelle, A Holiday Tradition Near to my Heart

We all have those recipes that bring a smile to our faces. It’s the ones that you made with someone special, who is no longer here, so all you have left are these special memories. Pulling out their old recipe cards with their handwriting gives me all sorts of emotions. The recipe that does it for me is pizzelles. My sister and I would make these with our dad every year around Christmas. We usually would get carried away and make about 100 of them. Pizzelles are a traditional Italian waffle cookie. We aren’t Italian, that I am aware of, but I would love to be able to ask my dad why he started making them in the first place. I guess there are some questions that I will have forever. Pizzelles are topped with powdered sugar, so I can just picture the mess we would make in his kitchen creating our perfect pizzelles. Every time we make these now my heart is filled with so many happy memories and so much love. I hope that they bring the same joy and lasting memories to your kitchen.

Makes 2 Dozen

Ingredients

3 eggs beaten
3/4 cups sugar
3/4 cup butter melted
3/4 cup of flour
1 tsp baking powder
2 tsp lemon extract
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 tsp anise extract
Convection sugar
1 tbsp grated lemon peel (optional)
Pizzelle Maker

Lemon on the left and Anise on the right

Instructions

In large bowl whisk eggs
Add in cooled melted butter
Mix in 3/4 cup sugar and flour
Add in 1 tsp baking powder
Split batter into two bowls
Add in one flavoring to each bowl of your choice. Our favorites are lemon and anise.
Spoon into pizzelle maker. About 2 tbsp per a side. Remember these are meant to be thin crispy treats.
Cook according to pizzelle maker instructions. Ours is about 2 minutes
Remove and set on cookie sheet to cool
Sprinkle with convection sugar
Top with grated lemon peel (optional)