Crispy Lemon Pizzelle

These lemon pizzelle cookies are crisp, delicate, and lightly sweet with a burst of fresh lemon flavor. A perfect addition to your holiday cookie trays or for gifting.

Course Dessert

Cuisine Italian

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 45

Total Time 1

Servings

Calories 82kcal

Author Tina Frank

Ingredients

1¾ cups all‑purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
⅛ teaspoon salt
¾ cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons fresh lemon zest from about 2 lemons
3 large eggs room temperature
¼ cup unsalted butter melted and cooled
¼ cup extra‑virgin olive oil or more butter if you prefer
2 teaspoons pure lemon extract
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Powdered sugar for dusting (optional)

Instructions

First, plug in your pizzelle maker so it’s nice and hot when you’re ready.
In a medium bowl, whisk 1 ¾ cups of flour, 2 teaspoons of baking powder, and ⅛ teaspoon of kosher salt.
In a bowl, rub 2 tablespoons of lemon zest into the sugar. This awakens the bright citrus aroma. Add 3 eggs and mix until the batter is smooth and starts to thicken.
Stir in the ¼ cup of melted butter, ¼ cup of olive oil, 2 teaspoons of lemon extract, and 1 teaspoon of pure vanilla extract until well combined.
Gently fold the dry mix into the wet ingredients, just until no streaks remain. The batter should feel thick, like cake batter, not runny.
Lightly grease the pizzelle iron. Drop about 1 tablespoon (or a heaping scoop) of batter onto the center of the iron. Close it and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, until the hissing stops and the edges look golden.
Use a silicone spatula to lift the pizzelle onto a wire rack. Let them cool completely to crisp up, don’t stack them too soon!
Once cooled, give your cookies a light dusting of powdered sugar if you're feeling fancy.

Notes

Rubbing the lemon zest directly into the sugar before adding other ingredients helps release the natural oils and boosts the lemon flavor throughout the batter.

Using a mix of butter and olive oil creates a crispy pizzelle with a slightly tender center. If you prefer a more traditional flavor, you can use all butter.

The batter should be thick, similar to cake batter. If it seems too runny, let it rest for about 15 minutes to firm up slightly before scooping.

Allow each pizzelle to cool completely on a wire rack before stacking or storing. This helps them crisp up and prevents them from getting soft or soggy.

Use a silicone spatula or wooden tool to remove the cookies so you don’t scratch your iron.

If your special iron runs hot, test your first pizzelle and adjust your cooking time as needed to get that golden, delicate finish.

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