These Easy Lemon Pizzelle are a bright and citrusy twist on the classic Italian waffle cookie. Simply whip up the batter and drop it onto a pizzelle maker for a light, crispy treat. Pizzelle are traditionally served on holidays such as Christmas, but these lemon pizzelle are perfect for Easter, or any time you want a light dessert.
At my last Christmas cookie swap, I had a friendly debate on whether or not these qualify as "cookies". Then I got to thinking, "What makes a cookie-a-cookie"? Frankly, if it's delicious, sweet, portable, and I can eat it with my hands, it's a cookie!
Pizzelles are similar to waffles in that you prepare a batter, add your flavoring, and drop it onto a special iron, known as a pizzelle maker. The batter comes together quickly, requires no resting time, and is pretty foolproof.
These Italian lemon pizzelle do not have the traditional almond flavor, but I just love the brightness of the citrus. With one easy swap, you can make the more traditional flavors, but I promise the lemon will have you hooked.
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Why you will love this recipe
- Easy to make
- No-bake
- Stores well
- Light and crispy
- You can customize the flavors
- Cookies can be eaten plain or used to make ice cream sandwiches!
- Festive choice for a cookie swap
- Perfect for Easter, Christmas, or Mother's Day
What are pizzelle?
Pizzelle are traditional Italian waffle cookies that are thin and crisp. The word "pizzelle" comes from the Italian word "pizze," meaning round and flat. They are typically made using a special iron or press with decorative patterns.
The batter for pizzelle usually consists of flour, eggs, sugar, and butter or vegetable oil. While recipes using traditional flavors such as anise, almond, or vanilla have been passed down through generations, trendy flavors such as pumpkin or chocolate are becoming more popular.
Ingredients
Here is what you will need to make Italian lemon pizzelle.
- Flour- All-purpose. I like to sift the flour after measuring it to keep the batter light.
- Baking powder- Gives them a slight rise.
- Sugar- White granulated sugar for sweetness.
- Eggs- Large eggs.
- Lemon extract- Or lemon paste.
- Butter- Unsalted and melted.
- Lemon zest or lemon oil (see below)- You will use the zest of 4 whole lemons!
- Powdered sugar for dusting
See the recipe card for quantities.
Equipment
Ok, there's one catch. You will need a pizzelle maker. There is really no way around this. This is the one I use, and I've had it for years.
You will also need some mixing bowls, a whisk, a sifter or fine-mesh sieve, and a cookie scoop.
Step-by-step directions
After your first few cookies, you will get the feel for the batter and your particular pizzelle maker. Don't worry if they are not perfectly round (like the example in step 7), they will still taste delicious!
Step 1. In a medium bowl, sift together the flour and baking powder; set aside. In a small bowl, add the zest of 2 lemons with the sugar. Rub the zest in with your hands until the sugar is fragrant.
Step 2. In another bowl, whisk the eggs and the lemon sugar for about 30 seconds until the mixture is a pale yellow. Add lemon extract or paste.
Step 3. Pour the egg mixture into the flour mixture. Stir to combine. The batter will be dry.
Step 4. Add the melted butter to the flour/egg mixture in two additions, stirring between each one until just combined.
Step 5. Add the lemon zest and stir to combine- do not overmix.
Step 6. Drop the batter by heaping tablespoons (or use a cookie scoop) onto the center of the patterns.
Step 7. Close the lid and cook as per the manufacturer's directions, or until lightly golden brown- about 3 minutes.
Step 8. Lay the cooked waffles on a flat surface and allow them to cool. Dust with powdered sugar.
**For the most lemon flavor, omit all of the lemon zest (including the lemon in the sugar) and lemon extract, and add 1.5 teaspoon of lemon oil instead. Lemon oil is a specialty ingredient and not typically available in stores, but you can purchase it from Amazon or King Arthur Flour.
👩🍳Expert tips
- The batter will be thick and appear gummy. This is completely normal.
- Follow the manufacturer's directions for heating your pizzelle maker. I cook mine between a 3 and 4 on my particular model.
- Don't crowd the pizzelle maker. Use a cookie scoop to drop the batter right in the middle. I use a #60 cookie scoop, which holds 1 tbsp+½ teaspoon of batter, or 0.54 ounces. If you don't have a cookie scoop, drop a heaping tablespoon of batter instead.
- Pizzelles are ready when they are lightly browned. They will still be soft when you remove them from the iron. They will harden after a few minutes.
- Make sure the pizzelles are completely cool before adding the powdered sugar, or the sugar will melt.
Variations
Omit the lemon zest and try some of these different extracts or spices.
- Anise- Stick to the traditional by adding anise extract or ground anise seeds for a mild licorice-like taste.
- Almond- Use almond extract.
- Vanilla- Classic and a crowd-pleaser.
- Cinnamon- Add a pinch of ground cinnamon to the batter for a warm and comforting taste.
- Pumpkin Spice- Add pumpkin puree and warm spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves for a seasonal variation.
- Espresso- Mix in instant espresso powder or finely ground coffee for a coffee-infused variation.
- Lemon-lavender- These flavors work so well together, like in these shortbread cookies. To make lemon-lavender pizzelles, keep the lemon zest and add 2 teaspoons of culinary lavender for a unique twist.
How to serve lemon pizzelle
We love to eat them with powdered sugar, plus they look so pretty with a light dusting. You can also eat them plain, or try some of these fun ideas!
- Dipped in chocolate: Melt white or dark chocolate and dip one end of the lemon pizzelles into the chocolate. Allow them to cool and set before serving.
- Sandwich with jam: Create sandwich cookies by spreading a layer of lemon curd or jam between two pizzelles.
- Fresh berries: Arrange lemon pizzelles on a plate and serve them alongside fresh berries like strawberries, blueberries, or raspberries.
- Ice cream sandwiches: Make ice cream sandwiches by placing a scoop of vanilla ice cream between two lemon pizzelles. Try it with my no-churn pistachio ice cream!
- Accompanying tea or coffee: Lemon pizzelles make an excellent accompaniment to tea or coffee.
Storage and make-ahead tips
Pizzelle can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks. Make sure they have a good seal, or the pizzelle may become soft.
FAQ
You should defer to the manufacturer's directions for your particular model. I do give mine a quick coat with non-stick cooking spray, but I find I only need it after pre-heating. I do not apply each time.
Looking for other Italian favorites?
Try some of these popular recipes.
Made this recipe? I'd love to hear about it. Please leave a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating and comment below the recipe. Snapped a photo? Tag @brunchandbatter on Instagram so I can see your creation!
📖Recipe
Easy Lemon Pizzelle
Equipment
- pizzelle iron/maker
- mixing bowls and measuring spoons
- sifter or fine mesh sieve
- whisk
- cookie scoop optional
Ingredients
Lemon Sugar
- 1 cup white granulated sugar
- 2 large lemons, zested (4 tablespoons zest)
Lemon Pizzelle
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 4 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 cup lemon sugar (see above)
- 2 teaspoon lemon extract or lemon paste
- 10 tbsp (1 stick+2 tbsp) unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
- 2 large lemons, zested (4 tablespoons zest)
- powdered sugar for dusting
Instructions
Lemon Sugar
- In a small bowl, combine the sugar and the lemon zest. Using your fingertips, rub the sugar and the lemon zest together until the sugar is fragrant and lightly yellow. Set aside until ready to make the pizzelle. *This will ensure the oils release from the zest, infusing more lemon flavor into your pizzelle.2 large lemons, zested (4 tablespoons zest), 1 cup white granulated sugar
Lemon Pizzelle
- Preheat the pizzelle maker according to the manufacturer's instructions.
- In a medium bowl, sift together the flour and the baking powder.2 cups all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder
- In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs and all of the lemon sugar until the mixture is pale yellow (about 30 seconds). Add the lemon extract (or paste) and whisk to combine.4 large eggs, room temperature, 2 teaspoon lemon extract or lemon paste, 1 cup lemon sugar (see above)
- Add the flour mix to the egg mixture, alternating with the melted butter until combined. Fold in the lemon zest and stir until just combined (batter will be thick). Do not overmix.10 tablespoon (1 stick+2 tbsp) unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled, 2 large lemons, zested (4 tablespoons zest)
- Using a cookie scoop, drop the batter onto the hot pizzelle iron (place the batter right in the middle of the patterns). Cook per manufacturer's directions until lightly golden brown. The cookies will be soft at first but will crisp up after removing them. Lay the cookies flat to cool. Repeat with the remaining batter. When the cookies are cool, dust them with powdered sugar.powdered sugar for dusting
Notes
- The batter will be thick and appear gummy. This is completely normal.
- Follow the manufacturer's directions for heating your pizzelle maker. I cook mine between a 3 and 4 on my particular model.
- Don't crowd the pizzelle maker. Use a cookie scoop to drop the batter right in the middle of each pattern. I use a #60 cookie scoop, which holds 1 tbsp+½ teaspoon of batter, or 0.54 ounces. If you don't have a cookie scoop, drop a heaping tablespoon of batter instead.
- Your pizzelles are ready when they are very lightly browned. They will still be soft when you remove them from the iron. They will harden after a few minutes.
- Make sure your pizzelles are completely cool before adding the powdered sugar, or the sugar will melt.
Nutrition*
*Nutrition information is an estimate and provided as a courtesy. Actual values may vary based on ingredients, measurements, and substitutions.
Carrie Robinson says
what if you don't have a pizzell maker? What else can you make them in? will a waffle iron work?
Jennifer says
Hi!
Unfortunately, pizzelles are meant to be made with a specialized iron called a pizzelle maker. They are meant to very thin and crispy, so a traditional waffle maker won't work. You can try them on a griddle or panini press so they flatten, but I have not tested the recipe using this method. If you do try it this way, I would love to hear if it works!
Ell says
Baking powder is listed in the recipe. In the directions baking soda is sifted with the flour with baking powder as an after thought. What am I misunderstanding?
Jennifer says
Hi! Thank you for reaching out. The baking soda should have read baking powder, sorry about that! I corrected the recipe just now to say baking powder. Let me know if you make them.
Angel says
I was disappointed in this recipe because I couldn’t taste the lemon. I used a little extra lemon extract and they still didn’t taste like lemon.
Jennifer says
Sorry to hear you didn't find them lemony. The zest of 2 lemons should equal about 2 tablespoons of zest, so if you used smaller lemons, or you zested some of the white pith, that could have made them more bitter tasting them lemony. If you decide to make them again, you could could always increase the amount of zest.
Olga Z says
Yum. I borrowed a pizzelle maker from a friend to make these, and it was so fun to use. Very subtle lemon taste which I loved. I hate cloying lemon (fake) baked goods so this hit the spot. My kids love them too. Perfect with a cup of tea. Thank you brunchandbatter!
Kathleen K DiFranco says
This was a very easy recipe and the pizzelles turned out great. I personally would have liked a stronger lemon taste. I did use lemon extract instead of vanilla. I will definitely make these again trying a little more zest and lemon extract.
Jennifer says
Great to hear they were a hit!
Nycole says
Hi! I tried your recipe, the lemon extract and zest was not enough lemony, I used a "true lemon" powder which is a dried version of lemon juice (not to confuse with dry lemon drink to mix with water, it has no sugar, it is made with natural dried lemon) which I add approximately 3-4 tsp of this powder. I think it made a difference. Thank you!
Jennifer says
I like that idea. You could always try pure lemon oil for cooking (which is quite lemony), but it's not something that people generally have in their pantry, so I just stick to zest or lemon extract/paste. Glad you found something that worked for you!