These Gingerbread Pizzelle are fragrant with spices and molasses which make them perfect for Christmas gift giving. While Pizzelle are often flavoured with anise, lemon or vanilla in their home of Abruzzo, the easy batter can be adapted to whatever takes your fancy.
Lemon Pizzelle are among my favourite but by far the most popular flavour I have make is my Chocolate Pizzelle. However these Gingerbread Pizzelle are so delicious and festive, it's all I want to be nibbling on at this time of the year. Simplicity is the beauty of the Gingerbread Pizzelle batter but the finished cookie looks exquisite.
If you love gingerbread as much as I do, don't stop here. You must make my gingerbread cookies without molasses. They are amazing!!
Pizzelle are not a cookie I grew up with but when I saw these gorgeous things on US food blogs I just knew it would be my type of cookie. I read all I could about these cookies and the irons that create the thin, crisp wafer. When I blogged about them in my very early days of blogging, I innocently reworded someone else's description of pizzelle. That caused quite an upset with that particular blogger who called me some terrible names and threatened legal action! So nervous and panicked I was that I immediately pulled down the entire post. It just disappeared. Now I think back and realise how awful one blogger was to another. It's one of the very few down moments in my 8 years of blogging. Just be kind to one another. It's that simple.
It seems like at this time of the year we are all super busy and we overload ourselves with expectations. What's important is just to be kind to one another. It will make all the difference to someone and you may not even know it.
Gingerbread Pizzelle Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 large eggs
- ⅔ cup (140 grams) white sugar
- ½ cup (125mls) light olive oil or other light tasting oil
- 3 tablespoons (45mls) molasses
- 1 ¾ cup (280 grams) all purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon fine salt
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 2 teaspoons ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon allspice
- ¼ teaspoon cloves
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
- powdered (icing) sugar for dusting
Instructions
- In a medium bowl whisk eggs and sugar until combined.
- Whisk in oil and the molasses.
- Add in the flour, salt, vanilla and spices
- Heat the pizzelle maker on stove top, or if electric plug in unit.
- Drop tablespoon of batter onto iron and bake until golden light brown in colour.
- Remove and cool on wire rack.
- Dust with powdered (icing) sugar.
- Store cooled cookies in sealed containers
Nutritional Information Per Serving
Nutritional Disclaimer
Nutritional information is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. For accurate results, it is recommended that the nutritional information be calculated based on the ingredients and brands you use.
Nina
Hi, I love the pattern on your pizzelles in the photo, where did you find such a pattern? Love this recipe too!
Marcellina
I purchased my pizzelle iron at Costante Imports in Melbourne, Australia. They are imported from Italy and I'd imagine available globally. They are produced in Italy by CBE ELETTRODOMESTICI. Hope that helps.
Sue
I recently purchased a pizzelle maker, something I have desired for a long time. So I am eager to try all kinds of these delicious, light Italian sweet treats. These were good. I didn't have light olive oil so used sunflower oil as that is what I had. One issue I have is that the recipe list has molasses but in the directions there is no reference to when to add it to the batter. I decided it must go with the wet ingredients prior to adding the dry. They baked up fast and were easy to measure, lovely consistency. I added a 1/2 teaspoon extra vanilla and I cut back on the ginger but next time I will add what the recipe calls for. They are beautiful with the powdered sugar on top. Who says gingerbread is only for Christmas.
Marcellina
Sue, I'm so glad you enjoyed this recipe and using your new pizzelle maker. Thanks for noticing the typo. I've fixed it now. Yes, you're correct - it goes in with the wet ingredients. And yes, absolutely! Who says gingerbread is only for Christmas! Gingerbread is delicious all year round!
Wanda
Oh my, these are so good!! This will be my go-to recipe for pizzelles now!
Marcellina
Hi Wanda, thanks for the fantastic feedback! I'm delighted to know how much you loved them!
Jill June
I made these gingerbread pizzelles and then another batch with anise. This is the BEST pizzelle recipe I have ever used. The olive oil must be the secret ingredient. I've always used butter up until now. THANK YOU!
Marcellina
Jill, I am over the moon that you love these as much as I do!! Yes, you could be right. I've tried these with butter and they're not quite as good. The olive oil versions are excellent. You are so very welcome!!
Peg
Hello and Seasons Greetings from. Boston, MA, USA. I want to try these delicious looking Gingerbread Pizzelle. I notice you use olive oil instead of butter. Is there any reason? The reason I ask is because all the recipe's I have seen state not to use oil. I do have light olive oil.
Thank you in advance.
Marcellina
Hello Peg! How lovely to hear from you! Traditionally Pizzelle are made with oil and not butter. Probably because pizzelle originate in Abruzzo which is in mid to south Italy. There it is more common to use oil in recipes. Whereas in the north where there are a lot of dairy cows it is more common to use butter. I like oil because it is convenient - no having to melt butter and letting it cool. However, in saying that, this week I made my first batch of vanilla pizzelle with butter and I really liked them like that. So, I think you could use either and I just may have to add a footnote to my recipe now that I have tried it. Oil is just easier, I think 😉
Best wishes to you for Christmas and the New Year from sunny North Queensland! Baci xx