Hometown Cooking with Shonna Slayton

Hi, I’m Shonna Slayton and I write for Entangled Teen. I’m excited to share one of my favorite Christmas treats with you. We make these Italian cookies every year, and it doesn’t feel like Christmas until I’ve tasted my first pizzelle. Though not Italian myself, I grew up in a small town with a heavy Italian influence. Mmm, do they know how to eat!

For these cookies you’ll need a pizzelle baker. They look like a waffle maker and run about $50. Since my family only uses the baker at Christmas, we pass ours around. Whoever has it last, keeps it, and gets it first the next year. You know Christmas is getting near when one of the aunts asks, “Who’s got the pizzelle iron?”

We’ve always used the recipe that comes in the baker. There are few ingredients, and a small amount of batter makes a lot. The cookie is not too sweet, and makes a great compliment to coffee or tea. Plus, they look fancy.

Pizzelle-cookies
Traditional Pizzelle Recipe
(makes about 80 of the 4-at-a-time small-sized.)

Ingredients:
6 eggs
1 ½ c sugar
1 c butter, melted
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp anise seed
3 ½ cups flour
4 tsp baking powder

Method:
1. Beat the eggs and sugar.
2. Add melted butter, vanilla, and anise seed.
3. Combine flour and baking powder, then add to egg mixture. (The batter will be thick.)
4. Oil and heat the pizzelle baker as directed.
5. Spoon the batter onto the surface. Follow directions for cooking time.

Tips: The amount depends on the size you are making. Start with less than a tsp and test how well that spreads. Place the batter slightly above the center to allow the batter to squish forward when you close the lid. Cook for about 40 seconds.