Italian Pizzelle waffle cookies are some of the most iconic holiday cookies around – my gluten free pizzelle recipe brings them back to everyone who thought they’d never be able to enjoy them again.
Dusted with powdered sugar or topped with hazelnut spread, these fancy cookies are much easier than they look to make. All you need is a pizzelle iron, and you’ll be in the fancy cookie business in no time!
The origin of these Italian wafers is not exactly known, but they’ve been around long enough to have earned a place in the cookie history books. In fact, they’re generally referred to as the world’s oldest cookie!
The name comes from the Italian word “pizze”, meaning round and flat (reminds me of something else delicious that’s Italian, round and flat with “pizze” in the name!).
My easy gluten free pizzelle batter may also be used for Norwegian Krumkake, and when a warm pizzelle is wrapped around a small dowel or cone, it also makes wonderful Russian Trubochki (cream horns).
Instead of the familiar ricotta cheese-based cannoli filling, I’ve made a slightly sweet cream filling that will please every palate, but certainly feel free to fill these with your favorite cream recipe, if you’d prefer.
I’ve provided dairy-free and vegan ingredient options for those who need it. I will say that everything I bake is dairy-free, and the vegan butters and cream cheeses listed are fantastic, so don’t hesitate to use those. There’s no reason to miss any of the yumminess the holidays have to offer, just because you’re gluten free or have other dietary restrictions.
Embrace them and make your favorite recipes anyway! With my gfJules Gluten Free Flour, anything is possible — even light and delicate cookies like these! Thanks to companies making more and more dairy-free and vegan ingredients, nearly anything can be made just as deliciously free of dairy or eggs, too!
By the way, if you don’t already have a pizzelle iron, you’re going to need one for this recipe. Here is the one I have that I love* (I chose the polished surface, not non-stick, because it doesn’t seem to need it at all, by the way).
They’re not very expensive, and in the summer when you may not be making as many gluten free pizzelles (or maybe you will be!), you can use it to make homemade gluten free waffle cones! Check out my recipe for homemade gluten free waffle cones using these gluten free pizzelles as the base.
(Add to your Santa list with these other great gluten free gift ideas!)
Gluten Free Pizzelle Recipe
Gluten free Pizzelles are delightful, light and crispy wafer cookies hailing from Italy.
Ingredients
Pizzelle
- 10 Tbs. butter or vegan alternative, melted and cooled (e.g. Earth Balance® Buttery Sticks)
- 3 eggs, beaten (OR for vegan: 2 Tbs. flaxseed meal mixed with 6 Tbs. hot applesauce PLUS 2 Tbs. arrowroot powder + 2-3 Tbs. water)
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 1 Tbs. pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp. almond extract (or anise or lemon)
- 2 cups gfJules™ Gluten Free All Purpose Flour
- 2 tsp. baking powder
- Confectioner’s sugar for dusting
Cream Filling (optional)
- ½ cup butter or non-dairy alternative, softened (e.g. Earth Balance® Buttery Sticks)
- 4 oz. cream cheese (vegan options: Kite Hill®; Follow Your Heart®)
4 oz. cream cheese (vegan options:
- ½ cup confectioner’s sugar, sifted
- ½ tsp. vanilla paste (I like Nielsen-Massey) or ½ vanilla bean, split and scraped
Instructions
To make gluten free pizzelle,
Melt butter and set aside to cool. In a mixing bowl, whisk eggs (or substitute listed) and sugar until light, approximately 3 minutes. Stir in cooled butter and extracts.
Whisk together the gluten-free flour and baking powder in a small bowl, then stir into the larger bowl with egg mixture. The batter will be tacky and wet, but stiff.
If directed with your Pizzelle Iron instructions, brush the pizzelle plates with a small amount of cooking oil, then preheat the Pizzelle Iron. Once hot, spoon 1 -1 ½ teaspoons of batter into the middle of each plate. Depending on the size of your Pizzelle Iron, you may need slightly more or less batter.
Close the lid and the batter should spread across the entire pattern. Follow manufacturer’s directions for how long to cook each pizzelle; with my iron, it takes approximately 3 minutes for each set of two pizzelles. Transfer cooked pizzelles to a wire rack to cool or immediately wrap around a dowel or cone to form tubes for cream-filled pizzelles or press into ramekins to form cups. Repeat with remaining batter, re-oiling pizzelle plates if necessary.
Allow pizzelles to cool completely before serving or storing. If they become soft after storing or freezing, arrange in a single layer on a cookie sheet and bake in a 300° F oven for 3-5 minutes to restore crispness.
Makes approximately 40 4-inch pizzelles.
To make the cream filling, using a whisk attachment on an electric mixer, cream the butter and cream cheese. Once smooth, add the sugar and vanilla paste. Whip until light and smooth.
Fill a piping bag or plastic bag with a small corner cut out. Pipe into cooled and formed pizzelles by piping in one side and then the other.
Nutrition Information
Serving Size 1 pizzelle w/o fillingAmount Per Serving Calories 72Total Fat 3gSaturated Fat 2gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 0gCholesterol 23mgSodium 24mgCarbohydrates 10gFiber 0gSugar 4gProtein 1g
Pin it for later.
*Some links in this post may be referral links. If you do decide to purchase a product at a retailer after following my link, I may receive a small commission, at no additional cost to you, which I use to pay for web hosting and services for this blog. Read my disclosure policy here.
I finally got around to making this GF recipe. I got a pizzelle maker for Christmas and made non-gluten free pizzelles using the recipe for my pizzelle maker just to use it plus I didn’t want to waste my GF Jules flour if they didn’t come out good. I figured my husband would eat those. He liked the non-GF ones so I couldn’t wait to try your recipe so I could have some.
Anyway, I just made them this afternoon and this recipe is wonderful!!! It took a little experimenting with the amount to get a full pizzelle (mine is a 5 inch one) but I finally got that down and ended up eating three of them!!! They were absolutely delicious and crisp! I had my husband try one to see how they compared to the first batch that I made with non GF flour and he said that these were even better! He loved the flavor so now he wants to finish up the first batch I made so he can eat the GF ones with me. I can’t wait to try your recipe for ice-cream cones and cannolis.
Your flour and recipes are amazing!!
Oh that makes me so very happy to hear, Carol! The best outcome is when your non-GF loved ones are happy to eat gluten free WITH you! So glad you went for it!!!
~jules
The pizzelles are beautifully crisp. Cooked faster than 3 minutes on my maker. But i could not detect any flavor from the extracts. The extracts are fresh. Any recommendations? Should they be thin? Gluten Pizzelles made with wheat flour are more substantial. Thanks.
PLEASE ignore my post. I made the pizzelles with King Arthur GF Baking mix. I am so embarrassed. Today, I ordered your GF Flour mix.
The KA mix made them extremely thin with no taste. Looking forward to updating this post after making them correctly.
Hi Carol, no worries! I totally understand not being able to wait to make a recipe! Now you’ll have a good basis for comparison when you do have my gfJules Flour! But regarding flavor, that’s one thing about this recipe that’s super easy to switch: use a different extract (orange; lemon; peppermint; anise … so many choices!) and feel free to add zest from your favorite citrus to amp up the flavor, as well. ENJOY!
~jules
Thank you Jules. Your GF Flour is great with the second batch. However, would you have another egg replacement choice. The Flaxseed option in your recipe has an overwhelming grain flavor. My daughter is allergic to eggs (besides dairy, soy, gluten). Thanks again. Carol
I found your discussion under Blog Egg Free Vegan. Very informative. I’ll try the Ener-G Egg Replacement. Thanks.
Great! Glad it helped!
~jules
Hi Carol, flaxseeds can have that smell and flavor, but some are better than others. If you can find golden flaxseed, it tends to be milder (to me). Next time try applesauce (1/4cup = 1 egg) or one of the commercial egg replacers like Ener-G. So glad you tried again with my gfJules Flour. I can’t wait to hear which egg replacer you like best!
~jules
Hi Jules, can I freeze these after they are baked?
You know i love all of your products, I even order on Amazon if I need in a jiffy, thanks
Hi Sus, so glad you’re loving my products!! These gluten free pizzelles would be just fine frozen, probably in a freezer bag with the air squeezed out would be best. Enjoy!
~jules
Congrats Jules on receiving “GLUTEN FREE BUYERS GUIDE PRESENTION “FIRST EVER GLUTEN FREE PERSON OF THE DECADE AWARD. Way to go, and you certainly deserve it. Will be trying these pizzelles very soon, have not made them since I found out I had Celiac disease. Your little lemon pops are my go to when I need a little treat, love them, family does as well. Piled them high on a plate, one candle on top, for my Son’s birthday the other day, went over well.
Aw, thanks so much, B J! I am truly humbled and honored by the award.
So happy you’re going to try the pizzelles, but also happy to know you love those lemon pops! I love those too!!! Happy baking!
~jules
These were awesome! We had them with fresh berries and powdered sugar. So glad to find a gf recipe so we could enjoy them again. Thank you.
YAY for pizzelles! I’m happy you don’t have to go without any more! Thanks for taking the time to let me know!
~jules
Question, can I use any gf flour? I didn’t have time to get the one specified by the recipe and if the pizzelle are too thick do I add water to thin?
Thanks
Hi April, I have no idea what gluten free flour blend you’re using, the ingredients, gums or proportions so it’s impossible to say. The recipe is written to work with my gfJules blend and there are just too many variables to guess what might be at play with another blend not working. If the batter is too think, you would need to add milk or cider or another liquid to thin – I hope it turns out ok! I’ll be eager to hear how you like them when you have my gfJules Flour to work with – it makes recipes (and life!) so much easier!
~jules
This is one thing that I’ve always wanted to make and have never tried! Thanks for making a vegan option! I have a Pizzelle iron on my Christmas wish list now!
I hope Santa brings you one – they’re so fun! I also use my pizzelle iron to make homemade gluten free waffle cones in the summer!
~jules
I love how versatile these are. I don#t have a pizzelle maker…. but Santa is visiting next week and I have zero things on my list!!
Dear Santa … I’ve been so very good this year! 🙂
~jules
Love the design on them. These would be perfect for a holiday dessert or even to give kids for breakfast plain.
I think pizzelles are a big trend this year, they keep popping up! I love how you rolled and filled them – talk about a decadent treat!
We’ve been making pizzelles for years and their a favorite! Plain, filled, dipped in chocolate, the options are endless. The girls have been asking and I might just have to give up making sugar cookies for these this year since they’re so easy.
I have ALWAYS wanted to make these!! yours are gorgeous.
I also wonder if they would work with an egg replacement…
First of all, these are so pretty! I have to ask, have you tried this using the vegan egg option? Just curious if you saw any difference in texture or results.
As traditional as it gets! Delicious and easy to make recipe. My gluten eating husband says they taste no different than regular ones. I love to add spices and make different flavors (Chai spiced, pumpkin spice). Thanks for the recipe!
You are so very welcome! I’ll have to add those yummy spices next time I make them – sounds delish!
~jules
Can I make these just using your flour and my Italian mom’s pizzelle recipe? Or will that not work? I am stealing the filling recipe though.
Thaks Jules for everything you do for those of us with Celiac!!
Hi Margaret, thanks so much for your kind words! I’m happy I can help! I would think that my gfJules Flour would work fine in your mom’s pizzelle recipe (glad the filling looked good to you!). You should recognize the consistency it would need to be in the iron, so too runny, add more of my flour; too dry, add more liquid. Let me know how they turn out!
~jules
My husband made these for me and also a batch from his Italian Moms recipe with
regular flour. The Jules recipe and flour ones were declared the best by everyone.
What a treat that was for me the only family member with a gluten issue!
That IS a treat, Gail! How wonderful that everyone loved the gluten free ones more (and how wonderful that your hubby bakes for you!). Thanks for sharing your experience with this recipe. May all your baking be happy from here on out!
~jules
Every holiday I make these using your recipe! I leave some traditionally flat but also roll some for cannoli. I use my Italian born mother in law’s filling recipe using ricotta, powdered sugar, vanilla and some (lots) lemon zest. So delicious!
I did rate this five stars but it didn’t show up…it is definitely a five star worthy recipe!
So glad you loved the recipe, Deb!!! And thanks for trying to rate it. Sometimes those things are picky! Happy New Year to you!
~jules
Oh My Gosh! This recipe is the BEST!! The pizzelles came off the iron perfectly. I rolled them on a cannoli form and filled them with a filling recipe from one of our Italian bakeries in New Haven, CT using a mixture of ricotta cheese and powdered sugar. A sprinkling of miniature chocolate chips on each end and powdered sugar and sheer heaven!! Jules, thank you, thank you, thank you!!!
Oh Lois, that sounds incredible! So happy you tried the recipe and enjoyed such yummy success!!!!! Happy baking from here on out!!!
~jules