One of our favorite cookies is pizzelles. They are an Italian cookie that is almost waffle-like. They have the perfect balance of sweet and crispy! Enjoy this delicious gluten free pizzelle cookie recipe in about 10 minutes! I share lots of easy flavors so you can make a tasty variety!
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Get ready for cookie bliss with my homemade gluten free pizzelles cookie recipe. This recipe can be made chocolate, or use one of my fun swaps to make many different flavors.
These cookies look like little waffles, and they are often called Italian waffle cookies. They are great anytime, but they make beautiful holiday cookies for a cookie exchange party or gift-giving!
Why we love this simple gluten-free pizzelle cookie recipe:
- This simple pizzelle cookie recipe is considered easy to make as a beginner-level recipe.
- You can bend them while they are warm to make taco shells and edible cookie bowls.
- You can make them in lots of different flavors! Check out all of my flavor options.
- This recipe is quick and easy; you can make these cookies in under 10 minutes!
Wonderful recipe, I made half of the recipe for my first try, added some ube flavoring and jam, used a mini pizelle maker, and am learning about sizing and timing. Great tip about positioning the dough back a bit. Much gratitude!”
kris, blog comment
Allergen Information:
This recipe is gluten-free, soy-free, and nut-free. See the Substitutions section below for gum-free and dairy-free options. Different flour blends have different grains and starches. If you are corn-free, use a cornstarch-free flour blend. The same if you can’t have nightshades (potato.)
For this recipe, I made chocolate-flavored pizzelle cookies. If you love chocolate as much as we do, check out my easy Gluten Free Chocolate Dessert recipes!
Ingredient Notes:
For the full list of ingredients and amounts, please go to the recipe card below.
- Gluten Free Flour Blend – I have tested this recipe with King Arthur Measure for Measure GF and Bob’s Red Mill 1 to 1 GF blend. That doesn’t mean others will not work; I have not tested other flours. Please note that every gluten free flour blend performs differently because they have a different grain-to-starch ratio. This means it is normal to have to adjust your moisture levels depending on the flour blend you use.
- Baking Powder – Use aluminum-free baking powder.
- Xanthan Gum – If your gluten free flour blend doesn’t contain a binder like Xanthan Gum or Guar Gum, please add 1 teaspoon. See the Substitutions section below for a gum-free option.
- Butter – Use unsalted butter. See the Substitutions section below for a dairy-free option.
- Eggs – Use size large.
Substitutions:
- Many of my readers can’t have xanthan or guar gum. To make this recipe gum-free, use my DIY Gluten Free Flour Blend. It uses psyllium husk instead of xanthan or guar gum.
- To make this recipe dairy-free, use plant-based butter.
Step-By-Step Photos and Directions:
Step 1: Add the dry ingredients to a large
Step 2: Add your wet ingredients to a smaller bowl and whisk.
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Step 3: Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients.
Step 4: Mix the ingredients until they form a soft batter. If your dough is crumbly, add more liquid. If your dough is too wet, add more flour. It will ultimately depend on the blend you use.
📢 Sandi says: Every gluten-free flour blend has a different starch-to-grain ratio. The brand of gluten-free flour you use will affect the moisture of the batter. If your cake batter is too runny, add more flour, and if it is too thick, add more liquids.
Read Why Gluten-Free Flour Blends Vary to learn more about this.
Step 5: Heat your pizzelle maker according to brand instructions. I used the CucinaPro Pizzelle Maker brand. It is easy to use and it cleans very easily. Add a little batter to each side.
🔑 Sandi says: Add the batter slightly off-center and closer to the clamps. That way, when you close the lid, the batter moves towards the handle to fill in the whole area.
Pro Tip: Very lightly spray a light oil over the hot pizzelle maker and wipe it off with a paper towel. You only need to do this once, but it helps keep the cookies from sticking.
Step 6: Cook in the pizzelle maker for 1 minute and lift the lid. If you are going to bend the pizzelle cookie, you have a very short time to do this, so move quickly while the pizzelle is still hot.
Bend pizzelles to make taco shells or a cookie bowl:
If you want to make a taco shell or bowl shape with your pizzelles, it is easy to do. Quickly remove the pizzelle from the iron and bend it over a knife to make a dessert taco shell, or press the hot pizzelle around the glass base to make a bowl.
Pizzelle Flavor Options:
The sky is the limit to flavoring pizzelle cookies! Here are some of my favorite flavors:
- To make plain gluten free vanilla pizzelle cookies pictured above, omit the cocoa powder in the recipe below.
- For peppermint, add 1 teaspoon of peppermint extract.
- To make citrus pizzelles, add 1 tablespoon of orange zest. You can also do this with lemon zest.
If you love making holiday cookies, try my buttery Gluten Free Spritz Cookies, too!
Frequently Asked Questions:
Pizzelle means round and flat, which perfectly describes these cookies.
Pizzelles tend to absorb moisture and lose their crispiness. Store the pizzelle cookies wrapped in foil and store in a paper bag to keep moisture out.
You can either dust them in powdered sugar or drizzle with melted chocolate.
These cookies will last up to 4 days in an airtight container or up to 4 months in the freezer.
More gluten free cookie recipes:
- Homemade Coconut Macaroons
- Gluten Free Lemon Madeleines
- Raspberry Macarons
- Gluten Free Vanillekipferl Crescent Cookies
Love This Recipe?
If you made and enjoyed this recipe, I would be incredibly grateful if you could leave a comment below. Please include which flour blend you used. This will help others know this recipe is delicious. Thank you!
Crispy Gluten Free Pizzelles Cookies
Equipment
- Mixing bowls
- Whisk
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups gluten free flour blend * see note
- 2 teaspoons baking powder aluminum-free
- dash salt
- ¾ cup cane sugar
- ½ cup unsalted butter melted
- 3 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
To Make Chocolate Flavor:
- 3 tablespoons cocoa powder
- 3 tablespoons additional sugar
To Make Citrus Flavor:
- 1 tablespoon orange zest
To Make Almond Flavor:
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
Topping Ideas
- Dust with powdered sugar
- Dip in or drizzle with chococlate
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Instructions
- Spray your pizzelle maker very lightly with spray oil. I used coconut oil. Wipe it off with a paper towel.
- Plug in your Pizzelle maker so it can preheat. Choose what flavor of pizzelle cookies you want to make.
- In a large bowl, add 1 1/2 cups gluten free flour, 3/4 cups sugar, 2 teaspoons baking powder, and dash of salt. Whisk to blend.
- In a smaller bowl, add the wet ingredients, including the 1/2 cup of butter, 3 eggs, and flavoring. Whisk to blend.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix.
- Put about 1 1/2 to 2 tablespoons batter on each pizzelle cookie section of the pizzelle cooker. Tip: try to put the batter a little off-center towards the brackets. This way, when you close the lid, it pushes the batter toward the handle and fills the shaped area better.
- Cook for one minute then open the lid and remove the pizzelles.
- If you plan to shape them, you need to be quick while they are hot. You can bend them around a knife to make "taco shells" or press around a glass to make a bowl shape.
- Dust with powdered sugar or drizzle/dip in melted chocolate.
Notes
- I have tested this recipe with King Arthur Measure for Measure GF and Bob’s Red Mill 1 to 1 GF blend. That doesn’t mean others will not work, I just have not tested other flours.
- If your gluten free flour blend doesn’t contain Xanthan Gum or Guar Gum, please add 1 teaspoon.
- To make this recipe dairy-free, substitute the butter for vegan butter.
- These cookies will keep fresh for up to 4 days in an airtight container or up to 4 months in the freezer. Wrap the cookies in foil and store them in a paper bag to keep them crispier.
SPECIAL NOTE
Please know that every gluten free flour blend has a different starch to grain ratio. If you use a blend I didn’t test, you may need to adjust your moisture levels in your baked goods.
Nutrition
Nutrition Disclaimer
Nutritional information is an estimate provided to you as a courtesy. You should calculate the actual nutritional information with the products and brands you are using with your preferred nutritional calculator.
I I love this recipe! I have recently started to bake using GF flour and am always on the lookout for recipes that are similar to my “old” AP flour recipes. I made the chocolate pizzelle and also added the orange rind. I didn’t have any butter so I used light olive oil instead. They turned out crispy with a perfect chocolate/orange flavour. I have been making pizzelle for years (I’m Italian) and my husband raved that these were the best I’ve ever made! I used a teaspoon to scoop up the dough, because we prefer them a little smaller. The recipe yielded 60 pizzelle. They will look great on my Christmas cookie platter!
I love knowing olive oil worked well in this recipe. I am thrilled you can enjoy your favorite holiday cookie again!
These are my mother in law’s favorite cookie. I make a batch every week for her.
I am so glad you made my cookie recipe for your mother in law. Thank you so much for coming back to let me know!
These pizzelles came out better than I could have imagined! I made the chocolate as well as the vanilla ones. I have been making these for years, as they are an old family tradition. But I was diagnosed with Celiac Disease last year in Oct/Nov and I was so stunned that I didn’t have it in me to try any of these recipes (gluten free). Well, I’m doing much better now and I am ecstatic to have my family tradition back! This recipe is crispier and lighter than a previous one I had and I am so happy. Thank you so much for making this SUPER EASY and delicious recipe available!
I am so glad you hear you can enjoy your holiday tradition again. You made my day and I am so glad you enjoyed this recipe. Merry Christmas!
Can the dough be made ahead and refrigerated, maybe a day or two?
Hi Alison, that should be fine.
Wonderful recipe, I made half of the recipe for my first try, added some ube flavoring and jam, used a mini pizelle maker, and am learning about sizing and timing. Great tip about positioning the dough back a bit. Much gratitude!
I am so glad you enjoyed the pizzelles! I love using jam. Ube jam sounds so unique and yummy I have to ask where you found it.
These are fantastic!! I was worried that I’d not get to enjoy pizzelles this year as a new Gluten Free person, but i found your recipe and they are so good even my family declared them better than the regular (non GF) versions. We then decided to make the chocolate ones and whoa, game changer – even better!! This just made my holiday – you have no idea!! Thank you so much for sharing this recipe! Now onto your spritz recipe!
I am so glad you loved the pizzelles. I adore the chocolate ones too! Have a wonderful holiday!
One is pizzella (plural pizzelle or pizzellas)
I had no idea, thank you so much Carolyn for letting me know.
These are amazing! So easy to make and so tasty. Thanks for sharing!
I am so glad you loved them, Lisha. Thank you!
My family’s flavor of choice is Anise (with anise seeds in the pizzelle, too) Have you made this traditional flavor? How much extract and seeds did you use, please?
Hi Joy, I have not made this flavor yet. I would say it is a personal preference how much extract to use. Some like a strong flavor while others like more mild flavor. Sub 1/2 to 1 teaspoon.
I followed the recipe for chocolate pizzelles and used Bobs Red Mill 1 to 1 flour. They came out great. I guess the salton pizzelle maker I found at goodwill is smaller. It only needed a scant tablespoon per cookie and 40 seconds to cook. Love it. Next I will have to make them with anise flavor in memory of my grandma!
I am glad you loved the recipe, Susan. I haven’t seen that pizzelle maker, but I am glad it worked well!
Hi. Can you use a neutral oil instead of the butter?
Hi Cosimina, yes, you can use a neutral oil instead of butter. I used coconut oil in this recipe when I made the pizzelles into dessert taco shells. https://www.fearlessdining.com/gluten-free-dessert-tacos/
Is the cocoa powder sweetened or unsweetened? Thank you!
Hi Chris, I used unsweetened cocoa powder. If you notice your cocoa powder has chunks, it is worth sifting it to get them out before making the cookie batter.
Just wondering if I could use egg replacer, flax egg, etc? I cannot have eggs…
Hi Carrie, I haven’t tested egg replacer in this recipe. If you try one, please let me know how it worked. Thank you.
Hi do you think Robin Hood GF flour will work for this recipe.
Thanks in advance
Ann
Hi Ann, I have never heard of this blend. What are the ingredients listed in order on the back of the bag?
Batter was too thick so I added an extra egg and an egg yolk with a little coconut milk to the recipe. I prefer them thin and crispy. They are soo good! Thank you for the hint of where to place the batter.
I am glad you liked them. Batter thickness and moisture come down to what gluten free flour blend is used as many have high starch ratios.
Thank you so much for this gluten-free version of pizzelles. This is a delicious recipe, and I adore the citrus version.
You are so welcome Renee 🙂