This savory pizzelle recipe makes light, crispy crackers right in your kitchen. This recipe can be modified to include your favorite herbs and spices!
Originally published in December 2016; this post has been updated.
Store-bought crackers are no comparison to freshly baked, homemade crackers. Instead of rolling out cracker dough, this recipe is made with a pizzelle press. This savory pizzelle recipe makes light, crispy crackers. You can make them while you are doing other things in the kitchen, like mixing up a cheese ball or a nut spread, tossing a salad, or laying out a meat tray.
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Pizzelle Ingredients
Citrus Zest — Lemons give these pizzelles a tangy, bright flavor. Orange or lime zest could also be used in these savory pizzelle crackers. Use the zest from organic fruit to avoid pesticide residues.
Butter — Allow the butter to cool slightly after melting. Salted or unsalted is fine here, just adjust seasonings accordingly.
Eggs — Fresh eggs, store bought, use what you have readily available.
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Flour — When I bake with all-purpose flour I opt for the unbleached version. Bleached flour is very white, but it’s also treated with bleaching agents that I don’t really need in my food.
Flavors — Try grated cheese, seeds, nuts, herbs, and spices creatively to capture your favorite cracker flavors. Your homemade crackers will taste better, be fresher, healthier, and more eco-friendly than the crackers wrapped in plastic that come in a box.
Related: Sweet Snacking: Easy Ginger Cookies With Fresh Ginger
How to Make Pizzelles
Whisk eggs well, then add in the melted and cooled butter.
Add any flavorings/seasonings and whisk until frothy.
Stir the flour and baking soda in with a wooden spoon. The batter will be thick and it will clump together but it should still be light. The batter consistency is a little thicker than muffin batter but not as thick as biscuit dough.
Preheat the pizzelle iron according to manufacturer’s directions.
Drop the pizzelle batter by heaping teaspoonful into the centre of the pizzelle design plate, just a little toward the back of centre. Close the pizzelle iron. Latch the lock to ensure even thickness.
Cook the savory pizzelles until the steam stops escaping from the iron, around a minute. Pizzelles should be golden brown and will hold their shape when removed from the pizzelle iron. They will still be soft, but will crisp up as they cool.
An Iron for Making Pizzelles
This recipe for savory pizzelle recipe requires a pizzelle iron. (Pronounced “peet-zal”) A pizzelle iron, similar to a krumkake iron, or waffle cone maker, makes a thin wafer cookie that cooks on both sides at the same time.
While an electric pizzelle maker may seem like a one-use-wonder, some of these appliances come with switchable plates that also make regular waffles, crepes, waffle cones, or tortillas. If you are shopping for a pizzelle iron consider what other uses you may want before you purchase one, so you can find the best appliance for your needs.
If you are living off-grid, or trying to cut back on electrical appliances, stove top pizzelle makers are also available for both gas ranges, electric, or wood fueled stoves. These are a little more challenging to master due to the uneven heating of the appliance, but our foremothers did it without smart appliances. We can, too. You may need to shop around to find a stove top pizzelle iron at a reasonable price in the USA. The stove top versions are imported from Europe and can be pricey.
Used cast iron or cast aluminum pizzelle irons can be found in antique stores and estate auctions. Older pizzelle and krumkake irons often have intricate, lacy designs that make exceptionally beautiful cookies and crackers. If you find one, you’ve found a treasure.
Related: The Best Gluten Free Crackers to Make at Home
Look for a pizzelle iron that has a shiny cooking surface. Appliances with a black, non-stick Teflon™ surface aren’t the best health investment. The Teflon coating off-gasses when the appliance heats and can harm birds and people. Further, small amounts of the non-stick coating will wash away when the appliance is cleaned. Teflon persists in the environment and can harm water sources and soils for centuries.
Porcelain non-stick coatings are more durable and healthier, but more expensive. Uncoated irons can be greased with butter or oil before use to make them non-stick, so avoid the chemicals if you can.
FAQs
Do I need a special iron?
Unfortunately, to make pizzelles you really will need the special iron. But this is one of those kitchen appliances that many people will buy thinking they will use all the time, and then they don’t – so it gets donated. You may have great luck thrift or at garage sales or even asking on a buy nothing group. They also likely haven’t seen much use and will be in great condition.
Can I make different size crackers?
If you want to use these as smaller, classic crackers, that’s easy to do. Have your knife at the ready because you will be able to immediately slice the cracker into the desired size when you remove it from the iron. Work quickly as the pizzelle will crisp up as it cools, meaning it will shatter rather than cut.
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Lemon Dill Savory Pizzelles
Ingredients
- 3 eggs
- ¼ cup + 2 Tablespoons butter melted
- 2 Tablespoons fresh dill finely chopped
- Zest of 2 lemons finely grated
- 1 teaspoon granulated organic cane sugar
- ¼ teaspoon Himalayan salt
- 1 cup whole wheat flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
Instructions
- Add eggs, one at a time, to a medium bowl, whisking after each addition. After melting allow the butter to cool slightly. Pour butter into egg mixture whisking while you add it.3 eggs, ¼ cup + 2 Tablespoons butter
- Add dill, lemon peel, sugar, and salt to the egg mixture. Whisk until the batter is light and frothy, about a minute.2 Tablespoons fresh dill, Zest of 2 lemons, 1 teaspoon granulated organic cane sugar, ¼ teaspoon Himalayan salt
- Add whole wheat flour, and baking powder together to the egg mixture. Stir with a wooden spoon just until the flour is moist and the batter clings together. The batter will be thick and it will clump together but it should still be light. The batter consistency is a little thicker than muffin batter but not as thick as biscuit dough.1 cup whole wheat flour, 2 teaspoons baking powder
- Preheat the pizzelle iron according to manufacturer’s directions.
- Drop the pizzelle batter by heaping teaspoonful into the centre of the pizzelle design plate, just a little toward the back of centre. Close the pizzelle iron. Latch the lock to ensure even thickness.
- Cook the savory pizzelles until the steam stops escaping from the iron, around a minute. Pizzelles should be golden brown and will hold their shape when removed from the pizzelle iron. They will still be soft, but will crisp up as they cool.
- If you wish to make smaller crackers, use a pizza wheel to cut each pizzelle into 4 pieces immediately when you take it out of the pizzelle iron. Cool in a single layer on a cooling rack. Stack to store.
- Package savory pizzelles in a cookie tin or other air tight container. Pizzelles will keep a week or two at room temperature. They may be frozen for longer storage.
Notes
- Gluten-free variation To make gluten-free savory pizzelles substitute Bob’s Red Mill Gluten-Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour for the whole wheat flour called for in this recipe.
Nutrition
What to do With the Leftovers
Crumbs from these savory pizzelles can be used like other cracker crumbs for herb crusted chicken, schnitzel coating, croutons, casserole topping, and baked potato topping.
More Pizzelle Recipes to Inspire You
Pizzelle irons make both sweet cookies and savory crackers. Try these recipes to fill your cookie tins. Pizzelles make lovely and attractive hostess gifts and neighbor gifts, too. You can also roll them with a cone form to make waffle cones or cream horns. Pizzelles are surprisingly versatile waffle cookies and crackers.
Sweet pizzelle recipes
Savory pizzelle recipe
Hi! Thanks for the inspiration to obtain a pizzelle iron! I’ve been making sweet ones for a few weeks now, and finally tried this recipe. They came out delicous, however, a great deal of melted butter spilled from the pizzelle iron as they were cooking. Is this normal? I used medium grind whole wheatflour and actually added an extra half cup of unbleached white flour as the batter seemed too loose. Thanks for any input you may have!
Hoping Chris will chime in!
So pretty to look at and super tasty too!
Hi. Loved the info on Pizzelles ! It’s a family tradition. I never would have thought of a pizzelle cracker 🙂 Thanks !
Although not as attractive as the puzzles irons, could a standard waffle iron be used?
Unfortunately, all of the pizzelle makers on Amazon are either nonstick (teflon) or aluminum, which is toxic and has been linked to Alzheimers. Neither is acceptable!
so I guess I’ll just have to go pizzelle-less….drat!