Gluten Free Pizzelle Recipe

A gluten free pizzelle recipe sure to make your Italian grandma proud. They’re crisp, but not too crisp to mold into your favorite shapes. Serve these little gems flat topped with custard, whipped cream, or make ice cream tacos. Another option is to mold them around a cone-shaped mild to fill with ice cream or whipped cream. You can also shape them into cups and fill with your favorite custard, mousse, or ice cream. They also make a great substitute for gluten free cannoli shells.

Gluten Free Pizzelles

51

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 8 minutes

Total Time: 28 minutes

Yield: Makes approximately 16 pizzelles.

Gluten Free Pizzelles

Gluten free pizzelles, a thin crisp cookie that you can mold into shapes to fill with whipped cream or ice cream; or pile on your favorite filling atop a flat pizzelle.

Ingredients:

  • 2 large eggs
  • 1/2 cup sugar (or evaporated cane juice for refined sugar-free)
  • 6 Tablespoons unsalted butter (or dairy-free spread), melted and cooled
  • 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon anise, lemon, almond or more vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup + 2 Tablespoons white rice flour (or brown rice flour)
  • 1/2 cup Bob's Red Mill non-GMO cornstarch (or potato starch for corn-free)
  • 1 1/3 teaspoons gluten-free aluminum-free baking powder (Rumford or Featherweight is corn-free)
  • 1/4 teaspoon xanthan gum (or guar gum)
  • Pinch of fine sea salt

Instructions:

  1. In a medium-size bowl, whisk the rice flour, cornstarch, baking powder and salt together; and set it aside.
  2. In a larger, bowl, whisk the eggs, sugar, butter, vanilla, and anise together in a large bowl. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients a little at a time and stir until fully incorporated. The batter should be thick and sticky (thicker than pancake batter, but much softer than cookie dough). Set the batter aside for 10 minutes.
  3. Preheat your pizzelle press (aka pizelle maker) according to the manufacturer's instructions.
  4. Scoop a heaping tablespoon of batter using a measuring tablespoon. Using a butter knife, scoop it out onto one of the pizzelle press molds, almost in the center, but just a little behind it. Repeat for however many plates/molds your press has.
  5. Close the lid slowly and press down firmly or lock the press. Bake the pizzelles until they are lightly golden brown, about 30 seconds. Remove them from the press by lifting them up using a heat-resistant rubber spatula and transfer them to a flat surface to cool. (They will be very soft but will harden quickly.) As an option, you can immediately mold them into cups or cones to fill with whipped cream, ice cream, etc. Just do not allow them go cool until you shape them. In addition, prior to cooling, you may use kitchen scissors to trim off any excess so they are perfectly shaped.

Tips

For a dairy-free version you may use oil as a substitute for the butter, but they will turn out too crispy. Therefore, try using tapioca starch instead of cornstarch or potato starch.

Variation:

Add 3 tablespoons unsweetened gluten free cocoa powder plus 3 tablespoons sugar to make gluten free chocolate pizzelles.

21 Replies to “Gluten Free Pizzelle Recipe”

  1. Finally! A GF pizzelle recipe that works. One problem: though they’re crispy as thy cool they turn soft again. Any suggestions? I keep them in a cookie tin but they’re still soft.

      1. Hi Carla,

        I used my own flour mix (of what was available in the pantry!). I’ll bet that’s the answer.

        Thanks for your reply. I’ll actually follow the recipe on my next go!

        Chris

        1. Chris,

          That’s probably it. You have a choice in my Gluten-Free All-Purpose Flour Blend recipe using to use cornstarch or tapioca flour. Cornstarch creates a crispy texture. So, use that instead of tapioca flour. Tapioca creates a chewy texture.

          Enjoy!
          Carla

  2. I am so happy to find your website! I am not Italian, but I grew up baking pizzells with my mom in Ohio. I was searching for a gluten-free, dairy-free, sugar-free recipe, and I found your AMAZING site with all these wonderful gluten-free recipes with tips added for dairy-free versions! I am in heaven now!!!

  3. I have 2 pizzelle makers I used before I was diagnosed with Celiac Disease. Are they safe to use for gluten free recipes (it’s been 8 years since they have been used) or do I have to buy a new one???

    1. Nancy,

      I always recommend purchasing new appliances when celiac disease is concerned. It’s just not worth getting sick or causing more intestinal damage. However, ultimately, it is up to you. I know some people use their old bread machines after soaking and cleaning, and they don’t show any symptoms. It could be causing damage, though.

      Carla

  4. Excellent recipe! I made these for my 7 y.o. because her class was having pizzelles while learning about Italian Christmas traditions at school and I didn’t want her to miss out since she can’t have gluten. She loved them and they didn’t taste gluten free AT ALL! Thank you for the great recipe!!!

  5. These are excellent! Thank you very much! I was assuming that you add the xanthan gum with all of the dry ingredients, and that worked. I substituted orange extract for the anise, and then added sprinkles of cinnamon and cloves– and they came out tasting like Christmas morning!

  6. I just bought a pizzelle maker so not cross contamination and tried this recipe. This was Great!! Couldn’t tell from the regular ones! Thank you!!

  7. Thank you Carla,

    My wife can’t have gluten in any shape or form, makes her very, very ill. Many gluten free products taste like cardboard or bricks with frosting. I just purchased a Pizzelle Press and have been looking for a great recipe to put a smile on her face again. I will try this and will report back how well it went for her!

    Blessings on you and thank you again,

    V/R

    Kent M Whitney
    Master Chief, USN EOD/CB Retired

  8. Thank you so much for this recipe, I made these today and am so happy to be a able to enjoy these while everyone is enjoying the gluten ones. You really can not tell the difference.

  9. Hi, I love this recipe :-) Pizzelles are my favourite sweets, I prepare them gluten-free for me & classic pizzelles for my family. Everybody love them

    1. Hi Jessica,

      Because rice flour absorbs moisture, allowing the dough to rest for long periods will thicken it. I suppose if you needed it well at room temperature it would soften up. If you try it and it is too thick, you can add more butter and whip it up in your mixer using the dough hook or paddle attachment.

      Carla

  10. Thank Carla!!!! I can’t wait to try these. I used to make them with all different flavors in my gluten days!
    hugs,
    Cindy

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