Cookies, Cookies, Cookies.....

Welcome to CatherWoods addition to The 2nd Annual Christmas Cookie Roundup (Thank you Lisa for again hosting this yummy event!!)

Cookies have a big place in my heart...LOVE cookies and love to bake. Once had a tiny little cookie biz on the side years and years ago. Since then my very specific allergy related diet has taken a teeny tiny bit (but not all) of the fun out of cookies. Most times I find I can alter any recipe to fit my wheat and dairy free needs AND I have one of the BEST wheat and dairy free baking books in the world...."Simple Treats" by Ellen Abraham. If you're Vegan, have specific dietary allergies, or just like the idea of using "healthier ingredients" in baking then try to find this book. I've not had a recipe in it disappoint and it's a well loved book in my house!! The recipe below is a standard reciped and not diet specific :)

So onto the Cookie Recipe!!

My recipe this year is in honor of Hub and his Grandma ma. Hub grew up with these classically Italian Cookies during Christmas. You need a pizzelle maker for these, but trust me...it's worth the $25-40 you'll pay for it. These cookies are fast, easy, super versatile in what you can do with them- how you can decorate them, and one batch makes a TON of cookies.

Pizzelles
1 3/4 Cups all purpose flour

1 tsp baking powder

3 eggs
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter or margarine melted
1 Tablespoon vanilla or anise

1. In a small mixing bowl stir together the flour & baking soda. Set aside.
2. In a large mixing bowl beat the eggs, gradually adding the sugar. Beat until smooth.
3. Beat melted butter/margarine and the vanilla into the egg and sugar mixture.
4. Add flour mixture to wet ingredients and beat on low speed until combined.
5. Heat pizzelle machine according to manufacturers directions. Note if they suggest oiling the machine before the first cookies are tried. (I do this with a baking spray...NOT the kind meant to "flour" a baking pan, just PAM or something similar).
6. Place slightly rounded tablespoons of batter slightly off center toward the back of the grid. Close lid. Bake according to manufacturers directions.
7. Carefully (they're hot baby!!) turn wafer out onto cooling racks.

Options:

1. Once cooled dip edges in melted milk, dark or white chocolate.
2. Dip chocolate edges in sprinkles-toasted coconut-colored sugars-etc.
3. When these cookies are super hot right off the press they are still flexible. If your fingers can handle it you can roll these into super cute cookie tubes and then dip those in chocolate, etc.
4. Place hot off the press pizzelles over small upside down bowls until the cookies have cooled completely. (making a little cooled pizzelle "cup") Fill your pizzelle cups with ice cream, whipped cream and berries, or candies on a cookie tray!
5. Leave plain and simply dust with powdered sugar once cooled.
6. Add sprinkles to the batter to get a colorful and festive cookie.
7. Adding anise extract to the batter will make these taste like the traditional Italian cookies...but my hub doesn't like anise or anything licorice in flavor so we skip it.

PS....my first set or 2 of these cookies are ALWAYS "tester cookies". These cookies generally take 1 minute give or take on the press, so figuring out how much batter to exactly use and where exactly to place the batter is expected.

Pic below from Chef's Choice, a manufacturer of Pizzelle Presses

More Yummy Cookie Recipes are to be had!! Please visit Enjoying Life

(to get to the first recipe and starting point of the Cookie Round Up click the banner up there to the left :) )

HUGS,
~Chrissi