These keto pizzelle are the sugar free version of the popular crisp Italian waffle cookies. They are fun and delicious, and great for making other treats like keto stroopwafels!
I first created this keto pizzelle recipe back in 2015. But some readers were having a bit of trouble with the recipe so I decided to re-visit it recently. And now they are better, and more crispy, than ever.
But I need to be honest with you – I don’t actually like pizzelle all that much. I just find them rather bland. I am ducking for cover as I say this because I can see people all over the country throwing sharp objects at my head. I hear so many say all the time that this waffle cookie is their favourite Christmas cookie.
I just can’t quite see the appeal. Even when I make low carb, grain-free pizzelle such as these. They are good but they aren’t really cookies, in my humble opinion. They’re just really flat sweet waffles with a little added flavoring.
Which is I had some fun turning them into keto stroopwafels with my sugar-free caramel sauce. Now that is tasty stuff! And now you’re getting two delicious recipes in one… how awesome is that?
Updated keto pizzelle recipe
So what did I do differently this time around?
Well I ditched the cream cheese, for one thing. I had based my original recipe on my keto almond flour crepes, which uses cream cheese as a binder. But that didn’t go over that well with the pizzelle purists, and some people had trouble with the batter sticking and not always crisping up.
I also did a fair bit of research this time. I looked at traditional pizzelle recipes like this one, and took what I know about baking with almond flour to modify the recipe for keto and sugar-free.
So now they have a lot more butter and a bit of baking powder, both of which are in traditional recipes. You can also flavor them in a number of different ways. Anise is a classic, as is almond extract. Plain vanilla appeals more to my kids and works well for turning them into stroopwafels.
But because almond flour simply doesn’t behave the same way as regular flour, I had to take one extra step to get the best keto pizzelle. They don’t quite crisp up right off the iron, so I popped them in a warm low-temp oven for 10 to 20 minutes. Once they cooled, they were perfectly crisp!
What the heck are stroopwafels?
Just an aside, in case you’ve never heard of them: stroopwafels are Dutch waffle cookies with a caramel filling. You’ve probably seen them in specialty grocery stores or gotten them on planes, and they are delicious.
The waffle cookie base is actually quite different than pizzelle, as they are often made with yeast, and they are smaller in size. But the overall effect is the same so I took a few of my leftover keto pizzelle and used them to sandwich my caramel sauce. Divine!
Do you need special equipment for these cookies?
Yes, I’m afraid you do. And while I am the queen of baking equipment, I try not to purchase items that have only a single use. But I’ve had so many requests for keto pizzelle over the years that I broke down and purchased a pizzelle maker.
But after working on this recipe again and making a few batches, I realized that this kitchen gadget may be more useful than I first thought. While I may not like plain pizzelle that much, I can see how they might be used in a number of other recipes, such as the stroopwafels, and potentially even cannoli.
I also used my blender to whip up the batter. Almond flour is never going to be as fine as regular flour, so a blender or a food processor can get the batter more smooth and homogeneous. You can stir it all together in a bowl but I really think a blender or a food processor improves the cookies.
Tips for making Keto Pizzelle
If you love and miss pizzelle, you are going to love this recipe! Here are my best tips for getting it right:
- Whip up your batter and let it sit to thicken up a bit while you heat up the pizzelle press. This takes 5 to 10 minutes so it’s the perfect amount of time for letting the batter sit.
- It takes a bit of practice to get the amount and placement of the batter right. I found that a slightly heaping tablespoon was about right and it’s best to place it just behind the center of the pizzelle shape. Then slowly close the lid, allowing the batter to press forward to fill the shape.
- Don’t cook them too long! They can go from a beautiful light golden brown to overcooked in a matter of seconds. I found that I prefer them to come off early, when they are still quite light in color, as they have better flavor.
- They will be REALLY soft and flexible when they come off the iron. This is normal and they firm up as they cool. But to get them really crisp, you need to let them hang out and dry out in a warm oven.
- Your pizzelle usually come off the iron with extra bits attached that overflowed each pizzelle shape. Simply take a sharp knife to cut around them and remove those extra pieces. Keep the extra pieces, they are delicious as a snack!
- This recipe works with the ingredients I have listed. You can sub out the Swerve but it MUST be another erythritol based sweetener if you want crisp cookies. Other sweeteners like allulose and BochaSweet don’t crisp as well.
How to store your keto pizzelle
If you think they are going to be eaten within 5 days, just leave them on the counter, uncovered. They stay more crisp that way. If you live in a humid environment and they get a bit soft, you can warm them in the oven again to crisp up.
I honestly have not tried freezing pizzelle. They are a delicate, crisp cookie and I think they are best made fresh.
If you do want make the keto stroopwafels, do know that the cookies get less crisp as they sit with the caramel sauce on them. So I recommend prepping the pizzelle and the caramel sauce, and then making up the sandwich cookies as needed.
Disclosure: Many thanks to our friends at Bob’s Red Mill for sponsoring this post.
More delicious keto holiday cookies
- Keto Cut Out Sugar Cookies
- Keto Gingerbread Men
- Keto Snowballs
- Keto Butter Pecan Cookies
- Soft Keto Peppermint Cookies
- Keto Chocolate Peppermint Snowballs
Keto Pizzelle
Ingredients
- 4 large eggs
- ⅔ cup Swerve Sweetener
- 1 to 2 teaspoon extract of choice (anise, almond, or vanilla)
- ½ cup butter, melted
- 2 cups almond flour
- ½ tsp baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Keto Stroopwafels
- 1 recipe keto pizzelle
- 1 recie Sugar-Free Caramel Sauce
Instructions
- In a high powered blender or food processor, combine the eggs, sweetener, and extract of choice. Blend a few seconds to combine. Through the whole in the lid, slowly drizzle in the butter with the blender on low speed.
- Once all of the butter is comined, add the almond flour, baking powder, and salt and blend 30 seconds to combine. Let rest to thicken while heating the pizzelle maker.
- Preheat the oven to 200F and line several cookie sheets with wire cooling racks.
- Heat pizzelle press according to manufacturer's directions. Grease very lightly (if you have a non-stick press, you may only need to grease once at the beginning).
- Use one slightly heaping tablespoon for each pizzelle, and place just behind the center of the the flower or waffle pattern (this helps when you close the press because the batter gets pushed forward). It may take you a few tries to get the amount of batter and the placement just right.
- Close the lid slowly to allow the batter to spread, then lock the lid in place. Cook until just barely golden brown, about 30 to 60 seconds. You can peek at them and see if they are cooked yet and then reclose the lid.
- Use a rubber spatula to remove the pizzelle from press and place in a single layer on the cooling racks. At this point they will be very soft. You cut off any of the edges that went outside of the pizzelle pattern, before they get crisp.
- Place the cookie sheets in the oven and let the pizzelle stay inside for 15 to 20 minutes to crisp up.
- Repeat with the remaining batter.
Keto Stroopwafel
- Spread 1 keto pizzelle with about 1 ½ tablespoon of keto caramel sauce. Top with another pizzelle. Repeat with remaining cookies and caramel sauce.
- These are best served when freshly made, as the caramel sauce can cause the cookies to soften.
Disclosure: Many thanks to our friends at Bob’s Red Mill for sponsoring this post.
CC says
I added coconut milk to this recipe and 1tsp of cardamom spice, then placed a 1/4 cup in my cone making iron and created keto crepes. I then layered with arrowroot thickened wild blueberries and coconut yogurt. Wah-lah! I would have sent you a picture if you had that available.
Marla J. Ybarra says
I wonder if this batter could be used to make rosette cookies? I cannot find a keto recipe anywhere to make them. Do you have another recipe for a batter that might work?
Thanks!
Susan says
I finally bought a pizzelle iron when I saw your idea for cannoli. I have forms for those and when I lived in the south and couldn’t find cannoli I would make them but I really don’t like to fry food, too messy. Well I made my first batch, I only tasted the first one- burnt and bitter:-( but kept shortening the time and put them in low oven to crisp up. Pretty darn good! And so easy????????????
Carolyn says
Pizelle irons cook VERY quickly so yes… you have to adjust for your brand and watch them carefully. Better to take them out early and crisp them up in the oven, just as you did!
Eric Messina says
I just bought keto wheat flour and fine ground almond flour gonna try the wheat with stevia was planning this then saw ur post pure anise is way better that imitation and makes a much better cookie will let u know how they work as I’m alternating these sugar and flour from my grandmother’s orriginal recipe tried some variations a few yrs ago with no luck think this time I’ll get it right will let u know
Christiane says
good afternoon Ms Carolyn: Do you think the pizzelle batter could be used with a rosette dipping iron mold? (s tarted thinking about making those cookies forty yrs ago) thank you for all your hard (but beautifullly exquisite) work & have a Blessed day
Carolyn says
I am doubtful because it doesn’t contain any gluten. it’s likely to just dissipate when it hits the hot oil.
Donna says
I had to laugh so hard over your opinion of pizzelle as a “cookie” – I totally agree! But my Italian husband and his family favor pizzelle above all others (as well as some sort of flavorless-to-me fried dough abomination). I have always considered them a waste of calories and carbs and if I’m indulging would prefer just about any other real cookie. However, I will definitely be making these for him and this keto version might make me appreciate pizzelle a little more.. Thank you!
Carolyn says
Try them as stroopwafels. Now those are delicious!
Angie ~ Glow Life Foodie says
Wow Carolyn, you do not disappoint! This recipe looks amazing!
Kimberly says
I just bought a Pizzelle maker to make these. Can these be frozen??
Carolyn says
They will lose some crispness but you could re-warm them in a low temp oven and they should crisp up again.
Sandy says
This looks good but I dont want to buy another kitchen gadget. Do you think I could use my Dash waffle maker fior these?
carol walter says
Wondering id I coud cook these in a skilet with another skillet on top or a reguar waffle irong. I love them, but am trying to donwsize and do not want another applieance in my kitchen.
Sandra says
Hello! Is your pizzelle maker the polished silver or the nonstick model? I received an email from the manufacturer that the plates are aluminum plates with a high pressure water polish. I have read reviews that the polished model makes crispier cookies. However, I’m uncertain about the description of “aluminum”. I am excited to try your recipe, but am uncertain which model might be best. I appreciate any insight you can provide.
Sylvie says
These are great! I use them to make keto cannoli. I roll them on a cannoli mold wile hot, once cooled they are taken of the mold and put into the oven for 20 minutes. Once cooled, I freeze them in a Ziploc container. They stay crisp as if freshly made.
Crystal says
These are delicious! They turned out great however I have to half the recipe next time because I got about 32 out of it and that is way to many
Rebecca L Winch says
This is an EXCELLENT recipe!! I used them to make Low Carb Choco Tacos and they worked fantastic. I folded them over a taco stand as they cooled to get the right shape. They have a great flavor all by themselves, are not grainy at all and I’m just so happy to have found this recipe. We’re having a Mexican themed dinner for Christmas this year so my son wanted me to make Choco Tacos to kind of stick with the theme. This recipe was exactly what I was looking for. I cut the recipe in half because I was using a Mini Dash pizzelle iron and I got 20, 3 3/4-inch pizzelles. Thanks for another great recipe!
Melissa says
If you wrap them around a stick, these would make great ice cream waffle cones!
Ellie says
I made these and the first one fell apart but the rest of the batch came out. However the taste and especially texture does not compare to the original Pizzelle recipe. I was not a fan! Grainy and the artificial sweetener had a strong aftertaste.
Mary Manello says
Has anyone tried using a dehydrator to make these crispy?
Karen Killinger-Humes says
The new recipe did not work for me. They fell to pieces in my pizzelle iron. The original one worked perfectly when I used Kite Hill almond cream cheese substitute and chilled my dough. It appears that perhaps my almond flour was too fine. Regardless, the original recipe is still my favorite. Use Anise oil for original flavor and cocoa and extra Swerve for chocolate flavor. Leave them out on the cooling racks for at least 12 hours to crisp up. Thanks for your work allowing us to make our favorite recipes on the Keto diet! Own all your cookbooks in print or kindle.