Easy One-Bowl Gluten-Free Vegan Pizzelle Cookies

Yay! It’s free from gluten, peanuts, tree nuts, dairy, egg, soy, and sesame! Also free from coconut and the rest of the top nine most prevalent food allergens. Note: This post contains affiliate links, so any purchases made on Amazon through the links will help support Yay, It’s Free From This!

Pizzelle cookies are another classic holiday treat that I was just determined to make free from or allergy-free. These cookies are deliciously thin, crispy and sweet and so pretty too. I knew it was incredibly ambitious to make these without eggs, dairy, nut flour or wheat. We always bake only free from sugar cookies every year, but I felt it was time to level up this Christmas and add some new traditions!

I would say this recipe took me about 8 attempts, some complete disasters, before finally nailing it!  I tried different versions with flax eggs and egg replacer products. I increased and decreased liquid and/or flour. You can see a bit of the progression from the images below. I came closest when using Bob Red Mill’s egg replacer, (second to last pic, bottom right) but it gave the cookies a mild ‘eggy’ flavor that I found not so pleasant. The winner and best version, used aquafaba (last pic, bottom right).

What is Aquafaba?

Aquafaba is the thick liquid that results from cooking legumes. Chickpea aquafaba seems to be the most common egg substitute, especially in vegan cooking and baking. For most of my son’s life, we couldn’t use this as an egg substitute because of course, he was allergic to almost every legume you could think of. However, he’s recently outgrown his allergy to chickpeas and lentils specifically (still allergic to other legumes though), so aquafaba has been quite the game-changer for baking in our house. 

How to Use Aquafaba

I get my aquafaba from canned garbanzo or chickpeas. It’s easy to find in any grocery store and so affordable. Plus, after draining, you can use the beans in another recipe. Also, fyi, I found that the salted or unsalted kind seems to not make a difference in the end results of these cookies. When substituting eggs, the rule of thumb is three tablespoons of aquafaba equals to about one egg. I strain the liquid out of the can, then add a bit of cream of tartar to give it some stability. Then it’s ready to use!

Pizzelle Flavors

Pizzelles are classic Italian cookies that are traditionally flavored with anise. I knew my kids would not go for the strong flavor of anise extract, so I kept this recipe simple with just vanilla. Of course, use anise if you prefer or other flavors would work as well. I’ve been thinking of variations that include almond extract, which I recommend only if there are no allergy restrictions. Lemon or orange might be great too, and I definitely see an ube or matcha version in our future. 😉

One-Bowl Batter

Now let’s make this quick and easy batter! In a medium-sized bowl, measure out the aquafaba and add the cream of tartar. Give this a quick whip until peaks form. Looks like an egg white, right? 😃

To the aquafaba, add the sugar, salt, the preferred flavoring (vanilla in this case), and the non-dairy milk. Whisk together until incorporated. Add the gluten-free flour and baking powder and whisk again. Lastly, stir in the melted vegan butter or oil. That’s it! Now to the press…

Make the Cookies

Heat your pizzelle press to a high setting. You may have to play around with your specific press. I have an old Cuisinart Pizzelle Press. After all the testing, I know to set my heat to number 5. And if I were shopping for a new press, I would purchase this CucinaPro one. I love the intricate design on it and the non-stick surface is important for gluten-free vegan batters. I do like my cookies a bit more browned, in general, so I go for a higher heat, but adjust your press according to your preference.

When the iron/press is ready, brush the top and bottom with oil. Scoop about one tablespoon onto each side. Close the press and cook for exactly one and a half minutes. Again, adjust the time according to your specific iron. You may need more or less time. Still, it shouldn’t be a huge difference. Cookies ready in just a minute or two? It doesn’t get easier!

Remove each cookie carefully from the press and place on a cooling rack. Shower them in powdered sugar, if preferred, and enjoy!

These simple, but beautiful cookies are perfect to gift too. Every batch I’ve made do not last long on the counter and I can’t believe how easy this recipe turned out after all the trial and error. They will definitely be a part of our Christmas baking traditions moving forward! If you try this, please let me know how they turned out. Happy Holidays everyone! 🎄💕