Cream Filled Pizzelles (Trubochki)
Cream Filled Pizzelles (trubochki): creamy, elegant and beautifully shaped waffle-like pastry filled with the best condensed milk filling. These are very popular during holidays, weddings and all kinds of special occasions. Follow this easy step-by-step tutorial and they will become a staple in your home!
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Pizzelles are an Italian dessert, but we have converted it into one of our own based on the puff pastry (cream horns) trubochki that all Ukrainians make and love. We roll them into tubes, fill them with delicious filling and sprinkle with powdered sugar for an elegant touch. In fact, we usually call these ‘waffle tubes’. They are very popular during major holidays, weddings and different events.
The Cream Filled Pizzelles kind of remind me of cannoli, except those are usually filled with ricotta cheese and fried in oil, while this dessert is made on electric appliance and filled with creamy filling.
I’ve been making these way before I was married, since 2010 or somewhere around that time. I don’t know what is it about them that makes people enjoy them so much. Before I got married and even now, every time there’s a church gathering or a family party, I would always be asked to make these. One request though: ‘lots and lots of cream’ – from one end of the pizzelle to another.
Every time I make these, my kids always eat plenty without filling and then more while filling with cream. If you find yourself enjoying these without cream, don’t be surprised. It happens all the time! 🙂
This recipe calls for a batter-like dough and is baked using a pizzelle maker. I’ve been using this exact Chef’sChoice 834 PizzellePro Maker ever since.
They used to be rarely on sale for around $60 back then, but now you could get this exact for $40 or maybe even lower. As new appliances become available on the market, the older lose value. (great for us, right?)
How to Avoid Soggy Pizzelles?
One of the questions that I get asked a lot is how to make pizzelles crispy and not soggy. The first step would be to bake them properly. It depends on the pizzelle iron, it can take from 20 seconds to a minute to reach the dark golden color.
You do not want to bake them for too long or they will crack when you roll. Also, using melted unsalted butter instead of oil in the batter ingredient list will make them not as soft. Oil tends to keep baked goods more on the softer side.
When you make the pizzelles, single-layer them on a baking sheet or tray and do not cover with plastic food wrap. I place a napkin or a paper towel on top to avoid lint from falling onto them. Leave them for 4-5 hours at room temperature to dry completely. Sometimes it might take less.
To fasten the process of drying the pizzelles or if yours turned out a bit on the soggy side, single-layer them on a baking sheet. Dry in a preheated oven at 170 degrees Fahrenheit for 1 hour.
I would fill these the night before an event and they are just perfect next day. Not too hard and not soggy, but just in between as most people prefer them less crispy.
If you want the pizzelles to stay crispy until serving, I would suggest filling them just before serving. Like all cakes, when you fill these ahead of time, especially with heavy cream filling, they will become moist and soggy over time.
When these become crispy, you can enjoy them as a cookie for a month, with no filling. That said, you can bake these ahead of time and fill with cream whenever you need to. It’s one of those recipes that are so perfect for events when you’re trying to make as much dishes ahead of time as possible.
Secrets to Perfect Cream for Pizzelles:
I have always used the same filling to cream these pizzelles. The touch of condensed milk goes a long way with these. When you make the cream, it’s important to use refrigerated ingredients, such as cream cheese and condensed milk and keep the cool whip frozen just until ready to use.
Years ago I used to make them sweeter and added whole can of sweetened condensed milk to the cream, but as years passed by, I kept decreasing the amount of condensed milk, making this dessert less sweet. Most people prefer less sweet, so these are not loaded with sugar.
Follow the instructions in the recipe below to avoid over-beating the cream. It should be smooth and thick, not runny in any case. If for some reason the cream turns our runny, try refrigerating for 30-60 minutes; it should do the trick.
Pizzelles Batter Ingredients:
- Large eggs – room temperature
- Granulated sugar
- Fine salt
- Grapeseed oil (canola or vegetable works too) OR melted unsalted butter for crispier results
- All-purpose flour – sifted
- Vanilla extract
Pizzelles Filling Ingredients:
- Cream cheese – refrigerated
- Sweetened condensed milk – refrigerated
- Cool whip (whipped topping) – frozen (preferably extra creamy) – can be substituted for heavy cream
- Vanilla extract
- Powdered sugar for dusting – optional
How to Make Pizzelles:
Scroll down for the printable Cream Filled Pizzelles recipe.
- Preheat the pizzelle maker.
- Beat to combine eggs, sugar and salt.
- Add oil, vanilla and all-purpose flour.
- Spoon batter onto pizzelle maker and bake.
- Quickly roll each pizzelle right away and single-layer on a baking sheet or tray.
How to Make Cream for Pizzelles and Fill:
- Beat refrigerated cream cheese until smooth.
- Add in refrigerated condensed milk and vanilla extract and beat to combine.
- Add frozen cool whip (or heavy cream) and beat until cream is smooth and thick.
- Fill a piping bag with attached piping tip and pipe each pizzelle fully, from both sides.
- Dust with powdered sugar for an elegant touch and refrigerate until ready to serve.
Must-Try Ukrainian Dessert Recipes:
- Chocolate Spartak Cake – family favorite chocolate cake
- Honey Cake Roll with Condensed Milk Frosting – easy dessert, done in under an hour
- Peach Pastries with Dulce de Leche Filling (persiki/персики) – no mold required, always such crowd-pleaser
- Ptichye Moloko (Bird’s Milk) – the best jell-o dessert you will ever have, done in 30 minutes
- Ukrainian Dulce de Leche Waffle Cake – so easy, the ‘must’ dessert at every event
- Walnut Shaped Cookies with Dulce De Leche Filling (oreshki) – every Slavic family makes these
Cream Filled Pizzelles (Trubochki)
Ingredients
Batter Ingredients:
- 4 large eggs - room temperature
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon fine salt
- 2 tablespoons grapeseed oil , (vegetable ok too - use melted cooled butter for crispier results)
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup all-purpose flour , - sifted
Filling Ingredients:
- 8 oz cream cheese - refrigerated
- 1/3 cup sweetened condensed milk, - refrigerated
- 8 oz cool whip , - frozen (preferably extra creamy, not original)
- 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon powdered sugar , for dusting – optional
Instructions
- Preheat pizzelle maker while you make the batter. In a medium bowl, with an electric mixer, beat 4 eggs, 1/4 cup granulated sugar and 1/4 tsp salt on high speed until eggs are lightened in color and sugar is dissolved (about 2 minutes).
- Add the rest ingredients: 2 tbsp oil, 1/2 tsp vanilla extract and 1 cup sifted all-purpose flour. Beat everything together until flour is all mixed in, on low for about 1 min.
- With help of 1 tbsp measuring spoon, spoon batter onto each pizzelle design, close the lid, bake for 18-20 seconds or until dark golden (I count slowly to 18) and quickly but gently take baked pizzelles off using disposable fork. Different pizzelle makers might take as long as 60 seconds to bake each pizzelle. Working quickly, wrap the hot pizzelles around the wooden stick that comes with pizzelle maker. (You have to work fast, otherwise the pizzelles will cool and break when you try to make cylinder shape). Repeat with remaining batter. Single-layer on a baking sheet or tray to cool and dry. (Do not stack these in more than 1 layer while drying. They will become soggy and get squeezed, losing the round shape).
- To make the filling: In a medium bowl, with an electric mixer, beat 8 oz cream cheese on high speed (about 1 min). Add in 1/3 cup sweetened condensed milk and 1/4 tsp vanilla extract and beat for 1 minute. Lastly, add 8 oz frozen cool whip and continue beating until filling becomes thick and smooth (2-3 minutes on high). Fill a piping bag with cream and fully pipe each pizzelle (both ends). For final touch, dust with 1 tbsp powdered sugar. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
Notes
- Avoid soggy pizzelles: Use melted unsalted butter instead of oil in batter ingredients to make them not as soft. (Oil tends to keep baked goods more on the softer side). Single-layer baked pizzelles and cover on top (to protect from lint) with paper towel or napkin until pizzelles are dry (4-5 hrs). These can be baked ahead of time and filled days later. *If you want the pizzelles to stay crispy until serving, I would suggest filling them just before serving. Like all cakes, when you fill these ahead of time, especially with heavy cream filling, they will become moist and soggy over time.
- To fasten the process of drying the pizzelles or if yours turned out a bit on the soggy side, single-layer them on a baking sheet. Dry in a preheated oven at 170 degrees Fahrenheit for 1 hour.
- Keep in mind that the longer (darker) you bake pizzelles, the more likely they will crack when you roll.
- If filling turned out a bit runny: Use refrigerated ingredients when making the filling. If for some reason the cream turns out runny, refrigerate for 30-60 minutes; it should do the trick.*do not place filling into freezer!
- If batter turns out a bit on thicker side (depends on flour moisture and brand), you can add a bit of extra oil or butter.
- HEAVY CREAM FILLING (refrigerated ingredients): 8 oz cream cheese, 1/2 cup powdered sugar, 1/4 cup sweetened condensed milk, 1/2 tsp vanilla extract and 1 cup cold heavy whipping cream. (Beat cream cheese and powdered sugar on high for 1-2 mins. Add condensed milk and vanilla. Beat 30 seconds on low. Add heavy whipping cream and beat 30 seconds low, then 1 1/2 mins high. Cream will be thick and fluffy).
Karrie K says:
I was sooooo excited to make these. Love the idea, the name, just everything about it. My husband helped me with the Pizzelles 4 days before we needed them to let them crisp up. They were perfect. I made the filling the morning before and put it in the frig. I was glad to find that the filling was so thick still. These were a total success!
Olga in the Kitchen says:
I’m sorry to hear the filling didn’t work out. I’m actually not sure why it would turn out like ‘soup’ since you mentioned you followed the recipe exactly. Were you using Cool Whip for the filling? Cool whip has to be frozen, not thawed and condensed milk and cream cheese cold. If you were using heavy cream instead of cool whip, the cream needs to be used right away because it turns out runny the longer it stays in the fridge. (In fact, any time I use heavy cream filling for any dessert and don’t use it right away, it gets thin and not really useful anymore). I can’t think of any other reason why the cream wouldn’t work. I’ve made this exact recipe for at least 100 times and so did my sister, neither of us had any issues with cream failure as long as the filling ingredients are kept cold. Once they are filled, the cream inside the pizzelles firms up.
Carol says:
Hi, Olga….FYI….if you want to keep whipped cream several days on an item try stabilizing your whipped cream with unflavored gelatin. It will hold up just fine at room temperature for a couple of hours but it’s best to keep your dessert refrigerated. I use it for my Tres Leches Cake and it has held up in the fridge for 4 days. I can’t wait to try this recipe and am very happy I’ve found your site. Thanks
Olga in the Kitchen says:
Thanks Carol for these tips 🙂 I never had issue with runny cream before therefore I never considered using gelatin. But, I had seen people use gelatin in sour cream filling for cream horns that I always wanted to try. I’m actually considering to post another similar version of this recipe with a different filling that doesn’t require cool whip. I think the result for runny cream for some people most likely to do with cool whip (over-beating or under-beating).
Nadia M says:
I’m speechless how good these turned out. I’d give them 10 stars if that would have been the option. I did not substitute anything. Why fix something that is not broken 🙂 love that these are not all sugary like other recipes I tried.
Olga in the Kitchen says:
Aww thank you Nadia for your kind words. I’m so glad these worked out for you!
Pam says:
I love making these. Thank you so much for sharing this amazing recipe. I made them and filled them with cool whip and added slightly more condensed milk than the recipe calls. They were AWESOME! My family loves them. I always keep them on hand baked and in containers so I can fill whenever I need to.
Olga in the Kitchen says:
Pam, thank you for such a nice review on these. It’s a great idea to have these baked on hand all the time. I used to add the whole can of condensed milk to the cream and over years went down to 1/4 cup as my family prefers less sweeter desserts. Either way, these are always addicting 🙂
Irina says:
These pizzelles are my husband’s favorite! Thank you for the recipe!
Olga in the Kitchen says:
You’re very welcome Irina!
Linda W. says:
Love these. The best easy dessert!
Olga in the Kitchen says:
Thanks Linda, I’m happy to hear you enjoyed these 🙂
Eddie H. says:
Fantastic!!! Used the filling with cool whip and liked it a lot better than with heavy cream. If using heavy cream, you need to add more powdered sugar or granulated sugar to the cream as the cool whip is sweet and heavy cream is all bland. But my family prefers with cool whip. I don’t think using cool whip is as bad as all the other candies and colorful foods we all purchase from stores and eat on daily basis. Thank you for an amazing recipe!!!!
Olga in the Kitchen says:
Thanks Eddie for tips! I’m so happy you enjoyed the recipe. I always make these with cool whip as we love it better than with heavy cream as well. Hi5 🙂
Maryna says:
Made these last night to enjoy at family gathering tonight and they were simply delicious. I liked that they were not overloaded with sugar like many other recipes. I also have a different Pizzelle so cooked slightly longer, but they got all crispy in less than 2 hours. This recipe is definitely keeper and I will choose it over any other pizzelle recipe. Thanks Olga!!
Olga in the Kitchen says:
Thank you Maryna, I’m so happy to hear you enjoyed the recipe 🙂 It’s a family favorite and one of the main things everyone loves about these is that they are not extremely sweet like many desserts. I’m glad these worked out so well for you.
Yvonne says:
How much batter do you use for each pizzelle?
Olga in the Kitchen says:
I use 1 tablespoon measuring spoon
Linda says:
I can’t wait to make and eat these.
I want to try this tonight, my question is about the heavy cream. I always use it instead of Cool whip. Do you think it will be as firm? Should I cut back on the milk?
Olga in the Kitchen says:
It should work just fine. Lately I started substituting for heavy cream all the frosting recipes as well and always works out. Just make sure not to overbeat the heavy cream. You can do a bit less condensed milk..maybe 1/4 cup instead of 1/3
Maryna S. says:
Made these yummy pizzelles over the weekend and they were a hit! I followed your instructions on drying these completely before filling and 2 days later, they still had harder shells. I was surprised because some people mentioned theirs turned out soggy. I assume they didn’t read the post or notes on drying these before filling. I also used heavy cream for filling. These are fantastic and went into my recipe book. Thank you so much for sharing another delicious recipe!!!
Olga in the Kitchen says:
Thank you Maryna for such beautiful review. I’m so happy to hear these turned out so great for you 🙂