Rosette Cookies
Rosette Cookies are light, crispy, and flakey… fried cookies that you’ll find irresistible. You need to use a rosette iron to make them. You can find them at second-hand stores, antique shops, or you can find the cast aluminum irons here.
Although these are called cookies, they are more like funnel cake and remind me of snowflakes. Oh, they are so light and crispy good! Rosette cookies are very common in Scandinavian and German culture for good reason. They are delicious.
If you want another simple and fun “snow” type cookie, try these Wedding Cookies, they look just like snowballs!
I found this Rosette Iron in an antique shop and thought I would give it a try. So glad I did! It was a dollar. So if you see one, grab it. You’ll be happy you did.
I did look to see if these irons are still available, and they are. Here are some.
Onto the recipe, gather the ingredients:
- eggs
- sugar
- salt
- all-purpose flour
- milk
- vanilla
- powdered sugar
Whisk until smooth. I like using a medium sized bowl so the batter is a few inches thick, another option is a pie plate.
You’ll heat the oil in a skillet/pan, dip the iron in, so it gets hot, and coated with oil, for about 30 seconds. Then dip the iron into the batter being sure it does not wrap around and get on the top of the iron, or once cooked the cookie won’t release easily.
I didn’t think the amount of batter was going to make many rosettes, I was wrong it made over 50 fried rosette cookies.
To store these cookies, do not put them in a plastic bag, they get soggy. Keep them in a glass jar with a lid or a large plastic container like an old pretzel container from Costco, they seem to keep the cookies crisp if you have any leftovers after the say of making and serving them.
This recipe makes at least 50 cookies.
I find it easiest to have someone help me make them. I dip the cookie iron into the oil to heat it for 10 seconds, then the batter for 10 seconds, then the cookie releases from the iron, then 5-10 more seconds. Then place it onto a paper towel. When completely cooled, dust with powdered sugar.
I have the other person help keep the oil at the proper temperature, and do the flipping and removing of the cookies as I’m constantly keeping the iron hot, and dipping it into the batter to keep things moving smoothly. Takes under an hour to make all the cookies.
These are also known as Buñuelos de Viento (Mexican fritters), I’ve also seen them referred to as Swedish Rosette Cookies. No matter what you call them, they are a true winner!
You may have had these rosette cookies or have seen them around Christmastime. They are a popular fried cookie in the US, Germany, Sweden, and Mexico.
The batter is made from basic staples, and once you make them you’ll want to make them all the time.
Rosette Cookies
Ingredients
- 2 eggs
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup flour sifted
- 1 cup milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- powdered sugar for dusting
Instructions
- In a bowl, mix eggs, sugar, and salt. Add in the flour milk and vanilla and mix with a whisk until smooth.
- It's best to place the batter into a flat pie-shaped dish or a medium-sized bowl for easy dipping, and so the batter does now go over the top of the edge, or the batter won't come off the iron easily.
- Heat oil to 375 degrees. I poured 32 oz of oil into a four-quart pot and have also used a 12-inch cast iron skillet which I prefer filled with 1-2 inches of oil, about 2 cups.
- Place the iron in hot oil for 30 seconds, then dip the hot iron into the batter but don't let the batter touch the top of the iron or it won't release.
- Fry the rosette in oil until lightly golden, it only took 10-15 seconds, it'll peel off the iron as it cooks. Use a long wood skewer to help it release if it sticks.
- Once the first side is cooked, the cookie releases, and flip each cookie over to finish cooking.
- The cookies should be golden in color, light, and crispy.
- Then take each cookie out of the oil and place it onto a paper towel-lined tray until all cookies are done.
- Check the oil to be sure it's at the correct temperature as you fry the cookies.
- If the oil is too hot they did not seem to swell up, they just cooked too quickly and started to burn. Oil temperature is key for these to turn out right. Low temperature won't release the cookies off the iron and they'll be "heavy".
- When the cookies are cooled, dust them with powdered sugar.
- Another option is to use granulated sugar and cinnamon, it coats them like a cinnamon donut.
- I prefer powdered sugar.
- You have to heat the iron in the oil for each rosette, it took some time to make them. But they were worth it. It's easier if someone helps monitor the oil and help with taking them out so that you can dip into oil, and batter and facilitate their releasing and get started again.
So cute and light, I want some! I love your snowmen! 🙂
I grew up helping my mom and grandma make rosettes. Such finnicky little buggers but oh so amazing once you get them right.
They should be very soft :-).
They are, I think I described them as crisp but they are light and hold their shape, I thought soft would imply they would bend which these did not. They are not hard and crisp, just crisp enough to hold their shape.
I’ve never heard of these but they look amazing! My 4 yr old just pointed to the screen and said “mama make those snowflakes”…lol The snowmen are adorable too 🙂
These are so unique, I would love a nice plate full.
These are BEAUTIFUL, D!
I love these! I remember eating them as a kid when my father’s aunts would make them. Happy new year!
I’m going to try this! So pretty.
Such a classic…looks like they turned out great!
So pretty! I remember my mom making these. 🙂
I remember my mom making these when we were kids – brings by fun memories.
These sound delicious Diane!!
Wishing you a Happy New Year!!
Oh those look good!
they are truly delicious! in Mexico we call them buñuelos de viento, they are so light and they don’t seem like cookies but they are so good
Sounds fantastic and they look so pretty too! Wishing you a very Happy New Year Diane.
So simple and so perfect! Yammy! Thanks for sharing!
Persians stole the rosettes from the French and call them “noon-e panjareh” (window cookies). It’s always a crowd favorite!
What cute snowmen!! And very elegant cookies, well done. Happy New Year to you!
These are beautiful!
Such a pretty cookie. Not that I’m whining or anything but I never find anything for a dollar in antique shops.
I sometimes think the same thing, but the shop down the street from me is kinda thrift store meets antique shop and I’m often surprised what I find cheap there 🙂 wish they’d stock it every week with new stuff I’d never get tired shopping there then! Happy New Year Paula!!!
I have one of these rosette irons and didn’t have a recipe to use it (came as a gift years ago) – thanks to you we can finally put this thing to use! It looks like it will be well worth the wait. 🙂
oh they were really fun, finicky at first but once I got the hang of it really fun. Happy New Year Kathy!
These look and sound delicious… I love that you got that for a $1!!! You are always inspiring! 🙂
Thanks Amanda, there is one thrifty-antique store near me and I always seem to find the oddest items for really cheap there. Wish they would stock the shelves each week there, I’d be their best customer 🙂 Happy New Year!
Why did my rosette’s not let go of the iron? I could not knock them off or scrape them off. My guess is that they were too hot. Not sure, though. Has anyone had this problem?
My mother made these all the time for family parties. She would heat honey and drizzle it over the and add finely chopped nuts. A lot of work but out of this world.
That sounds yummy! I find when I have someone helping me it goes smoothly versus doing it all myself 🙂