Czech Pirouette Cookies (Parizske Pecivo)

By
Barbara Rolek
Barbara Rolek
Barbara Rolek is a former chef who became a cooking school instructor and award-winning food writer.
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Updated on 12/20/21
Czech Pirouette Cookies (Parizske Pecivo)

The Spruce / Eric Kleinberg

Prep: 20 mins
Cook: 45 mins
Total: 65 mins
Servings: 24 servings
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
44 Calories
1g Fat
8g Carbs
1g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 24
Amount per serving
Calories 44
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 1g 1%
Saturated Fat 1g 3%
Cholesterol 3mg 1%
Sodium 17mg 1%
Total Carbohydrate 8g 3%
Dietary Fiber 0g 0%
Total Sugars 5g
Protein 1g
Vitamin C 0mg 0%
Calcium 1mg 0%
Iron 0mg 1%
Potassium 14mg 0%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

This recipe for Czech Parisian cookies (parizske pecivo) is better known as pirouettes or rolled wafer cookies. Made with a batter-like dough similar to pancake batter, wafer cookies exist in nearly every cuisine. The French call them pirouettes because they are rolled or twirled much like a pirouette in dancing. In the Philippines, they are known as barquillos and are of Spanish origin, and in Norway, they are known as krumkake. When the wafer cookies are left flat, they are known as wafle in Poland, goro in Norway and pizzelle in Italy to name a few.

These Czech rolled wafer cookies are popular for special occasions year-round, but especially at Christmas time when they become part of vanocni cukrovi (vah-NAWTCH-nee koo-KRAW-vee) or Christmas sweets. This is an all-inclusive list that can consist of baked cookies, no-bake cookies, dainty tarts, candies, and other sweets. It conjures the image of "sugar plums dancing in their heads."

The cookies are usually served as is, but they can be filled with sweetened whipped cream, if desired, or used as a garnish for puddings, mousses, ice cream, or other desserts that would benefit from a little crunch.

Ingredients

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Czech Pirouette Cookies (Parizske Pecivo) ingredients

    The Spruce / Eric Kleinberg

  2. Preheat oven to 425 F. In a large bowl, cream together butter and confectioners' sugar until light and fluffy.

    butter and sugar in a bowl

    The Spruce / Eric Kleinberg

  3. Add flour, egg whites, and vanilla extract and blend until well combined.

    flour, egg whites, and vanilla added to the butter mixture in the bowl

    The Spruce / Eric Kleinberg

  4. Liberally coat a sheet pan with cooking spray. Spoon 1 1/2 teaspoons of batter into 4 quadrants of the pan, spreading each portion into a 4 x 3-inch oval. Bake 3 minutes or until edges are golden.

    baked batter on a baking sheet

    The Spruce / Eric Kleinberg

  5. Using a metal spatula, loosen cookies but leave on pan. Working quickly, place 1 cookie upside down on counter and roll it lengthwise around handle of a wooden spoon.

    cookies rolled around the end of a wooden spoon, cookies on a baking sheet

    The Spruce / Eric Kleinberg

  6. Remove rolled cookie from spoon handle and let cool on wire rack.

    pirouette cookie on a cooling rack, wooden spoon

    The Spruce / Eric Kleinberg

  7. Repeat rolling process with remaining 3 cookies. If they get too brittle, place in the oven for a minute or so to become pliable again.

    Czech Pirouette Cookies (Parizske Pecivo) on a cooling rack

    The Spruce / Eric Kleinberg

  8. Repeat entire process with remaining batter.

    Czech Pirouette Cookies (Parizske Pecivo) on a cooling rack

    The Spruce / Eric Kleinberg

Recipe Variations

  • You can enjoy the cookies plain, especially if you serve them as a crunchy accompaniment to ice cream, pudding, or mousse. But you can also get out the pastry piping bag and fill them with whipped cream, vanilla cream, chocolate cream, and more.

Tips

  • The plain cookies will keep well unrefrigerated for two days. They may begin to lose their crispness after that time.
  • You will have leftover egg yolks from this recipe, and it would be a shame for them to go waste. You can freeze leftover egg yolks for future use. And if you choose not to freeze them, you can use them immediately in these recipes calling for egg yolks only: babka, crescent, and shortbread.