With a crispy exterior and soft and chewy interior, these Italian Amaretti Cookies also known as Amaretti Morbidi, are gluten-free and simply irresistible.
Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
These Italian Amaretti Cookies are a favourite at my house. The cookies are quick and easy to make, are made with blanched almond flour and have a delicious marzipan like centre that stays tender and chewy.
These are a great cookie for making ahead and giving them away as a host/hostess gift. They're so delicious and pretty looking everyone will think you purchased them at an Italian bakery.
How to Make
These Italian Amaretti Cookies are made with simple ingredients, don't require a lot of time to make and are perfect when you want a gluten-free treat.
Here's an overview of the ingredients and steps to making these cookies, please take a look at the recipe card at the bottom of the post for precise amounts and instructions.
Ingredients Overview:
- Almond flour
- Granulated sugar
- Salt
- Lemon zest
- Egg whites
- Almond extract
Steps Overview:
When preparing your ingredients to make these cookies, start by separating the eggs. You will only need the egg whites for this recipe.
Tip: Since egg whites whip up better when they're at room temperature, it's best to wait a bit before whipping them up to medium-firm peaks.
For the best results, I highly recommend using a food scale to measure the almond flour for this recipe. Without a scale, you could end up using a bit more than you should.
If you must use cups to measure, I recommend fluffing the almond flour with a fork or small whisk before measuring. Then lightly spoon the flour into the measuring cup. You'll want to make sure that you're not packing it in, so don't tap the cup on the counter. Finally, use a straight-edged utensil to level off the cup.
After measuring the dry ingredients, add the lemon zest and combine together. Set the mixture aside and whip the egg whites. Fold the egg whites and almond extract into the flour mixture until you have a uniform dough.
Using a small cookie scoop, scoop dough and roll into a ball until it's smooth and then roll it in the granulated sugar. The balls should be just a bit over 1-inch wide in size.
Place the cookie balls onto the baking sheet and bake in the oven until bottoms are lightly golden and tops just begin to colour and are firm to the touch.
How to Serve
These delicious cookies cookies can be served anytime of the year. I find their sparkly exterior makes them especially perfect for serving during the holidays. I like to serve Amaretti with a delicious cup of coffee. You can also serve them with a cup of tea or on their own.
How to Store
Amaretti cookies can be kept in an airtight container for up to at least a week. If you're making them ahead of time, they can be frozen in a freezer bag for up to 3 months. Thaw the cookies in the refrigerator overnight.
Tip: To make sure the cookies keep their shape, start by freezing them on a cookie tray until they are frozen solid, then put them in a freezer bag and return to the freezer.
For more delicious Italian cookies, don't forget to check out my Pistachio and Cranberry Biscotti, Hazelnut Chocolate Biscotti and Apricot and Almond Biscotti recipes.
Happy Baking!
More Baked Goods Made with Almonds
- Gluten-Free Almond Flour Brownies
- Chewy Almond Marzipan Bars
- Cherry Almond Cake
- Mini Almond and Matcha Bundt Cakes
Italian Amaretti Cookies
Ingredients
- 3 cups almond flour 265 grams
- 1 cup granulated sugar 200 grams
- ⅛ teaspoon salt pinch
- 1 lemon zest from 1 lemon (medium-sized)
- 3 egg whites from 3 large eggs
- 1-½ teaspoons almond extract
- ¼ cup granulated sugar (for rolling cookies in) or powdered sugar or a combination of both
Instructions
- Place a rack in the centre of your oven and preheat oven to 325ºF. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- In a bowl, combine the almond flour, granulated sugar, salt and lemon zest. Whisk until blended. Use your fingers to break up any little clumps of lemon zest in the flour. Set aside.
- In the bowl of your electric mixer, beat the egg whites on low until frothy and then on medium-high speed until medium to firm peaks form. Add almond extract to the egg whites and gently combine.
- Fold the beaten egg whites into the almond flour mixture until the mixture is well combined and becomes a sticky dough.
- Using a small cookie scoop (size 60), scoop dough ball. Roll the dough until you have a smooth ball and then roll it in the granulated sugar. The balls should be just a bit over 1 inch wide in size. Place the cookie balls onto the baking sheet, spacing them about an inch and a half apart. Repeat until your sheet is full.
- Bake in the oven for approximately 16-18 minutes or until bottoms are lightly golden and tops are firm to the touch.
Notes
- I like to use a cookie scoop that's about 1.25 to 1.5 inch wide, or a size 60 scoop. A size 60 scoop will hold just about 1 tablespoon of liquid. So if you don't own a cookie scoop, you can use a tablespoon to portion the dough.
- For best results, I recommend using a food scale for this recipe. Without a scale, you could end up using a bit more almond flour then you should. If you must use cups to measure, fluff the flour with a fork or small whisk before measuring. Then lightly spoon the flour into the measuring cup. Make sure that you're not packing it in and don't tap the cup on the counter. Use a straight-edged utensil to level off the cup.