Soft Amaretti Cookies Recipe
Sardinian amaretti cookies are a soft and chewy almond cookies with a touch of lemon zest. These cookies are slightly crunchy on the outside from the sugar meringue crust and a deliciously soft and tender on the inside with a sweet almond flavor. Bonus: they are naturally gluten free!
Servings: 20 -24 servings
Ingredients
- 2 ½ cups almond flour
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 cup powdered sugar more for topping
- 3 egg whites large eggs
- zest of 1 lemon
- 1 teaspoon pure almond extract
- 36 almonds without skin optional
- ½ cup sugar on a plate for rolling cookies
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325°F. Position rack in the center. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and set it aside.
- Whisk the almond flour and sugar together in a large bowl (or sift them instead). Add the grated lemon zest and salt and whisk a few more times; make sure there are no lumps or clumps. Set aside.
- In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites to a soft peak stage. Whisk in the almond extract.
- Gently fold the egg whites into the dry ingredients. Once the dough is completely moist, you are done. Be careful not to overmix!
- Shape the cookies either with your hands or with a piping bag. To use your hands, use a tablespoon to get a portion of the dough. With slightly damp hands, press your palms into the plate of sugar. Roll each ball of dough with your sugar-coated palms and then again in the sugar found on the plate. Place on lined baking sheet. To use a piping bag, place the batter into a pastry bag with a 1 centimeter round tip and make small rounds on a prepared baking sheet. Sprinkle tops with sugar.
- Gently place the whole almond in the center of the cookie if desired, then bake for 15 minutes, or until the cookies are slightly golden brown in color. (You do not have to add the whole almond; you can bake without.)
- Cool on a cooling rack, then remove from the parchment and store at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 1 week.
Notes
- Separate the egg whites and yolks while the eggs are cold, then let the whites come to room temperature before beating. This will help them be more voluminous when beaten, improving the texture of the cookies.
- Be sure to handle the cookie mixture gently to keep as much air in it as possible. The perfect smooth texture and pretty cracks on the surface of these chewy amaretti cookies depend on incorporating exactly the right amount of egg whites into the ground almond mixture.
- Let the cookies cool on the parchment paper, then remove them from the paper. If you remove them from the paper while they are still warm, they may stick or break apart.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 135kcal | Carbohydrates: 14g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 0.001g | Sodium: 10mg | Potassium: 21mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 11g | Vitamin A: 0.1IU | Vitamin C: 0.1mg | Calcium: 35mg | Iron: 1mg
