Italian Amaretti Cookies
on Nov 15, 2022, Updated Nov 08, 2023
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One of my favorite recipes in the world has got to be Italian Amaretti 🤌cookies. These authentic Italian cookies are so good that I love them even more than chocolate chip, oatmeal, gingerbread, and sugar cookies combined! The recipe makes sixteen biscotti’s, so if you want to make everyone happy, you may need to double or even triple it. The best part is that you can make them without the Amaretto and they’re just as delicious.
Why You’ll Love Italian Amaretti Cookies
What’s not to love – crunchy on the outside, soft and chewy on the inside, and easy to make. Not to mention, they happen to be gluten-free, and dairy-free, and they don’t have yolks, milk, butter, or traditional flour in them so they are definitely a bit cleaner and more inclusive than other holiday recipes. These reasons alone make Italian Amaretti cookies a delightful treat for everyone.
How to Prepare
👩🍳Preheat the oven to 350F. Begin by combining almond flour and sugar in a bowl, setting it aside.
🥣In a separate bowl, whisk the egg whites until they form white, foamy peaks, this usually takes 1-2 minutes. Add almond extract (or Amaretto) to the egg-white mixture, whisking briefly. The Amaretto enhances the classic Italian Amaretti cookies flavor.
🥚Combine the egg whites with the dry ingredients, using a spatula or your hands if needed, until a sticky dough forms.
🥄Roll the dough into balls, using a measuring spoon or small ice-cream scoop, and dip each cookie ball into powdered sugar before placing them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
🌙Gently flatten each cookie with your fingers or the back of a spoon. Or, you can shape them into half-moons, dip them in crushed almond slices, or leave them plain.
🧁Bake at 350F for approximately 20 minutes, or until the bottoms are lightly golden. After baking, allow the biscotti to cool and before storing them in a glass Tupperware. This ensures your Italian Amaretti cookies stay fresh and delicious.
Nonna’s Tip 👩🍳
Make sure to whisk the egg-whites until they form stiff peaks. Feel free to shape the Italian Amaretti cookies any shape you like.
Italian Amaretti Cookies Variations and Substitutions
- I wouldn’t substitute egg-whites in this recipe. However, you can add other ingredients in the dough like raisins, craisins, or anything festive.
- I have not tried this recipe with any other flour, so you will have to experiment.
- The almond on top of each cookie is more traditional, but optional. Feel free to shape them any way you like.
Other Cookie Recipes
If you love this recipe, you have to try my other cookie recipes such as my easy Puff Pastry Nutella Twists. Nothing compares to Italian Amaretti Cookies though!
Shortbread Butter Cookies
27 mins
Easy Gingerbread Cookies
3 hrs 23 mins
3 Ingredient Sugar Cookies
20 mins
Best Served With
- Coffee or tea ☕
- The Italian way which is with a shot of Vecchia 🥃 (Italian Brandy)
- With a glass of milk 🥛
Common Questions
Although I have not tried this recipe with any other flour, you can definitely experiment. Results and measurements will vary.
Unfortunately, you will need the eggs in this recipe. I do recommend looking for other egg-free cookie recipes online if you are egg-free.
Yes but these are almond cookies. You can however substitute for pure vanilla extract but know that it won’t be that same authentic taste.
Italian Amaretti Cookies
Ingredients
- 2.5 cups almond flour , blanched
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup egg-whites, I separated 4 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon pure almond extract , or vanilla
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350F. In a bowl, mix the almond flour and sugar and set aside. In a separate bowl, whisk the egg-whites until they are white and foamy for about 1-2 minutes.
- Now add in the almond extract (or Amaretto) and whisk for a few seconds. Add the egg-white mixture into your dry ingredients. Incorporate with a spatula or switch to using your hands if you have a hard time.
- If the dough sticks to your hands you can wet your hands a bit and roll.
- Incorporate everything until you have a nice sticky dough. Once you have a sticky dough you can roll each cookie into balls — take a measuring spoon or small ice-cream scoop and scoop the dough into your hands and roll them.
- Dip each cookie ball into powdered sugar and place them on your baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Flatten each cookie gently with your fingers or the back of a spoon.
- You can also roll them into a ball and then roll into a thick short rope and make a half-moon shape and then dip it crushed almond slices, and then add powdered sugar on top. You can also make half-moons and leave them plain as well.
- Bake at 350F for 20 minutes or until light golden bottoms. Let them cool and place them in a glass Tupperware as they will be delicious even 2-3 days before Christmas. Enjoy and share with your loved ones!
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
My family loved this! I followed the recipe exactly as written and they turned out perfectly.
Aw Nancy, love it when that happens 💗
This worked exactly as written, thanks! These are very realistic and I loved them. Thanks for sharing
I’m so happy you loved them! ❤️
Thank you for sharing this recipe
Thank you, Zuleyma 😘
How do you store those cookies? Do you thing they can do well for a couple of days?
Thanks for the great recipe.
Hi Silviya, I like to store these in a glass tupperware on the counter for up to 3 days. 💗
Delicious! I made my own almond flour because I have to soak my almonds first. Do I store them in the fridge?
Perfect in the fridge or the counter too.
Can I use regular flour instead of almond flour?
Hi Carlos! I have not tried this recipe with any other flour, so you will have to experiment. Happy baking! ❤️
You could try it, and maybe it would be good (no idea) but it would be an entirely different cookie. The almond flour is the point of amaretti cookies. But hey, you might invent a new classic, who knows!
Thank you for sharing this recipe. My family loved the cookies. They were easy to make and were exactly as you described them, crispy outer and soft inner.
Thanks Maddalena! I’m so happy you all loved them! Happy Holidays! 😘
The dough was so sticky and kept sticking to my hands when I was trying to form the shape, any advice?
Hi Michelle, you can wet your hands or have a damp paper towel near by which will help. I like to wipe or wash my hands if they become too sticky. Alternatively, you can add a little oil on your hands to prevent sticking too.
These are absolutely delicious & super easy to make! I’ve been making them for a few years now. These are a family favourite top with an almond or cherry. Yum!
This makes me so happy to hear, Silvana! Happy Holidays! 😘