Amaretti Cookies Recipe
Amaretti Cookies are small gluten and dairy-free cookies made with egg whites, almond flour, and sugar. The cookies can range from crispy like biscotti, to an almost chewy texture all while having the most amazing almond flavor and aroma. They’re amazing with a cup of good strong coffee.
I’ve never had the Amoretti Cookies until we were vacationing in Leavenworth, WA, a Bavarian-inspired village surrounded by Cascade mountains. The resort we stayed in had these gluten-free Cookies for their tea hour. It was love at first bite, so as soon as I came home I quickly got in the kitchen and tried to recreate them.
After a couple of test runs, I was able to get the Amaretti Cookies to the way I liked them. I’m hoping you try them to see just why I was so smitten with these almond bites of heaven!
A bite of the Amaretti Cookie with a sip of good coffee and I’m right back in Posthotel in Leavenworth, even if just for a quick second and only in my own memory. By the way, you can check the “Travel” tab in my Instagram to see just what I’m talking about 😉
Best Almond Flour for Amaretti Cookies
Purchased: Any finely ground almond flour will work best for this cookie recipe. Both Bob’s Red Mill and Kirkland (Costco) brand almond flour work very well, as far as purchased options go.
Homemade: You can also make your own almond flour by processing the almonds, or better yet sliced almonds in the food processor or vitamix blender by pulsing on the highest speeds. Do not process for too long at a time or you will get almond butter. I have worked with 1/2 a cup at a time with my Vitamix blender and that produced a pretty fine almond flour. After processing it, sift it through a sieve to remove larger pieces of almonds.
If you do not have a Vitamix blender or food processor, this little hand mill grater produces great results, it just might take longer.
Also, almonds with skin on and off are both fine.
How to store the Amaretti Cookies
Store the cookies at room temperature in a covered container or under a dome, for up to 4-5 days. The less crispy the cookies start out, the longer they’ll retain their freshness.
How to make Low Carb Amaretti Cookies
Substitution for Sugar: Replace the amount of sugar listed in the recipe with about 5 tablespoons of Truvia or another granulated sweetener. The cookies will taste a bit different, but if you have any experience baking with sweeteners, you already knew that 😉
Why you should make these Italian Cookies
The Almond Cookies are quick and easy to make, so I really hope you give them a try and give yourself a chance to fall in love with them just as much as I have!
You’ll especially enjoy the Italian Cookies if you like marzipan (almond paste) candies, bars or macarons, or basically all things almond. The almond extract really elevates the almond flavor by giving you the most amazing Almond aroma in every bite. Not only do they smell amazing as the almond cookies bake, but also as soon as you bring them close enough to your face to smell them.
The texture of the Amaretti Cookie where the egg whites are added straight out of the shell and mixed with the almond flour. Just a dense, almondy texture full of almond aroma.
Two Ways to Make Amaretti Cookies
The cookies can range from crispy to chewy in texture. Even though both are made exactly with the same ingredients, it is the technique of adding the egg whites and the baking time that is going to determine the texture.
Here’s how the two different textures are achieved:
-
How to make Chewy Amaretti Cookies:
Whipping the egg whites before adding them to the almond flour will add chew to this gluten-free cookie. Adding the egg whites as is, will produce a more dense texture without the chew.
-
How to make Crispy Amaretti Cookie:
Prolonged baking time will increase the crispiness of the Amaretti cookies and if baked long enough, the cookies will become biscotti-like.
The step by step pictures will show the whipped egg whites method (alas the chewy textured amaretti cookies), but the printed version will have both. You can decide for yourself which one you like better.
Amaretti Cookies Recipe
Ingredients for the Amaretti Cookie
- Egg whites
- Powdered Sugar
- Almond Flour
- Almond Extract
- Amaretto Liqueur
How to make Amaretti Cookies
- In a grease-free bowl of a stand mixer whip, the egg whites and sugar for about 10 minutes or until the meringue quadrupled in volume and has a lustrous sheen. Then, add the vanilla & almond extract and fold gently. Next, add the almond meal/flour and fold until no chunks of almond flour are seen.
How to form the Almond Cookies
It is up to you if you want to roll the Amaretti Cookies into balls, or just scoop with an ice cream scoop and call it a day. Either way, they will bake and taste the same.
- Using a 2 Tbsp ice cream scoop, scoop up the Amaretti Cookie mixture and roll it into a ball. Then, roll it in granulated sugar first and powdered sugar second – the powdered sugar coating is optional but does accentuate the crackles as the cookies bake.
- Place the coated cookie balls onto parchment lined baking sheet and lightly tap the tops to flatten them. Bake in the oven for 15 minutes if you want the cookies to be soft on the inside, all the way up to 25 minutes if you prefer the cookies biscotti-like texture.
Cookies on the left have been scooped, then rolled between the palms into a ball and dipped into granulated AND the powdered sugar. Cookies on the right were scooped and released right into the granulated sugar then lightly rolled in it and baked.
Remove from the oven and cool on a wire rack. The cookies can be eaten warm or cold.
More Gluten-Free Recipes
- Basic Macaron Recipe – Italian Meringue Method
- Boccone Dolce – Meringue Cake with Chantilly Cream and Berries
- Hazelnut Meringue Bombs – Nutty Meringue with Dulce de Leche Cream
Amaretti Cookies Recipe
Amaretti Cookies are small gluten and dairy-free cookies made with egg whites, almond flour, and sugar. The cookies can range from crispy like biscotti, to an almost chewy texture and have the most amazing almond flavor and aroma. They're amazing with a cup of good strong coffee.
Ingredients
Amaretti Cookie Ingredients
- 3 egg whites
- 1 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp almond extract
- 1 tsp Amaretto Liqueur *optional*
- 2 1/2 cups almond flour or finely ground almonds 2 1/2 cups = 250g
For Coating the Almond Cookies
- 3 tbsp granulated sugar
- 3 tbsp powdered sugar
Instructions
Prep
-
Line a 12 in x 16 in baking sheet with parchment paper, set aside.
Preheat the oven to 325F with the baking rack in the middle.
How to make the Chewy Amaretti Cookies
-
Whip egg whites and granulated sugar in a bowl of a mixer with a whip attachment for about 15 minutes.
-
Add the vanilla extract, Almond extract, and Amaretto liqueur and carefully fold it in. Next, add the almond flour and fold it in until completely incorporated.
-
Using a spoon or a medium ice cream scoop about 2 tbsp of almond batter and form balls out of the dough by rolling them between the palms of your hands. Then roll them in granulated sugar and powdered sugar and set on the prepared baking sheet about 1 inch apart.
-
Place in the oven and bake for about 15 minutes if you like the Amaretti cookies soft on the inside, or up to 25 minutes if you prefer the biscotti-like texture.
How to make Soft Italian Cookies
-
Add the egg whites to the sugar and whisk until well combined. Add the amaretto, vanilla extract, the almond extract and whisk until smooth. Next, fold in the almond flour.
-
Now continue with the instructions from step 3 from the section above.
Recipe Notes
- For the PostHotel version whip the egg whites separately (without the sugar). Then add the amaretto liqueur, vanilla, almond extracts, almond flour and the sugar and carefully mix.
- Follow the rolling and baking instructions in the recipe.
Thank you for following me on Instagram, Facebook & Pinterest!
Hashtag your photos #LetTheBakingBeginBlog so I can see your creations and for a chance to be featured!
Marina | Let the Baking Begin
If I don’t have Almond flour may I use Almond extract?
Almond flour is a dry ingredient, and almond extract is a liquid flavoring agent. One can not replace the other.
Amazing! Just made this morning. Cooked for 18 minutes and were perfect in my oven. Thanks for the recipe.!
If you freeze them for later,do you leave off the sugar,and when ready to use thaw and then roll them in sugar
Roll them in sugar, bake, cool, and then freeze.
Looks like a good recipe. I would like to know how many cookies to expect. How many in a serving?
Hi! Do you whip this for 15 mins on high? What should the consistency look like by the time ta done whipping?
Thanks!
Are the cookies in your picture the chewy cookie or the soft cookie ?
Love these cookies.
The second time I made then I didn’t have enough almond flour. I decided to try something. I ground oatmeal and mixed it with the almond flour. And made the cookies.
They were very tasty and really didn’t see to much of a difference. Only problem, they were difficult to roll in the sugars as the dough was softer. Once they were on the cookie sheet they baked just fine.
It was just something I wanted to try.
I will make the original recipe.
Thanks for sharing
Omg..made these & they were perfect & delicious
Awesome to hear! thank you for sharing your feedback!
Hi I made the cookies they are delicious and thank for the recipe but with your measurements the dough became runny so I had to use additional half cup of almond flour since 2 1/2 cup wasn’t enough.
Hi, just wondering if these cookies can be frozen. Thanks!
Hi Cyd,
Sure thing!
Hi I tried making your cookies. Can you tell me if you made a mistake in the almond flour measurements. With only 250g they were runny, even after I doubled the flour they could still not be rolled in my palms. They taste great but they are flat cookies not round
Hi Denise, I’m not sure why it didn’t work for you. Did you weigh the almond flour?
I’d like to try this recipe. You mention almond flour in the instructions , but not in the ingredients. How much almond flour are you supposed to use? Thanks.
Hi Nancyann,
In the ingredient list it mentions ground almonds, which are the same as almond flour, so use 250 grams 🙂
Thank you so much, Marina! I thought so, but was not sure and wanted to double check. Appreciate your prompt reply. I cannot wait to make these cookies for a holiday party.
Wow, they look so good! I really need a trip to Italy or just make them, making them sounds like a smarter option 🙂
A cheaper one too!))) Thank you Natalya!
Hi Marina: I made these today and they have a wonderful flavor. But I also had trouble with the amount of flour. I looked at a conversion chart for grams to cups, and I figured the amount to be 1 1/4 cups. This was way too runny to form into a ball so I kept adding flour 1/4 cup at a time. I used nearly a whole bag of Bob’s Red Hill Almond Meal/Flour (1 lb/453 g). I definitely want to make these again, but do you have a proper conversion to cups of flour? Thanks for this very tasty recipe.
Hello marina darling greetings from Brooklyn NY hope that you are doing well on this happy Sunday morning made these cookies on Friday they spread out but I know to use a smaller scoop next time but nevertheless regardless they came out really way good and oh so yumm I definitely gotta try them with coffee but they are also really very good with tea these are so perfect to make for passover thanx so much for sharing can’t wait to try more recipes happy holidays cheers
Hi Tzivia!
Thank you so much for your feedback! Happy Holidays to you!
So good to be back to see these lovely babies ! Thank you !
Thank you for being a regular here on Let the Baking Begin! 😀