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Several almond crinkled cookies piled on a white and blue kitchen towel.

Italian Amaretti Cookies

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Soft and chewy, these are gluten-free almond cookies made with few ingredients! It's a great way to use those leftover egg whites that have been in the fridge for a while. They are lightly colored, airy, and with a subtle almond flavor that makes them perfect for Easter or with a cup of your favorite drink.

  • Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
  • Yield: 25 medium

Ingredients

Units
  • 2 cups (200g) almond flour
  • 1 cup (200g) white sugar
  • 3-4 egg whites, at room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon pure almond extract
  • Powdered sugar, to sift on top before baking

Instructions

  1. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
  2. Stir almond flour with sugar to mix in a large bowl. 
  3. Mix with a fork the egg whites so they break up a little and are easier to measure. 
  4. Add half the egg whites to the almond mixture together with the extract. 
  5. Mix well with a whisk or wooden spoon. Make sure it's all moistened, or most of it. 
  6. Adjust by adding more egg whites if needed. The batter should be very thick and very slowly fall from the whisk when lifted from the bowl, but all the dry ingredients should be moistened. 
  7. Scoop portions on the prepared sheet, leaving about 2 inches between each mound. 
  8. Sift a thin layer of powdered sugar on top and let at room temperature for 1 hour (and up to 2). I you touch the surface a hard layer will have formed. 
  9. Preheat the oven to 300°F/150°C.
  10. Bake for about 15 minutes, until puffed and very lightly colored. 
  11. Let cool on a wire rack and carefully lift from the cookie sheet. 
  12. Store in tins. 

Notes

Almond flour. I like to buy the commercial flour and be done with. But you can process whole almonds and make your own. I like this recipe for Homemade Almond Flour.

Egg whites. The amount you add makes the dough thicker or thinner resulting in thicker or flatter cookies. I like them on the thin side because they are chewy and airy, as opposed to more dense ones. But it's your choice. I suggest you bake a few and see if you like them and adjust accordingly if necessary.

Almond extract. You can buy it online. I love Nielsen Massey Pure Almond Extract, Organic Pure Almond Extract from Nielsen-Massey, and Simply Organic Almond Extract. 

Storing. They turn crisper but stay chewy the next day. I put them in tins and they last a few days.

  • Author: Paula Montenegro
  • Prep Time: 10
  • Cook Time: 15
  • Category: Cookies
  • Method: Baking
  • Cuisine: Italian

Find it online: https://vintagekitchennotes.com/amaretti-cookies/