These Amaretti Cookies are an Italian cookie perfect for the holidays. The outside of this almond cookie is slightly crisp and the inside is soft and chewy.
Table Of Contents
Recipe Details
After much experimenting, I love the way this Amaretti Cookies recipe has turned out. Amaretti cookies are often made with amaretto (almond liqueur), but I personally prefer them with almond extract. Its also a lot easier to find almond extract over amaretto liqueur. I know you’ll love these amazing cookies as much as we do.
- TASTE: This almond cookie not only tastes amazing but is gluten-free as well. It’s sweet and nutty and delicious.
- TEXTURE: Amaretti cookies have an undoubtedly unique texture. The outside is slightly crispy while the inside is soft and chewy.
- TIME: It only takes 40 minutes to make this recipe.
- EASE: With just a handful of ingredients, this is a simple cookie recipe that you can make again and again.
What You’ll Need
Ingredient Notes
- Almond flour- This gluten-free flour is the base for the cookie dough and adds a dense texture and nutty flavor.
- Eggs- This recipe uses quite a bit of egg whites because they are both the binder and also the leavening in the cookies.
- Almond extract- This adds a slightly more intense almond flavor to the amaretti cookies.
- Granulated sugar- This is used to sweeten the cookies both inside and out.
- Powdered sugar- This is used to coat the outside of the cookies before baking.
Add-ins and Substitutions
- Make these cookies low carb/keto- Just switch the sugar for a sugar-free sweetener like monk fruit, erythritol, or my favorite is a blend of monk fruit and allulose.
- Make your own almond flour- This is really easy to do. Just very finely ground blanched and dried almonds, then sift it so you have a fine flour.
- Substitute amaretto liqueur- In place of the almond extract, you can use this almond liqueur to flavor your cookies.
- Add lemon zest- These cookies taste good with a slight citrusy note, so you can also make them with some lemon zest added in.
How to Make Amaretti Cookies
- Beat the egg whites. Separate the egg whites into a large bowl. Add a pinch of salt and beat them with an electric mixer until stiff peaks form.
- Sift the flour and sugar. Sift the almond flour and sugar together.
- Combine with eggs and extracts. Add a third of the almond-sugar mixture and fold it in with a spatula. Then pour in the vanilla extract and almond extract. Add the second third of the almond mixture, fold in, sift in the last third, and fold it in once more.
- Scoop and roll the dough. Use a medium-sized cookie scoop to scoop out mounds of the cookie dough and place them into a plate of granulated sugar. Roll the scoop of cookie dough into the sugar, then take it into your hands and round it out to a ball.
Pro Tip: Add the dry ingredients slowly and fold in to keep from crushing the air that was incorporated into the egg whites.
- Roll in powdered sugar and bake. Roll the dough balls into powdered sugar. Place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and lightly press each cookie with your hand. Bake for 25 minutes at 325°F.
Recipe Tips
- Don’t substitute the flour- Unfortunately, you cannot use all-purpose flour in place of the almond flour. It will change both the flavor and the texture of these cookies too much.
- Make sure to beat the eggs to stiff peaks- Doing this ensures that the cookies will be aerated enough not to fall flat and spread.
- If the dough is too sticky- If this happens because your eggs were larger or your flour coarser, then add equal amounts of almond flour and sugar to the dough until it’s easily rolled.
- Use a cookie scoop- Using a medium-sized cookie scoop will ensure that the cookies are the same size so they cook evenly and at the same rate.
FAQs
Amaretti cookies are an Italian gluten-free cookie made of egg whites, sugar, almond flour, and almond extract. There are two types of Amaretti cookies: the soft kind and the hard kind. The soft version is also known as amaretti morbidi and they are very chewy. The crispy type is made the same way but held in the oven longer to obtain a crunchier texture.
Yes, these amaretti cookies are gluten free. They use almond flour in place of the all-purpose flour so they have zero gluten.
Serving Suggestions
These Amaretti Cookies are delicious with so many other desserts. You can serve them with cakes, other cookies, and lots of sweet treats or drinks.
- Cookies: Add these to a cookie platter with some Chewy Nutella Cookies, Mint Chocolate Chip Cookies, Raspberry Thumbprint Cookies (VIDEO), and Chewy Oatmeal Raisin Cookies.
- Cake: Pair these cookies with a slice of New York Style Cheesecake, Gingerbread Cake, Tiramisu Cake (VIDEO), or Chocolate Honey Cake (Spartak Cake).
- Sweet treats: Enjoy them with some Candied Pecans, Chocolate Pot De Creme, Red Velvet Cake Pops (VIDEO), or Pecan Tassies.
- Beverages: Serve them with coffee, tea, or Hot Chocolate. You can also make a homemade Iced Caramel Macchiato or Pumpkin Spice Latte.
Make This Recipe in Advance
Make ahead: Amaretti cookies can be frozen before they are baked. Just make the cookies up until they are ready to go into the oven, then place them on a baking sheet, and freeze them for 1 hour. Then transfer to a ziplock bag. Thaw for 30-60 minutes then dust with fresh powdered sugar before baking per the recipe instructions.
Storing: These cookies will last for about a week at room temperature in an airtight container.
Freeze: Freeze these cooled cookies on a baking sheet for an hour or so, then transfer them to a freezer ziplock bag. They will last for about 4-6 months.
More Delicious Cookies!
Watch a VIDEO on how to make them here!
Full Recipe Instructions
Amaretti Cookies
Equipment
Ingredients
- 5 eggs whites
- Pinch salt
- 4 1/2-5 cups blanched almond flour (depending on size of eggs) I find that 5 cups works best
- 1 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1-2 tsp almond extract (I prefer 2 tsp)
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
Instructions
- Separate 5 egg whites into a bowl then add a pinch of salt.
- Using an electric mixer, beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form.
- Set that aside and sift 5 cups of blanched almond flour with 1 1/2 cups of granulated sugar into a bowl.
- Add about 1/3 of the almond flour mixture into the egg whites and fold it in gently with a spatula.
- Now go ahead and add 1/2 tsp vanilla extract and 2 tsp of almond extract. Then quickly fold it in.
- Add the second third of the almond flour mixture to the egg whites and gently fold it in again.
- Sift in the remaining third of the almond flour mixture and fold it in one last time. at this point, the cookie dough should have a thick paste-like texture.
- Use a medium-sized cookie scoop to scoop out mounds of the cookie dough and place them into a plate of granulated sugar. Roll the scoop of cookie dough into the sugar, then take it into your hands and round it out to a ball.
- Drop the ball into a bowl of powdered sugar and evenly coat it.
- 10. Place the cookies onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and lightly press each cookie with your hand or the bottom of a flat cup. Bake at 325 degrees Fahrenheit for 20-25 minutes.
Notes
- These cookies can be frozen before they are baked. Just make the cookies up until they are ready to go into the oven, then place them on a baking sheet, and freeze them for 1 hour. Then transfer to a ziplock bag. Thaw for 30-60 minutes then dust with fresh powdered sugar before baking per the recipe instructions.
- Don’t substitute the flour- Unfortunately, you cannot use all-purpose flour in place of the almond flour. It will change both the flavor and the texture of these cookies too much.
- Make sure to beat the eggs to stiff peaks- Doing this ensures that the cookies will be aerated enough not to fall flat and spread.
- If the dough is too sticky- If this happens because your eggs were larger or your flour coarser, then add equal amounts of almond flour and sugar to the dough until it’s easily rolled.
Nutrition
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Sim says
I’m having a bit of trouble finding almond flour – is almond meal a suitable substitute?
simplyhomecooked says
Hi Sim, I am not too sure where you are located but in the US pretty much every store carries blanched almond flour in the baking aisle. If you cant find the blanched kind, the almond meal will still work in these amaretti cookies 🙂
Kristen C says
I’ve made these three times and they’re a big hit! I’ve used a 1T and 1.5T scoop for very different results due to cooking time (21min and 22 min respectively). The hardest part for me is folding in the dough the third time. Has anyone ever used a stand mixer with the dough hook attachment?
simplyhomecooked says
Hi Kristen, thanks so much for the nice feedback. I’m so glad you loved this amaretti cookie recipe! I have never tried using a stand mixer for this part since you don’t want to overmix the dough.
Kawla says
Hi. do we need to preheat the oven before cooking?
simplyhomecooked says
Hi Kawla, yes preheat your oven before placing the amaretti cookies inside to bake.
Monica Bagrowski says
Can you use all purpose flour? Both of my sons have nut allergies.
simplyhomecooked says
Hi Monica, unfortunately, all-purpose flour won’t work for amaretti cookies. It is one of the key ingredients of this type of cookie.
Cynthia says
Thank you for sharing such an easy and delicious recipe. I gave some to my neighbors. They all said the these cookies were the best cookies that I’ve ever baked.
Last week, I baked lemon bars and need 7 yolks for the curd. So I searched for a recipe to use up the egg whites. Wow! I scored with these cookies. One thing I did change was I used orange extract rather than vanilla extract.
simplyhomecooked says
Thank you so much for leaving such awesome feedback, Cynthia! I’m happy you found my amaretti cookie recipe.
Nancy Lee says
I’d really like to get them totally crispy. Do you think they should just be baked longer at the same temperature?
simplyhomecooked says
Hi Nancy, yes you can make these amaretti cookies more crispy. By baking longer, the cookies become crispier. By baking shorter, the inside is chewier. As to how many extra minutes to bake them, I’m not too sure, since I don’t know how crispy you want them. I would add about 5 minutes and then see how they turn out. Keep in mind when they cool down they will harden a little as well. I hope you enjoy this recipe 🙂
Elle F says
Hi Dina,
These cookies taste just like the ones I had when I was a child, so very yummy. Can you please tell me how long they will keep in an air tight container, and can you freeze them? I want to make them ahead for a party and I won’t have time that week to make them fresh.
simplyhomecooked says
Hi Elle, thank you so much for your feedback! I am glad you enjoyed this recipe! If you cover these amaretti cookies really well in a air tight container you can hold them for up to a week. I have never tried to freeze them so I’m not too sure about that.
Maribel says
Hi Dina, I’d love to make your Amaretti cookies real soon, but have a few questions. How much of a difference would it make if I did not have almond flour? Can I still make them w. reg. flour? I also have almond emulsion which is stronger than extract, would I need to use as much like the 2 tsp. from your recipe or would just 1 tsp. be enough? Thanks..
simplyhomecooked says
Hi Maribel, the key ingredient in amaretti cookies is the almond flour. So, unfortunately, this is something that cannot be substituted with all-purpose flour. as for the almond emulsion, I would start off with 1 tsp. I hope that all helps 🙂
Maribel says
Thanks so much Dina for your note to clear up the “Flour” deal. Guess I will have to make the small investment in almond flour so my cookies come out perfect. If I wanted to use egg whites that come in a type of milk container, what amount in cup to equal 5 egg whites? I cannot see myself wasting 5 very good yolks just to get/use the whites. I know they do sell the egg whites in a container. Thanks again for your help.
simplyhomecooked says
Hi Maribel, I have never tried this amaretti cookies recipe with egg whites out of carton. So I can’t say how much exactly you will need nor do I know if the results will be the same. If you don’t want to waste the egg yolks you can use them up by making my white chocolate creme brulee recipe (just cut the recipe in half). I hope that helps 🙂
Maribel says
Dina, I had misplaced your note/site and just found it. I bought a container of egg whites 16 oz.and it indicates amt. inside equals 10 egg whites, so 1/2 of that equal 8 oz an entire cup of whites, that should be easy enough. I’m sure that would be just fine.. There should not be any difference in outcome using the right amount. Thanks for your note.
simplyhomecooked says
Hi Maribel, let me know how they turn out with the carton egg whites. I’m really curious if the results will be similar to using egg whites separated from the yolk.
LILiya Guyvoronsky says
Dina these are little crunchy pillows of perfection thank you so much for sharing the recipe .
simplyhomecooked says
Liliya, these amaretti cookies have become a weakness of mine lol. So addicting! Thank you for sharing your awesome feedback.
Emily G says
Your recipe says 2 tsp almond extract but when you read the Instructions it says 1 tsp almond extract…which one is correct?
simplyhomecooked says
Hi Emily, it should be 2 tsp. Thank you for bringing that to my attention. I just corrected it 🙂
Kate says
Wondering what is the serving size you have …1 or 2 cookies?
simplyhomecooked says
Hi Kate, 1 serving is 1 amaretti cookie 🙂
Nutha says
Hi!! Can I make these the day before and serve the next day? Or would you recommend making/serving day of? Thank you!
simplyhomecooked says
Hi Nutha, yes you can make these amaretti cookies the day before. Just keep them in an airtight container until you need to serve them. I hope you enjoy this recipe 🙂
Lizzy says
We even prefer them the next day in our house! Delicious recipe.
simplyhomecooked says
Thank you Lizzy for your review! I am happy to hear that your house enjoys my Amaretti cookie recipe!
Carina Z. says
Made these for Easter and they turned out perfect! Nice and crunchy on the outside and chewy on the inside! This is my new go-to. Super easy and doesn’t take much time to make! Thank you, Dina
simplyhomecooked says
Thank you so much for your kind words, Carina. I’m so happy to hear that you enjoyed my amaretti cookie recipe! 🙂
Linda Tecce says
Hi I just made these cookies. I have a question. Your dough looked lighter than mine, I used Now Real Foods brand
For my dough. They tast delicious .
simplyhomecooked says
Hi Linda, the almond flour brand and size of the egg whites can often change the texture of the dough. I’m glad you enjoyed the amaretti cookies!
Danette Otte says
I’m hoping you can make these with a sugar substitute , such as Swerve?
simplyhomecooked says
Hi Danette, I’ve personally never made these amaretti cookies with a sugar substitute but I know people who have had great success with using swere in amaretti cookies 🙂
Cindy Cavanagh says
I am wondering that too. Wanting to use Ideal sugar sub. It measures the same as sugar. It would make the perfect keto cookie if it does.
simplyhomecooked says
Hi Cindy, you can substitute the sugar for erythritol for the perfect keto cookie 🙂
peachy says
On your nutrition information, how many cookies are considered a serving? One? Or more than one?
simplyhomecooked says
Hi peachy, one serving is one amaretti cookie 🙂
Catherina says
Hey Dina,
I was so happy when I found your recepy. Unfortunately they didn’t turn out as they should have. After the second round of adding the almond flour mixture it was already too dry to add the rest. When I tried a second time the same thing happened. Do you know how much your egg whites weigh and what kind of almond flour do you use? Or could it be anything else?
Best wishes,
Catherina
simplyhomecooked says
Hi Catherina, I’ so sorry to hear that your amaretti cookies didn’t turn out too well. I don’t know the exact weight of the eggs, but I know that they were large eggs. I use blanched almond flour. Can you explain the consistency of your cookies dough? If it was thick like almond paste, that’s what you want to look for 🙂
Julia Frey says
I really enjoy amaretti cookies and usually buy them but the soft ones are hard to find. They are called amaretti morbidi, which always makes me laugh. I had no idea I could make them! What a great recipe.
simplyhomecooked says
Thank you, Julia! You won’t believe how easy amaretti cookies are to make! They’ve become my go-to quick cookie recipe!
Valentina says
I’ve never had Amaretti cookies but they look AMAZING!! Can’t wait to try them. Thanks so much for sharing.
simplyhomecooked says
Thank you, Valentina! These amaretti cookies have become a family favorite for the holidays. They’re so light yet so tasty!
Katya says
Anything with short ingredients when it comes to baking is my type of recipe 🙂 These amaretti cookies look so scrumptious! I love the easy ingredients.
simplyhomecooked says
Thank you, Katya, not only are these amaretti cookies easy, they’re gluten-free as well. That’s always a plus! 🙂