Soft amaretti (amaretti morbidi) are popular gluten-free Italian almond cookies made with just 3 ingredients.

Deliciously crisp outside and soft and chewy inside, amaretti cookies are one of the most loved Italian cookies.

Growing up in Italy, I ate tons of amaretti from the local bakeries over the years, especially during the holidays.

Since I moved abroad over 10 years ago, I started making my own, and I never looked back.

Whenever I have leftover egg whites (mostly after making my olive oil pastry dough, pasta frolla or Italian butter cookies) I make these traditional Italian almond cookies.

They’re so simple to make, and they always get amazing reviews from family and friends.

Jump to:

• WHAT ARE AMARETTI COOKIES?
• AMARETTI INGREDIENTS
• HOW TO MAKE AMARETTI COOKIES
• BAKING TIPS
• HOW TO STORE ITALIAN ALMOND COOKIES
• RECIPE FAQs
• Ingredients

Amaretti cookies are traditionally served at weddings, during Christmas, and on other popular holidays, and they also make a wonderful edible Christmas gift.

So, if you’re looking for a simple Christmas cookie recipe to serve or gift over the holidays, these soft amaretti are the answer!

WHAT ARE AMARETTI COOKIES?

Amaretti biscuits or cookies are popular Italian gluten-free almond cookies made of egg whites, sugar, and almonds - they’re basically Italian macaroons.

You might be familiar with the popular coconut macaroons, which are a modern version of amaretti, where the almond flour is swapped with shredded coconut.

The word amaretti (plural of amaretto) comes from the Italian word amaro, which means bitter.

The name comes from the small amount of bitter almonds in the recipe, that is mixed with sweet almonds.

Bitter almonds are not always easy to find, so you can substitute them with bitter almond extract or simply use sweet almonds.

They will come out just as delicious.

There are many traditional versions of amaretti recipes out there, and they include both soft amaretti and crunchy amaretti:

• The soft ones are also known as amaretti morbidi. They have a chewy texture and a slightly crispy, crackled outside.
• The crunchy ones are made the same way, they’re usually smaller, and baked in the oven longer to reach a crunchier texture.

Did you know? The famous Amaretti di Saronno are one of many types of traditional amaretti, but the only ones made with apricot kernels (the others are usually made with almonds).

AMARETTI INGREDIENTS

These chewy and soft dairy-free Italian almond cookies are proof that you don't need many ingredients to make a delicious dessert.

In fact, you just need three!

• Almonds
• Egg white
• Sugar
• Lemon zest (optional)

Almond, eggs, and sugar. That’s it! They’re basically marzipan cookies with a crispy shell.

ALMONDS

The traditional recipe calls for a mix of blanched almonds and bitter almonds.

If you can’t find bitter almonds, you can of course use only sweet almonds.

Alternatively, you can add 1 teaspoon of pure almond extract or Disaronno liqueur, although they’re not in the traditional recipe.

I find that omitting the bitter almonds doesn’t really affect the final result, but they add a nice extra almond flavor.

To make things quicker, you can use almond flour instead of whole almonds. Almond flour and almond meal are basically the same thing, ground almonds.

The almond and sugar you choose are critical to the final look and texture of your amaretti, check below under "variations" to see the differences.

SUGAR

I use granulated sugar that I pulse with the raw bitter almonds.

Alternatively, you can use raw cane sugar or powdered sugar.

EGG WHITES

I use 60 g of egg whites, which is exactly the egg whites of two medium eggs, but to be on the safe side, always weigh it.

Most amaretti recipes will tell you to beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form, but it’s not necessary.

I whisk the egg whites until slightly foamy, which takes about 2 minutes.

LEMON ZEST

The lemon zest adds a wonderful aroma to these almond cookies, and although is optional, I recommend you don’t skip it.

Adding lemon zest is part of the traditional amaretti recipe from Sardinia.

Alternatively, you can use orange zest to add a nice citrusy note.

HOW TO MAKE AMARETTI COOKIES

This recipe for amaretti cookies is super easy! Here's a quick overview of how to make them with step-step pictures.

For the full recipe, scroll down to the easy-to-print recipe card.

STEP 1 – Mix almonds and sugar.

Place the whole almonds, sugar, and lemon zest (optional) in a food processor and pulse them until finely ground.

Note: If you use almond flour, you don’t need a food processor, simply mix almond flour, sugar, and lemon zest in a bowl.

STEP 2 – Add the egg white.

Place the egg whites in a bowl and whisk until slightly foamy. Then slowly incorporate into the mix of almonds and sugar.

STEP 3 – Form cookie balls.      

Use your hands or an ice cream scoop to form small even balls. If the dough is very sticky, dust your hands in powdered sugar, then form the balls.

STEP 4 – Rest and bake.

Refrigerate the cookie balls for 1 hour, then roll them in powdered sugar and flatten them slightly with the palm of your hand.

Bake for 15 minutes. The cookies should still feel quite soft when removed from the oven.

Let them cool completely on a cooling rack, then serve.

VARIATIONS

The different ingredients you use will determine the color and texture of your amaretti.

They are all equally delicious, so pick your favorite combination according to your taste:

• almond flour + powdered sugar: light-colored amaretti with a super soft and chewy texture, rolled in powdered sugar (as pictured above).

• blanched almonds + bitter almonds + granulated sugar: light golden amaretti with a soft but more rustic texture, rolled in cane sugar.

• blanched almonds + bitter almonds + cane sugar: golden brown amaretti with a soft but more rough texture, rolled in fine cane sugar (as pictured below).

HOW TO STORE ITALIAN ALMOND COOKIES

Store baked amaretti in an airtight container or sealed jar. Keep them in a cool spot in your kitchen or in the fridge for up to 3-4 days.

RECIPE FAQs

DID YOU TRY THIS RECIPE?

Please let me know how you liked it! Leave a comment below and share a picture on Instagram with the hashtag #thepetitecook!

Looking at your pictures always makes me smile *and super hungry*!