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.
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These soft almond 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 cookies are the answer.
And if you're a chocolate fan, make sure you try this chocolate almond cookies recipe too!
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 the only ones made with apricot kernels (the others are usually made just with almonds).
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 them.
Most 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
Making amaretti cookies at home is super easy!
Here's a quick recipe overview of how to make them with step-by-step pictures.
For the full recipe, scroll down to the easy-to-print recipe card.
STEP 1. Pulse the whole almonds, sugar, and lemon zest (optional) in a food processor and 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. Place the egg whites in a bowl and whisk until slightly foamy. Then slowly incorporate into the mix of almonds and sugar.
STEP 3. 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.
STEP 4. Roll them in powdered sugar and flatten them slightly with the palm of your hand, rest them in the fridge for 30 minutes, then bake for 15 minutes.
Baking tips
- Use an ice cream scooper to form your cookies, this will help make evenly-sized amaretti, then roll them slightly with your hands to form a perfect ball.
- Let the cookie dough balls rest for at least 30 minutes in the refrigerator. This will ensure that the cookies don’t flatten or spread when you bake them.
- You can roll the dough balls into cane sugar or confectioner’s sugar, but the latter is my favorite option.
- Let the soft amaretti cool completely on a cooling rack, this will help to set the cookies, and results in a crunchy outside and a soft and chewy inside.
VARIATIONS
The 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).
Storage tips
Store your Italian almond cookies 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
Yes, you can! You can form your amaretti biscuits the night before, refrigerate them overnight then bake them in the morning.
This recipe is totally freezer-friendly.
To freeze unbaked cookies, transfer them on a baking sheet in the freezer for an hour, then transfer them to a ziplock bag and freeze for up to one month.
To bake them after freezing, let them thaw for 2-3 hours in the refrigerator, roll them in powdered sugar, then bake them.
To freeze baked cookies, place them on a baking sheet in the freezer for an hour, then transfer them to a ziplock bag and freeze them for up to two months.
More Italian cookie recipes you'll love
Looking for more traditional Italian cookie recipes to try? I absolutely recommend these classic pignoli cookies, these delicious Limoncello cookies, these incredibly easy Italian orange cookies and my super popular Italian butter cookies.
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!
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Recipe
Amaretti Cookies - Soft Italian Almond Cookies
Ingredients
- 160 g blanched almonds, or almond flour
- 60 g raw unpeeled almonds
- 2 teaspoons lemon zest, optional
- 60 g egg whites, approx the egg whites from 2 medium eggs
- 200 g sugar (or cane sugar or powdered sugar), plus extra for dusting the cookies
Instructions
- Place the almonds, sugar and lemon zest (optional) in a food processor and pulse them until the almonds are finely ground. If you use almond flour, you don’t need a food processor, simply mix almond flour, sugar and lemon zest in a bowl.
- Place the egg whites in a bowl and whisk until slightly foamy. Then slowly incorporate into the mix of almonds and sugar.
- Use your hands or an ice cream scoop to form small even balls. The mixture should be sticky but fairly firm, and the balls should hold their shape when placed on the baking tray. If the dough is very sticky, dust your hands in powdered sugar, then form the balls.
- Arrange the balls on a baking tray covered with parchment paper and let them rest in the fridge for at least 1 hour.
- Preheat oven to 180°C/360°F and arrange the baking tray onto the middle shelf of the oven.
- Roll the amaretti in powdered sugar (or fine cane sugar) then gently flatten using the back of a spoon or the palm of your hand.
- Place the amaretti cookies in the oven and bake them for 15-18 minutes. The cookies should have a slightly golden colour and should still feel quite soft when removed from the oven.
- Transfer the cookies on a cooling rack and allow them to cool completely, they will harden as they cool.
Video
Notes
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 in the post).
BAKING TIPS
- US cup measurements can't be 100% accurate, so it's best to use a scale to weigh the ingredients.
- To make things quicker, you can use almond flour instead of whole almonds.
- If you can't find bitter almonds, substitute them with the same amount of blanched almonds.
- If the dough is too wet, dust your hands in powdered sugar or wear disposable gloves when rolling the cookie balls.
- Let the cookie dough balls rest for at least 1 hour or overnight in the refrigerator. This will ensure that the cookies don’t flatten or spread when you bake them.
- You can roll the dough balls into cane sugar or powdered sugar, but the latter is my favorite option.
- Let the amaretti cool completely on a cooling rack, this will help to set the cookies, and result in a crunchy outside and a soft and chewy inside.
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
Evelyn F says
Just made 2 batches of these cookies but reduced the sugar by half and they were perfect. The first time I made them, they were way too sweet.
Audrey Miller says
I hope to use just almond flour, without any other almonds. Does that work okay? So I need to clarify almond flour quantity. Is it 160grams plus 60 grams(220 grams total) for all the almond quantity? TIA
Maria says
Delicious but too much sugar too sweet next time will reduce sugar till half for sure
Gina Fabrizio says
Hello Andrea. Just to clarify if I am only going to use almond flour then I am not using any of the almonds listed correct? Also if I am only using the flour, how much do I use? Thank you.
Andrea says
Hi Gina, yes, you can use just almond flour without issues, using the same amount as listed in the recipe :)))
Daniela says
First time making amaretti - and oh, what a success it was! I added up the 160g blanched almond + 60g raw unpeeled ones and replaced them with 220g ground almonds, I used the lemon zest and icing/powdered sugar and they came up a treat! Making some more today :-). Thank you for the easy and very tasty recipe. (I am going to try them with some pistachio mixed in :-))
Anne says
Can't you just use Ground Almonds please?
Lisa says
These were way too sweet unfortunately:( can we half the sugar?
Andrea says
Hi Lisa, you can definitely try with 2/3 of the sugar or even a little less!
Charly says
Thank you so much for this recipe! But I have a question - I thought that bitter almonds are toxic? Am I remembering incorrectly? Thank you again!
Andrea says
I think you're talking about raw bitter almonds, if they're baked a tiny amount (such as the amount called in this recipe) it's fine, alternatively, I always suggest 4 drops of bitter almond extract, or an equal amount of sweet apricot kernels, both of which are safe to eat.
Jim says
Andrea, these look wonderful and wonderfully easy, just a quick question about the type and qty of almonds. You list 60g of raw unpeeled almonds, should these be bitter almonds?
If not, what do you suggest for the ratio of sweet to bitter almonds.
Andrea says
Hi Jim, if you can find them, substitute the 60 g of raw unpeeled almonds with bitter almonds 🙂 Hope you like the amaretti!
David Tapper says
Totally loved the result. They taste fantastic. A great recipe. Thank you Andrea for your generosity.
Andrea says
So happy to hear that David!!