Classic Italian Amaretti Cookies Recipes

ITALIAN AMARETTI COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Line large cookie sheets with parchment paper or foil. Lightly grease foil, if using. In a food processor combine 1 cup almonds and the powdered sugar. Cover and process until finely ground. Set aside.
• In a large bowl, beat the egg whites, amaretto, and cream of tartar with an electric mixer on high speed until soft peaks form (tips curl). Gradually beat in 1/2 cup granulated sugar, about 1 tablespoon at a time, until stiff peaks form (tips stand straight). Fold half of the almond mixture into the egg egg white mixture. Fold in remaining almond mixture.
• Spoon almond mixture into 1-inch diameter mounds, 2 inches apart on the prepared cookie sheets. Place a whole almond atop each cookie. Sprinkle lightly with coarse sugar.
• Bake for 13 to 15 minutes or until tops are set and lightly browned. Cool completely on cookie sheets on wire racks. Peel cookies off parchment paper or foil when cool. Makes about 48 cookies.

AMARETTI - ITALIAN CHEWY ALMOND COOKIES

Steps:

• If you're using whole peeled almonds, toast them in the oven until lightly brown. This will give a darker color and more bright flavor to amaretti.
• Once almonds reach desired color, cool them completely.
• Pulse almonds and bitter apricot kernels (if you opt to use those as in traditional Italian recipe) with sugar in a food processor as finely as you can.
• NOTE: if you are using almond flour, use confectioners sugar instead of regular sugar. This way you don't need to use a food processor. Simply mix everything in the bowl.
• Add almond extract.
• Beat egg white with a pinch of salt until completely white and fluffy.
• Start to fold egg white into sugar and almond mix. Add a couple of table spoons at a time. You should reach silky and stiff consistency of the cookie dough. NOTE: You may not need to use all egg whites, just enough to get the dough together.
• Sprinkle work surface with some powdered/confectioners sugar.
• Pinch off some dough and roll it into ⅔ of an inch rope.Using a dough scraper cut the rope into ⅔ of an inch pieces.
• Roll each "pillow" giving it a ball shape (size of a walnut) and roll it in generous amount of confectioners sugar.
• Place each cookie on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.Decorate with an almond nut (optional).
• Bake in preheated to 350F oven for 12-15 minutes, just until inside the crinkles amaretti become lightly brown.

CLASSIC ITALIAN AMARETTI COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit.
• In stand mixer beat together eggs and sugar until blended. Add in oil, lemon (zest of full lemon as well as juice) and extract, mix well.
• In small bowl sift together your cocoa and baking powder, add to wet ingredients and mix until just combined.
• Dough will be very wet, you want to add your flour in 1c at a time and mix. Your dough should come together after the 4th cup, then you add by 1/4c increments until the dough is "workable" (you need to be able to roll with your hands into little balls). You will need approx 5c of flour, but may need slightly more or less depending on your wet measures.
• Pour 1c sugar into small bowl. Roll dough into balls (aprox 1/2") and roll into sugar.
• Place cookies on silicone mat or parchment paper and gently press an almond into the tops...the cookie will push down into a disc shape.
• Bake for 11-13 minutes (you want them slightly golden around the edge, this ensures you have a nice crunchy outside and soft inside!).

AMARETTI COOKIE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment or a silicone baking mat.
• Whisk the almond flour, granulated sugar and salt in a large bowl to combine. Beat the egg whites in a medium bowl with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until soft peaks form, about 1 minute 30 seconds. Add the almond extract and beat to combine. Fold the egg whites into the dry ingredients using a rubber spatula until a shaggy dough forms.
• Put the confectioners' sugar in a small bowl. Using a 1-tablespoon scoop, portion the dough and roll into balls. Toss each ball in the confectioners' sugar, coating thoroughly. Arrange the balls 1 inch apart on the prepared baking sheets.
• Bake, rotating the baking sheets halfway through, until golden brown and the tops crack, 23 to 25 minutes. Let cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.
• Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.

AMARETTI

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
• In a food processor, grind the almonds into a fine meal. Add the sugar and continue to process for another 15 seconds. Finally, add egg whites and almond extract, continue to process until a smooth dough forms around the blade.
• Using a teaspoon, place well rounded spoonfuls of dough onto prepared baking sheets. Cookies should be at least 1 1/2 inches apart. Bake in preheated oven for 20 to 30 minutes. Cookies should be golden. Allow cookies to cool completely on the paper before removing. Store in a dry place.

GINGERBREAD AMARETTI COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375°. Crumble almond paste into a food processor; add sugar, baking cocoa and spices. Pulse until combined. Add egg whites and molasses; process until smooth., Drop by tablespoonfuls into pearl sugar; roll to coat. Place 2 in. apart on parchment-lined baking sheets. Bake until set, 10-12 minutes. Cool for 1 minute before removing from pans to wire racks. Store in an airtight container.