Amaretti (Chewy Almond Cookies)

These are genuinely excellent and surprisingly undemanding to make, particularly if you don’t beat the egg whites by hand. From start to finish, the process should take less than an hour.

Keep in mind that the ideal crispy-outside chewy-inside texture forms over time while the cookies are cool. They taste right immediately after coming out of the oven, but for the best texture, let them cool completely and rest in a sealed container for several hours before consuming.

Total caloric content of this recipe is 2840 kilocalories, or 109.6 kcal per cookie for twenty-five cookies.

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup white granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup demerara sugar (Florida Crystals or similar)
  • 280 grams blanched almond flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 3 extra large eggs
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 ounce (weight) Lazzaroni Amaretto
  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • 25 whole, roasted almonds

Equipment

  • A medium mixing bowl (for dry ingredients)
  • A small mixing bowl (for beating egg whites)
  • A whisk or mixer
  • A standard set of measuring spoons
  • A kitchen scale
  • A medium cookie sheet
  • A silicone sheet-pan liner

Process

  1. Preheat the oven to 325°F.
  2. Mix the flour and sugars into a medium bowl.
  3. Separate three egg whites into another bowl and discard the yolks.
  4. Beat the egg whites until peaks are stiff.
  5. Add the vanilla extract and amaretto to the bowl of dry ingredients.
  6. Add the beaten egg whites to the dries and fold gently until a paste forms.
  7. Form small balls of the dough and coat them completely in powdered sugar.
  8. Gently press the dough balls onto a sheet-pan with a silicone mat, flattening them slightly.
  9. Press an almond into the top of each cookie so that the dough will hold it when baked.
  10. Place the pan (with cookies) in the oven for 25 minutes then remove it and let them cool.