Big Batch Soft Chewy Classic Italian Amaretti Cookies

This recipe for these Big Batch Soft Chewy Classic Italian Amaretti Cookies requires no introduction. They are easily recognizable. Everyone knows them.  Everyone loves them.  And just about everyone is looking for the perfect recipe for amaretti cookies. Well, okay, maybe not everyone…

It’s a quest.

That’s what it is.

The quest for the best amaretti cookies to complete your Italian cookie tray!

There are truly infinite variations for amaretti. As you probably know, amaretti can be found throughout Italy, and each region claims to have “the best” version of these cookies.

Today, I will share a classic version of this soft and chewy amaretti, as well as my experience making this big batch recipe. This classic recipe, by the way, has quickly moved into my top three amaretti recipes. Another one of my top three is this recipe for Soft Amaretti Cookies (previously shared with all of you).

FULL DISCLOSURE: Unfortunately, I did not have beginner’s luck with this recipe. Heck, it wasn’t until trial run number four that I was beginning to get the results I was looking for. The only reason I didn’t give up was that I knew how delicious they actually tasted!

So, I will share my experience in the hopes that you will have beginner’s luck the first time you try this recipe.

If at first you don’t succeed…

As you can well imagine, amaretti are made with almonds, ground almonds. So, my quest began with whole almonds and my food processor. That was my first mistake.

Allow me to clarify. I thought that either almond meal or almond flour would work well in this recipe. I found out the hard way that this was not so. Let’s take a closer look at these two ingredients:

Almond Meal:

• coarsely ground almonds
• may or may not have the almond skin on

Almond Flour:

• finely ground almonds
• the almond skin is removed i.e. the almonds are blanched

The texture in these amaretti is such that the almonds need to be finely ground. By using coarsely ground almonds in this recipe, the refined consistency I was looking for was not achieved. Other issues of using almond meal will also be revealed…

Nevertheless, I baked the cookies (remember, this is a big batch so we are looking at over 10 dozen cookies).  The less obsessed amaretti fans (according to my standards 😉 ) thought these were the best amaretti cookies ever.  But my quest had just begun…

The other difficulty I had with this dough was that the coarsely ground almonds would not easily come out of my pastry tip #11. Did I mention that these cookies need to be piped? After about a half dozen failed attempts, I gave up and switched over to my faithful scooper.

Update: I have had a few inquires about the tip I used. Here it is. I have had this thing for ages… honestly cannot remember where I picked this up. Hope this helps.

Another issue I had was that my plastic pastry bag split at the seams… twice. I was putting too much pressure when piping the cookies. Things got a little better when I doubled up on the bag.

All of these issues were resolved once I tried the recipe with commercially made almond flour. Just in case you are wondering, I tried Sunblest Almond Flour (not sponsored) available at Costco and Bob’s Red Mill Almond Flour (not sponsored). Both products worked great.

The actual recipe comes together in no time. Basically it consists of combining the dry ingredients and the wet ingredients in separate bowls. Once that is done, add the wet ingredients to the dry and combine together with a wooden spoon.

With the help of a pastry bag, you can then pipe the cookies directly on the baking sheets lined with parchment paper. They can be shaped round or long. You can also decorate with an almond or if you prefer Maraschino cherries. As you can see, I decided to go with the almonds. A sprinkling of granulated sugar, right before they go in the oven is optional.

As was mentioned, this recipe provides you with well over ten dozen cookies sized about 1-1½ inches.

Simplicity strikes again with these Big Batch Soft Chewy Classic Italian Amaretti Cookies!

Origins of the recipe for these Big Batch Soft Chewy Classic Italian Amaretti Cookies:

Over the span of my adult life, I have collected well over twenty amaretti recipes. In actual fact, my amaretti folder has twenty-two recipes. Yes, I counted them and yes, I have an amaretti folder 🙂

This quest of mine is well supported by friends and family and I am forever grateful to all that continue to share their amaretti recipes with me.

I have the privilege of working with so many amazing individuals that absolutely love food. There is a fantastic culture of sharing recipes and I have learned so much from so many of my co-workers. It was Maria, one of my colleagues, that shared this recipe with me.

I am hoping that you will all experience beginner’s luck when attempting this recipe for these Big Batch Soft Chewy Classic Italian Amaretti Cookies!

Your Italian cookie tray is now complete with these classic, naturally gluten free amaretti. Do you have a favorite amaretti cookie? Would love to hear about it 😉

Thanks for dropping by,

Ciao for now!

Maria 🙂

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