Soft Amaretti Cookies: Tested until Perfect!

Soft Amaretti Cookies are a moist & chewy classic Italian cookie. This recipe has been tested until perfect, making it the best ever gluten-free recipe for amaretti morbidi. You are going to love them! 

Amaretti (plural) are almond-flavored Italian macaroons with textures ranging from soft and chewy to crispy. These cookies can be found throughout Italy, with each region claiming to have the “best” version.

I first shared my soft amaretti recipe with you on December 13, 2014. Over the last ten years, I have received thousands of comments, and I’ve been thrilled to hear from so many of you who have made it your go-to recipe for your holiday cookie platter. 

I’m updating this article to share some helpful tips and answer the common questions I’ve received over the last decade.

Amaretti morbidi are, without a doubt, some of the best Italian Christmas cookies —perfect for your holiday cookie platter or as thoughtful hostess gifts.

There are endless variations of Italian amaretti cookies, but today, I’m excited to share my tried-and-true recipe that’s perfect.

If you speak a bit of Italian, you’ve probably guessed that the word amaretti comes from amaro, meaning bitter. To capture the authentic flavor of amaretti, bitter almonds are traditionally used. Since they aren’t readily available in North America, I’ve substituted them with pure almond extract that includes bitter almond oil.

Let’s begin by reviewing the ingredients you’ll need for this simple yet delicious recipe.

Once you have everything ready, I’ll walk you through the steps to make these irresistible Italian cookies!

Come and take a look at how to make this amaretti cookie recipe… it’s a lot easier than you think!

Ingredients

Almond Flour: Finely ground almond flour provides a smooth and chewy texture that tastes like marzipan. I’ve tried grinding my blanched almonds, but I prefer the consistency of commercial almond flour. I typically purchase mine at Costco.

Granulated Sugar: Sweetens the cookies perfectly. 

Lemon Zest: A touch of citrus adds a fresh brightness that balances the sweetness perfectly. I recommend using an organic lemon.

Egg Whites: Incorporating the right amount of egg whites into the almond mixture is key to achieving the perfect smooth texture and those pretty cracks. I use three large egg whites, which weigh 111 grams. Too much egg white can make the dough too wet, causing the cookies to flatten during baking.

Pure Almond Extract: A blend that includes bitter almond extract is essential for authentic flavor. It enhances the almond taste with a subtle depth.

Extra Granulated Sugar: Rolling the dough in granulated sugar before baking contributes to its crisp exterior.  While some recipes call for icing (confectioner’s) sugar, I prefer granulated sugar. It holds up better when freezing the cookies.

Step-by-step instructions to make soft amaretti cookies

I have divided the process of making these cookies as follows:

Whisk the dry ingredients:  The dry ingredients consist of almond flour (250 grams), sugar (200 grams) and the zest of one lemon. Whisk properly together and set it aside. 

Prepare the wet ingredients: The wet ingredients consist of 3 large egg whites (111 grams) and 1 teaspoon (5 grams) of pure almond extract. With a clean, dry whisk, beat the egg whites to the soft peak stage. You can use a hand whisk or the whisk attachment of your stand mixer for this step. I then add the bitter almond extract and whisk for another 30 seconds or so. 

Combine and form the dough: Gently fold the egg white mixture into the dry ingredients using a wooden spoon or rubber spatula. Within a few minutes, you’ll end up with a sticky, cohesive dough.

Rolling the dough: Start by portioning the amaretti dough. I like to use a small ice cream scoop to ensure all the cookies are the same size. I will then dampen my hands and press my palms into a plate of granulated sugar (I picked up this trick from one of my favorite blogs, Jovina Cooks). Roll each portion of dough gently between your palms to form a ball, then coat it completely in sugar by rolling it again on the plate.

Place the sugar-coated balls onto a parchment-lined baking sheet, leaving some space between them. Bake in a preheated oven at 325° F (162℃) for about 25 minutes or until bottoms are light golden brown.

That’s it!

Simple right?

The only thing left to do is prepare the espresso because you will not believe what will come from your oven!

The most delicious Italian amaretti cookies!

Best tips for making amaretti cookies

• For a smooth, chewy texture, use finely ground almond flour (not almond meal). Almond flour is blanched, which gives it a finer consistency that’s perfect for these chewy Italian cookies.
• Any pure almond extract that lists the oil of bitter almond as an ingredient can be used.
• For the best results, always weigh your ingredients, especially the egg whites. Accurate measurements help achieve the right consistency in the dough, preventing cookies from going flat or spreading too much during baking.
• Before baking, roll the dough balls in granulated sugar to help form a crisp exterior. This will also help create the signature cracks on the surface of the cookies.
• Baking times can vary depending on your oven, so keep an eye on your cookies towards the end of the baking time. You want them lightly golden around the edges with the classic cracks on top.

FAQ

Almond Recipes

Recipe origins

Almost 40 years ago, I had the privilege of visiting Sardinia. Sardinia is the second largest island in the Mediterranean Sea and is geographically located west of Italy. I still remember the landscapes and the turquoise waters—breathtaking beyond words.

One of the best souvenirs I have from Sardinia was a conversation with a local merchant – she shared her Amaretti recipe with me! Even then, I was curious about cookies, and she picked up on that. As was mentioned, the original recipe calls for bitter almonds, which I replaced with bitter almond extract, except for one year…

About a decade ago, a friend, Vittoria (the same wonderful person who shared her Limoncello recipe with me), brought me a bag of processed bitter almonds from Italy. I used them in this amaretti recipe and the taste was incredible!

For the record, you need to add about one ounce of these ground bitter almonds. So, if you are ever in Italy, you can look for processed bitter almonds. Don’t forget to declare them at customs!

Hope you get a chance to try this recipe… would love to hear how they turned out for you.

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★★★★★ If you have made these Amaretti Cookies, I would love to hear about it in the comments below and be sure to rate the recipe!

Recipe

This post was originally published on December 13, 2014, and republished on November 21, 2017, and again on December 20, 2024 with updated content and revised photos.  Thanks for watching and sharing.