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A close up of two amaretti cookies in a pink wrapper on a wooden surface.
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5 from 2 votes

Soft Amaretti Cookies (Amaretti Morbidi)

Soft and chewy Italian Amaretti Cookies aka 'Amaretti Morbidi'. Made with a crispy outer shell and soft and chewy middle, these beautiful little cookies are so delicious and incredibly quick and easy to make (naturally gluten-free).
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Total Time35 minutes
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: Italian
Servings: 24 cookies
Calories: 97kcal
Author: Emily Wyper

Equipment

  • 2 large baking trays
  • Baking parchment

Ingredients

  • 3 large egg whites
  • 3 cups blanched almond flour (ground almonds UK) (300g)
  • ¾ cup caster sugar (superfine) (150g) plus extra for dusting
  • 1 teaspoon almond extract

Instructions

  • Pre-heat the oven to 320F (160C) and line two large baking trays with baking parchment.
  • Put the egg whites in a large mixing bowl with the almond extract and whisk with an electric whisk until foamy. Add 1 tablespoon of caster sugar and continue whisking for a few seconds then add another 1 tablespoon of sugar. Whisk the egg whites until they form stiff peaks.
  • Next, mix the ground almonds with the remaining sugar until combined then gradually fold it into the stiff egg whites (do this in 3 goes) until a sticky dough has formed.
  • Add a little extra sugar to a bowl or plate and roll walnut-sized pieces of dough between the palms of your hands. If you find the dough too sticky you can slightly dampen your hands or dust them with sugar to help with the rolling.
  • Roll the balls in caster sugar until lightly dusted then place on the baking trays.Bake in the oven for 20 minutes or until starting to turn golden.
  • Let them cool and serve. Store in an airtight container for up to 3 weeks.

Video

Notes

  • Rolling out the cookies - I roll the cookies into balls with dry hands and usually quickly wash and dry them halfway through as they can get sticky. If you find the dough is difficult to handle you can dampen your hands to roll them or dust your hands in sugar.
  • Dusting in caster sugar Vs powdered sugar - powdered sugar looks very pretty so you can opt to do this instead. Simply roll the balls in powdered sugar and place on the tray to bake. Using caster or granulated will give you a crispier outside.
  • Using Amaretto liqueur - instead of using almond extract, you can use an amaretto liqueur such as Disaronno. Use 1-2 tablespoons.
  • To get larger cracks in the cookies - leave the amaretti cookies on the baking tray for 30 minutes before baking in the oven. This will allow them to dry out a little and will give them larger cracks.
  • Storage and freezing - the cookies will keep well for up to 3 weeks in an airtight container or can be frozen.

Nutrition

Calories: 97kcal | Carbohydrates: 9g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 0.4g | Sodium: 6mg | Potassium: 6mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 7g | Calcium: 27mg | Iron: 0.5mg