Amaretti Biscuits (soft Amaretti Cookies) are an Italian dessert made with almond flour and Amaretto Liqueur.
Amaretto Liqueur is made with apricot pits and, frequently, almonds. It has a slightly bitter taste and a distinct almond scent. Amaretto helps give the Amaretti Biscuits a strong pleasant nutty almond flavor.
Some recipes substitute almond extract for the liqueur, which is fine, but it loses some of the other deep characteristic notes from the Amaretto. The liquer can be purchased in small quantities, used to make a cocktail or sipped on the rocks as a compliment your dessert.
In this recipe, 1 teaspoon (5 ml) of almond extract can be used to substitute for the Amaretto Liqueur.
Amaretti Cookies are a delicious treat with a slightly crunchy exterior and a soft center. Depending on your preference, they can also be baked longer, resulting in a crunchy texture throughout, similar to biscotti.
These delicious Italian cookies can be eaten on their own, or used to make one of our favorite Italian desserts, Bunet.
We were inspired to make our own Amaretti biscuits specifically for making Bunet. This thick creamy dessert has an intense nutty and rich chocolate flavor. The texture is similar to a thick pudding, which is surrounded by a dark caramel syrup.
It’s a perfect dessert for holidays, dinner parties or whenever you’re in the mood for a creamy intense chocolate treat.
Here are some additional dessert recipes you might enjoy:
Amaretti Biscuits - Soft Amaretti Cookies
Amaretti Biscuits or Soft Amaretti Cookies. Cookies made with almond flour and Amaretto Liqueur. Soft Amaretti Cookies are a delicious treat also used to make a favorite Italian dessert - Chocolate Bunet Pudding.
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 Cups (150 g) Almond Flour
- 1 Egg White
- 1/8 Teaspoon (0.4 g) Cream of Tartar*
- 1 Tablespoon (15 ml) Amaretto Liqueur**
- 1/4 Teaspoon (1.2 ml) Vanilla Extract
- Pinch of Salt
- 3/4 Cup (170 g) Superfine Bakers Sugar ***
- 2 Tablespoons (30 g) Powdered Sugar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 300 degrees (149 C).
- Whisk together the cream of tartar and egg white until still peaks are formed. (A hand egg beater, stick blender or manual whisk can be used).
- Fold in the vanilla extract and Amaretto Liqueur and a pinch of salt.
- Fold the sugar into the egg white mixture.
- Add in the Almond Flour, 1/3 cup at a time.
- Using a small scoop or spoon, create 1" (2.5 cm) round balls with the batter, rolling each one in confectionary sugar.
- Arrange them on a cookie sheet lined with a silicone mat or parchment paper, leaving a 1" (2.5 cm) space between them to allow the cookies to expand while cooking.
- Bake for 15 - 20 minutes. Remove when cracks have formed on top of the cookie and the bottoms are lightly browned. (You may continue to cook until for about 5 minutes after this point if a more crunchy texture is desired).
- Allow the cookies to cool for about 5 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.
Notes
* Cream of Tartar helps in the process of whipping the egg whites. 1/2 teaspoon (2.5 ml) of lemon juice or vinegar can be substituted.
** 1 Tablespoon (30 ml) of Amaretto Liqueur can be substituted by 1 teaspoon (5 ml) of Almond Extract.
*** Superfine bakers sugar can be made at home by placing white sugar in a blender to grinder for about 30 seconds until the sugar becomes a fine powder.
Nutrition Information
Yield
20Serving Size
1Amount Per Serving Calories 35Total Fat 2.4gCarbohydrates 2.5gFiber .6gSugar 1.9gProtein 1.2g