almond

Peach Almond Cake – Gluten Free

September 5, 2021 by Marisa 4 Comments

This delightfully moist and flavourful Peach Almond Cake recipe is perfectly gluten free. It’s made with two types of flours. Almond flour and gluten free flour. The crowning beauty of this cake is the topping of sliced fresh peaches with crunchy toasted almonds.

It’s so incredibly easy to make and is sure to delight those gluten intolerant friends or family members in your life. Simply because…they too need a little sweetness in their lives!

I always look forward to the late summer stone fruits, such as these freestone peaches from Ontario. I find them to be the most flavourful and tastiest ever!

They’re readily available here in Montreal from mid August up until the end of September. These fresh peaches, with their characteristic fuzzy skin and soft flesh, are best enjoyed straight out of hand. But they’re just as fantastic in baked goods.

And as my friends and family know me well, I never pass up an opportunity to bake with fresh fruits. Especially after finding myself with 12 litres of these sweet rosy peaches!

Are you ready to try a gluten free cake topped with fresh ripe peaches and sliced almonds?!

How To Make A Gluten Free Peach and Almond Cake

Step 1: You’ll need about 4 to 5 medium peaches, depending on their size. Make sure to wash the peaches well and dry them thoroughly.
There is no need to peel the peaches! Simply slice them into 3/4 inch wedges then cover and set aside.
Step 2: In a medium size bowl, whisk together the gluten free flour and almond flour with the baking powder and salt.
Set aside while you mix the sugar with the eggs.

Step 3: In the bowl of a stand mixer, with the whisk attachment, beat together the granulated sugar and eggs for about 2 minutes.
The mixture will increase in volume and have a frothy appearance.

Step 4: Mix in the oil, lemon zest and both the vanilla and almond extracts till combined.
Step 5: Slowly mix in the reserved flour mixture until well incorporated and finally the milk.
Transfer the cake mixture into a greased and floured round cake pan.
You’re now ready to top the cake with peaches and almonds!

How To Top This Peach Cake Recipe With Sliced Peaches

Place the peach slices side by side in a circular fashion, along the outer edges of the cake pan. Repeat with a second row while fanning them out as much as you can, in keeping with a circular pattern.

You may have just enough room, depending on the size of your peaches, to add one solo slice in the very centre of the cake.

Then sprinkle the top with the sliced almonds.

Bake the cake in a preheated oven for approximately 45 minutes.

Test for doneness by inserting a wooden skewer in the centre of the cake. If it comes out clean then it’s ready. But don’t pierce through the fruit as this can give you a false cue of needing more time in the oven.

Allow the cake to cool in the cake pan set over a baking rack for about 20 minutes.

Then release the cake from the pan and gently brush the top with warmed honey. Of course this is entirely optional but you’ll love the pretty sheen it gives to the baked peaches.

Cake Dusting

Dusting a cake with powdered sugar is one of the absolute easiest and simplest way to add a little extra finishing touch to baked goods.

But when dusting with powdered sugar, it is best to do so just before serving. Especially after brushing a cake with warm honey or jams as I did with this cake, otherwise the sugar will quickly dissolve over the cake.

What Type Of Gluten Free Flour For Baking

I’ve tried quite a few different gluten free flour brands over the years and one that I’m truly enjoying is the Italian Caputo (Fioreglut) gluten free flour. (Not Sponsored)

It’s a blend of gluten free wheat starch, dextrose, cornstarch, buckwheat flour, rice starch, psyllium seed fibre, thickener and Guar gum.

Now, this is not a sponsored post and I only mention it because I’ve come to enjoy baking with it whenever I need a gluten free treat.

But feel free to use your favourite. Or, maybe you create your own blend and so use that one.

Over all have fun experimenting and enjoy the process!

And if you’re loving this late summer peach and almond cake, you may want to check out some other delicious fruity desserts that your whole family will love.

Happy Baking!

Other Baked Fruit Desserts You’ll Love

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5 from 1 vote

Peach Almond Cake (Gluten Free)

Gluten free, fresh Peach and Almond Cake. This delightfully moist and flavourful cake is made with both gluten free flour and almond flour. It's so incredibly easy to make.

Prep Time20 mins

Cook Time40 mins

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: Italian

Keyword: Peach Almond Cake

Servings:

Calories: 457kcal

Equipment

9 inch round spring form pan

Ingredients

For the Peach Almond Cake

1½ cups gluten free flour I used Caputo gluten free flour
1½ cups almond flour
1½ teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cups granulated sugar
3 large eggs room temperature
lemon zest from 1 lemon
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoon pure almond extract
1/2 cup whole milk

For the Peach Topping

4 peaches Sliced into 3/4 inch wedges
1/2 cup sliced almonds
2 tablespoons honey warmedAllow the cake to cool slightly
powdered sugar

Instructions

Preheat oven at 350 degrees F.
Grease and flour a 9 inch round springform baking pan.

For the Peach Almond Cake

In a medium size bowl, whisk together the gluten free flour, almond flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
In the bowl of a stand mixer with the whisk attachment, mix together the sugar and eggs for about 2 minutes or till doubled in volume.
Mix in the lemon zest, oil, vanilla and almond extracts.
Slowly mix in the reserved flour mixture till combined.
Mix in the milk until combined.
Transfer the cake batter into the prepared springform pan.
Arrange the sliced peaches in a circular pattern over the top of the cake batter.
Sprinkle the sliced almonds over and around the peaches.
Bake in a preheated oven for approximately 45 minutes, or until a wooden skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean.
Place the cake on a cooling rack and allow to cool for about 20 minutes before releasing from the pan.
Gently brush the top with warm honey and allow to cool completely.
Dust with powdered sugar just before serving.

Nutrition

Ricciarelli: Italian Almond Cookies

July 22, 2020 by Marisa 17 Comments

Ricciarelli, Italian Almond Cookies are exquisite little morsels with a soft and chewy bite. They’re a traditional Sienese cookie, gluten free and a joy to make!

As I reflect on which cookies to add on a cookie platter, a balance of different textures and flavours is what I look for.

Some have to include a type of nut while some are without, and always keeping in mind different tastes and preferences.

I would need at least one colourful treat to brighten up the mound of cookies piled up high on my cookie platter. Such as these Italian Rainbow Cookies.

And then we mustn’t forget family members with dietary restrictions. Such as those who are gluten intolerant! They too need a perfectly satisfying sweet nibble! This is where these Italian gluten free almond cookies make an appearance!

What are Ricciarelli?

Ricciarelli which are pronounced ric-cia-rel-li, are Italian almond cookies with a soft and chewy bite.

These Italian paste-like cookies are lemon scented and also wonderfully perfumed with the seeds of a vanilla bean. They also pack an intense almond taste that we so love in our almond flavoured desserts.

They’re like delicate little Italian pastries. Light and airy in taste, much like a French macaron but slightly denser to the bite.

What I love about these cookies is that you really don’t need any serious baking skills.

It’s simply a few very good quality ingredients consisting mostly of finely ground almonds and some powdered sugar.

What are the ingredients for Italian almond cookies?

blanched almonds (see notes below to blanch your own)
powdered sugar (also known as icing sugar)
pure almond extract
lemon zest
vanilla bean
egg whites

How to Make Ricciarelli, Italian Almond Cookies from scratch

In a food processor, pulse together the blanched almonds with 3/4 cup of the powdered sugar until you achieve a fine texture.

Then add in the remaining sugar with the lemon zest, almond extract, vanilla seeds and pulse together until very fine.

In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites with a fork just until foamy and stir into the almond mixture a little at a time.

The egg whites is what binds the ingredients together to bring you a deliciously soft and chewy cookie with its distinctive crackled appearance.

You’ll have a stiff paste-like dough when done.

When you’re ready to roll the dough, dust both your hands and work surface with a little powdered sugar.

Divide the dough into 2 equal portions and roll out into logs of about 1 1/2 inch in diameter.

Wrap the logs individually with cling wrap and refrigerate for 8 hours or overnight. This makes for one great make ahead cookie dough.

When ready to bake, slice the the cookie dough into 24 equal portions and roll each into a ball.

Slightly flatten each cookie ball with the palm of your hand while forming them into an oval shape.

Place the cookies onto the prepared cookie sheets while spacing them 2 inches apart. The cookies don’t spread out while baking but will puff up somewhat.

Dust the top of the cookies generously with powdered sugar and bake in a pre-heated oven for about 12 to 15 minutes.

They should be pale in colour when done. They’ll also be fragile when fresh out of the oven. So allow to cool with the cookies still on the cookie sheet while placed on a cooling rack.

The key to soft and chewy almond cookies, is to not over bake them. With my oven 12 minutes is sufficient.

Plan ahead steps

Day 1…you can blanch your own almonds if you’re so inclined. This is a process I really enjoy doing and extremely easy to do. See my notes below on how to blanch your own almonds.
Day 2…you can prepare the cookie dough and refrigerate over night.
Day 3…slice, shape and bake! It’s pretty simple right? Told you so!

The Legend of Ricciarelli Cookies

Aside from being a Sienese Christmas treat, these cookies are customarily shaped into an oval or diamond form.

Some would say that the oval shape was meant to represent the eyes of the Madonna by Renaissance painters.

However, according to one legend it is said that a noble knight, Ricciardetto Della Gherardesca introduced the diamond shaped form of this cookie. Its oval shape with the pointed tips greatly reminded him of the Sultan’s slippers from his crusades of the far East. Hence the name Ricciarelli!

Whatever shape or form you decide on, I’m sure you’ll agree these cookies reign supreme in elegance and simplicity.

Serve alongside your favourite sweet wine or Vin Santo.

Happy baking dear friends!

How to blanch almonds

Blanching your own almonds is easy to do! And so worth the effort for optimal flavour too.

Place the almonds in a pot of boiling water and allow to simmer for about 60 to 70 seconds.

The almonds will start to rise and bob on the surface. The skins will look shrivelled up.

Drain the almonds and run them under cold water. Then pat dry with a clean dish towel.

One at a time, gently press on the almond between your thumb and index finger to release the nut from its skin.

Let the blanched almonds dry at room temperature on a clean dish towel before proceeding with the recipe. This can also be done overnight.

If you’re pressed for time you can dry the almonds in a low heated oven for about 5 minutes or so.

This post was originally published in December of 2018. And, updated and republished with new content and photos in July of 2020.

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Ricciarelli: Italian Almond Cookies

Ricciareli, Italian Almond Cookies are deliciously soft and chewy cookies with a distinctive crackled surface. A typical Sienese Christmas cookie.

Prep Time1 hr

Cook Time12 mins

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: Italian

Keyword: gluten free cookie, Ricciarelli Italian Almond Cookies, Sienese almond cookies, Tuscan cookie

Servings: cookies

Calories: 112kcal

Author: Marisa

Equipment

Food Processor
2 parchment lined baking sheets

Ingredients

2 1/2 cups blanched almonds see notes below for blanching your own
1 3/4 cups powdered sugar
lemon zest from half a lemon
1 1/2 teaspoon pure almond extract
seeds from 1 vanilla bean
egg whites from 2 large eggs
powdered sugar for dusting approximately 1 cup

Instructions

Preparing The Cookie Dough

In a food processor, pulse together the blanched almonds with 3/4 cups of the powdered sugar until fine in texture.
Add in the remaining sugar, lemon zest, almond extract, the vanilla bean seeds and pulse together until very fine. Set aside.
In a small bowl, beat the egg whites with a fork just until foamy.
Add the beaten egg whites to the almond mixture, 1 teaspoon at a time while stirring just until you've achieved a stiff dough.
Transfer the dough onto your work surface and divide it into 2 equal portions.
Dust your hands and a flat work surface with a little powdered sugar and roll out the cookie dough into a log about one inch and a half in diameter. (work with one portion at a time)
Wrap with cling wrap and refrigerate for 8 hours or overnight.

When Ready To Bake

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
Slice each cookie log into 12 equal portions and roll each into a ball. ( you should have 24 dough balls)
One at a time, slightly flatten each ball between the palms of your hands while forming into an oval shape.
Place the shaped cookies onto the prepared baking sheets while spacing them 2 inches apart.
Dust generously with powdered sugar.
Bake one sheet at a time in the preheated oven for about 12 to 15 minutes or until the sides are pale golden in colour.
Take care not to over bake them. They should look dry and not overly dark.
Allow to cool completely before removing from the baking sheet as these cookies are very soft and fragile when removed from the oven.
Enjoy with your favourite sweet wine or Vin Santo.
They keep well for up to a week at room temperature sealed in an air tight container.

Notes

Blanching Almonds

Place the almonds in a pot of boiling water and allow to simmer for about 60 to 70 seconds. The almonds will start to rise and bob on the surface. The skin will have a shrivelled up appearance.

Drain the almonds and run under cold water then pat dry with a clean dish towel.

One at a time, gently press on the almond between your thumb and index finger to release the nut from its skin.

Allow the blanched almonds to dry at room temperature, on a clean dish towel, before proceeding with the recipe. This can also be done overnight.

If you're pressed for time you can dry the almonds in a low heated oven for 5 minutes or so.

Nutrition

Chewy Amaretti Cookies

February 22, 2019 by Marisa 27 Comments

These Chewy Amaretti Cookies are another wonderful and well known treat to come out of Italy and a true Italian classic. They have a crispy outer edge and an irresistible chewy centre. You’ll be hard pressed not to devour the whole plateful in one siting.

On one of my many frenzied baking moments last Christmas, I baked a batch of Ricciarelli, Italian Almond Cookies. I brought some in to work to share with my colleagues. Once in a while they’re my designated and very happy taste testers.

One friend and colleague, Mary, remarked on how much they tasted like her mom’s amaretti cookies.

She very graciously offered to share her mom’s recipe with me and encouraged me to change the recipe to my liking.

But how does one improve on perfection? They’re absolutely amazing, which my family can happily attest! And greedily so as they were gone in mere minutes.

What Are Chewy Amaretti Cookies Made Of

This type of amaretti is simply one of many that can be found in different Italian households.

They mostly consist of one type of almond flour or almond paste with the addition of sugar, egg whites and flavourings.

You can use purchased almond flour or simply grind whole roasted almonds as finely as you can using a food processor.

Whether the almonds are peeled or not really doesn’t make any difference in taste. It does however change the over all colour of the cookie. Peeled almonds will yield a paler looking cookie whereas almonds with their skin intact will render a sun kissed golden brown colour.

You’ll note that in this recipe, Mary’s mom uses one part hazelnuts to three part almonds. I truly love this combo and kept the recipe as is but you can use all almonds instead.

Not only do these cute little morsels have a pretty golden hue, they also smell simply wonderful! And they’re gluten free!

Are Amaretti Cookies Easy To Make?

Amaretti cookies are by far one of the easiest cookies to ever make.

They require just a few simple ingredients so do use the freshest almonds possible.

Not those year old almonds stored why back in your pantry. Or that forgotten batch of almonds tucked in the far corner of your freezer from way back when!

And seriously, you don’t even need any special equipment! Just two bowls. One for whisking the dry ingredients and one for beating your egg white in. Which you can also beat with a fork…or a whisk. Unless you choose to use your electric mixer.

In which case, I’ll leave that part up to you. But just remember not to over beat the egg white. You just want soft peaks!

Tips to making perfect Chewy Amaretti Cookies

An extremely helpful tip that Mary’s mom has is a trial bake. She bakes 3 to 4 cookies to see how they turn out.

If the cookies flatten overmuch she’ll add a little more finely ground almonds to the mixture. If the dough is too stiff she’ll mix in a little more egg white.

I’ve tested this recipe 3 times and each time they turned out just wonderfully. So delicious!

As a personal preference, I chilled the dough for one hour before shaping and rolling the dough in the sugar. This helped achieve perfectly domed shapes.

A cookie scoop also helps tremendously in making equal sized cookies. I used one of 1 1/4 inch round in size.

Use the 15 minutes of baking time as a guideline. Check them after 12 minutes to make sure they are not over browning as not all ovens are created evenly.

I doubled up on my baking pans because these cookies benefitted from a double insulation. They turned out with an even all round crispiness and chewy centres. Light brown in colour with crisp crackled tops…and so pretty to look at!

If you prefer them even more crispier then simply leave them for another minute or two.

These chewy amaretti cookies are especially wonderful savoured with a sweet wine or equally enjoyable with your favourite cup of tea or coffee!

If you make this recipe remember to tag @marisasitaliankitchen on Instagram so I can see your creation!

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2.8 from 10 votes

Chewy Amaretti Cookies

A classic Italian Cookie. These Amaretti cookies have crispy outer edges, soft chewy centres and are gluten free.

Prep Time40 mins

1 hr

Total Time52 mins

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: Italian

Keyword: Chewy Amaretti Cookies

Servings: dozen, approximately

Ingredients

3/4 cup roasted almonds
1/4 cup roasted hazelnuts
1/2 cup granulated sugar
pinch of baking powder
1 egg white from a large egg
1 teaspoon pure almond extract
1/3 cup extra granulated sugar for rolling the cookies into

Instructions

Place both nuts in a food processor and grind to a very fine sandy consistency. Take care not to turn it into a nut butter.
In a medium sized bowl whisk together the ground nuts, granulated sugar and a pinch of baking powder. Set aside.
In a separate small bowl beat the egg white to a soft peak.
Stir the almond extract into the egg white mixture.
With a fork, stir the egg white mixture with the nut mixture until well combined.
Cover with cling wrap and chill in the fridge for 1 hour.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Use a cookie scoop of about 1 1/4 inch round to scoop up pieces of dough and shape them in a circle using your hands. If you don't have a cookie scoop, a well rounded teaspoon will do.
Roll the cookie ball in granulated sugar and place onto the prepared cookie sheet.
Repeat with the remaining cookie dough, spacing the cookies about 2 inches apart.
Bake in the preheated oven for about 12 to 15 minutes.
When ready the cookies will look light brown in colour with crisp crackled tops.
Allow the cookies to cool on the pans placed over a cooling rack.

Notes

The cookie dough shouldn't be too sticky to roll with your hands but if you do encounter some stickiness simply dab your hands with a teeny bit of water and continue rolling and shaping the cookie dough.

Italian Plum Almond Streusel Cake

October 9, 2018 by Marisa 18 Comments

An Italian Plum Almond Streusel Cake to delight your guests with its dense moist crumb, topped with pools of soft jammy plums and almond streusel topping.

I’ve never actually baked with Italian plums before. These plums were always enjoyed plucked straight off my Zia’s tree, who so generously shared her bounty with us.

If memory serves me, it wasn’t an overly big tree by any stretch. Only reaching to about 10 feet in height, or so it seemed to my younger self. As this winter tree is now being enjoyed by another nurturing family, I contend myself with the store bought variety.

They’re just as wonderfully luscious as the ones grown in our own back yards. These Italian prune plums are also exceptional if you favour canning or even hydrating your fruits.

IS IT A PRUNE OR IS IT A PLUM?

They are actually Freestone plums, meaning that the pit easily separates from the flesh. These are the plums that are most often dried out to make prunes.

Available during late summer to early autumn, these prune plums have a distinctive oblong shape. Its skin is tinged a deep purple with a reddish blueish hue and reveals a firm juicy flesh when bitten into.

They’re quite the delectable fruit and you’ll find that they hold up well in cooking or even baking.

Once baked the purple hue is transformed to a fuchsia like brightness, crowning the cake in pools of soft and sweet jammy goodness.

The streusel topping and the sliced almonds are totally optional over this Italian plum cake. And really just as wonderful without it.

However, I thought to put to use the extra streusel I had in my freezer after making these outrageously good Raspberry Crumb Muffins.

It adds such a lovely contrast in texture, not to mention how prettily they compliment this jammy cake. All that’s left to dress up this plum cake is a generous dusting of powdered sugar.

Its rustic. Its simple and super yummy! Also…it makes tea time and coffee time that much more enjoyable!

Want more fruity topped cakes such as this Italian plum cake?

Then you might also enjoy these other fruit topped desserts:

Happy baking dear friends!

If you make this recipe remember to tag @marisasitaliankitchen on Instagram so I can see your creation!

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Italian Plum Almond Streusel Cake

An Italian Almond Streusel Cake to delight your guests with its dense moist crumble, topped with pools of soft jammy plums and almond streusel.

Prep Time40 mins

Cook Time45 mins

Total Time1 hr 25 mins

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: Italian

Keyword: Italian Plum Almond Streusel Cake

Servings:

Calories: 469kcal

Ingredients

STREUSEL TOPPING

4 tablespoons all purpose flour
4 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 tablespoons unsalted butter cubed

FOR THE CAKE

1/2 cup unsalted butter softened
2/3 cup brown sugar firmly packed
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon pure almond extract
1 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup almonds very finely ground
1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
pinch of salt
2/3 cup sour cream full fat
7 italian plums halved and pits removed
1/4 cup sliced almonds
powdered sugar for dusting

Instructions

STREUSEL TOPPING

In a small bowl, mix together the CRUMB MIXTURE ingredients using your hands or a food processor just until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
Refrigerate till ready to use.

FOR THE CAKE

Grease an 8 inch round spring form pan, line with parchment paper then grease the parchment paper. Set aside.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
In a large bowl beat together the softened butter with the brown sugar until fluffy.
Beat in the eggs one at a time just until combined.
Stir in both the vanilla and almond extracts.
In a medium sized bowl, whisk together the flour, finely ground almonds, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt.
Stir the flour mixture into the butter mixture alternating with the sour cream, making 3 additions of the flour and 2 of the sour cream, just until smooth.
Scoop the batter into the prepared cake pan and smooth the top with the back of a spoon.
Slice the plum halves length-wise into 1/4 inch slices and while keeping the slices together place them in clusters over the cake batter.
Sprinkle the streusel topping between and around the sliced plums and top with the sliced almonds.
Bake in the preheated oven for about 40 to 45 minutes or until a cake tester inserted in the middle comes out clean.
Allow the cake to cool in the pan for about 20 minutes before releasing it from the pan.
Once completely cooled dust the cake with powdered sugar, slice and enjoy!

Nutrition

Italian Mostaccioli Cookie Recipe

December 1, 2017 by Marisa 48 Comments

This Italian Mostaccioli Cookie Recipe is sure to bring a nostalgic feel to your family gathering.

These soft, two bite cookies are chock-full of finely ground almonds and filled with a lovely aromatic essence from both ground cloves and cinnamon.

A touch of limoncello with orange and lemon zests lends a lovely citrus taste to these soft cake-like cookies.

They’re also flavoured with both cocoa and semi-sweet chocolate which are then enveloped in more chocolate goodness.

About Mostaccioli Cookies

The origin of this cookie is said to date back 300 hundred years before the birth of Christ and rooted deep in Italian history. However not all food historians seem to agree on this. The consensus however, is that the mostaccioli cookies have greatly evolved throughout the years.

In the old country these cookies were made with Wine Must. It was used as a sweetening agent because of its high glucose content. Wine Must is basically pressed grapes containing all components of the fruit. This was a time when sugar or even honey were not readily available. A time when people made do with what they had on hand.

They were also made in different shapes and sizes with intricate patterns depicting historical animals. Or items such as baskets or even the palm. Some were made with jewel like decorations. These were sold at auctions in order to raise money for charities.

It wasn’t until centuries later that this clove and cinnamon scented cookie gained in popularity. Most families nowadays have their own unique way of making them. From sculpted cookies to biscotti like shapes. Or the more popular diamond shaped one that you see here today.

While some contain no leavening agent yielding a harder cookie, these are soft and almost cake-like.

Italian Mostaccioli Cookie Recipe

You’ll be working with a very soft dough and will need to flour your work surface, rolling pin and hands when shaping and cutting the cookies.

I used a 2 inch diamond shaped cookie cutter to form the diamond shaped cookies. You can also use a knife to cut them into diamond shapes.

I chose to dip half the batch of cookies in semi-sweet chocolate and the other half in white chocolate. I find this makes a lovely presentation when platted together on a large platter.

Keep in mind to allow sufficient time for the chocolate to set before platting…trust me on this!

Then simply enjoy with your favourite beverage!

Happy baking dear friends!

If you make this recipe remember to tag @marisasitaliankitchen on Instagram so I can see your creation!

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3.67 from 9 votes

Italian Mostaccioli Cookie Recipe

A traditional Italian cookie with ground almonds, sweetened with honey, scented with both orange and lemon zest, cloves, cinnamon and dipped in chocolate.

Course: Cookie

Cuisine: Italian

Keyword: Italian cookie, Italian cookie recipe, Italian mostaccioli cookie

Servings: 1/2 dozen

Author: Marisa

Ingredients

COOKIE DOUGH
3 cups all purpose flour
2 cups almonds very finely ground
1/3 cup baking cocoa powder I used dutch processed
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
2 teaspoons baking powder
pinch of salt
4 large eggs
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup honey
orange zest from 1 large orange
lemon zest from 1 medium sized lemon
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 tablespoons Limoncello or substitute with the juice of one lemon
3 ounces coarsely grated semi-sweet or bitter sweet chocolate
FOR THE CHOCOLATE GLAZE
12 ounces semi-sweet or bittersweet chocolate
12 ounces white chocolate
vegetable oil for thinning the chocolate

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Line 4 cookie sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
In a large bowl whisk together the flour, finely ground almonds, cocoa powder, cloves, cinnamon, baking powder and salt then set aside.
Using a stand mixer or hand held mixer, beat the eggs together.
Mix in the sugar and honey, beating until very well combined.
Stir in the orange and lemon zest, the vanilla extract and limoncello.
Slowly mix in the flour mixture until combined.
Stir in the grated chocolate.
The dough will be very soft and pliable.
Working with small portions of the dough at a time (about 1 heaping cupful) transfer to a well floured surface.
With a floured rolling pin, roll out the dough to about 1/3 of an inch thick.
Use a 2 inch diamond cookie cutter to shape and cut out the cookies and then transfer to the prepared baking sheet while spacing them about 1 inch apart. (dipping the cookie cutter in flour before each use will tremendously help for easy release.)
Re-rolled the scraps to shape and cut just 1 more time.
Bake in the preheated oven for about 10 minutes. The cookies should still be slightly soft to the touch when ready.
While one batch is baking in the oven continue rolling and cutting with the remaining dough.
Make sure the cookies cool completely before dipping in chocolate.
CHOCOLATE COATING:
Melt the semi-sweet chocolate using a double boiler or in the microwave, using a microwave safe bowl on high for about 90 seconds stirring at 30 seconds interval.
Thin the chocolate with a little bit of vegetable oil to loosen the consistency somewhat for easy dipping.
Dip half a batch of the cookies into the melted semi-sweet chocolate and place on a cooling rack till the chocolate sets.
Repeat by melting the white chocolate and coating the remaining cookies.
Before the white chocolate sets, use a piping bag filled with dark melted chocolate to dot the tops then simply run a toothpick through the dots to create a pretty pattern.
Allow for the chocolate to set completely before storing.