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Amaretti

Soft Blueberry Amaretti Cookies

June 18, 2019 by Marisa 30 Comments

White tray piled high with amaretti cookies.

Soft Blueberry Amaretti Cookies made with blanched almond flour and scented with sweet amaretto liqueur. These cookies are studded with reconstituted dried blueberries and coated in icing sugar.

They make a truly delectable gluten free treat.

Soft blueberry amaretti cookies.

This post was originally published March 30 2017 and republished June 18, 2019 with updated photos and content.

Recently, I was asked if I had a gluten free cookie recipe. Amaretti cookies immediately came to mind.

As I set out coming up with a recipe I knew I wanted to elevate this popular Italian cookie with the addition of dried blueberries.

These dried sweet berries caught my eye every single time I strolled by the candy laden isles of Bulk Barn. After going through quite a bit of almond flour and dried blueberries I finally achieved one I was satisfied with. 

What are Amaretti cookies made of?

There are different kinds of Amaretti cookies and mostly consisting of almond flour, sugar, egg whites and almond flavouring or liquor. 

Some are made with almond paste or simply ground almonds much like these Chewy Amaretti Cookies.

The cookie dough is formed into little balls and rolled in sugar before baking. 

You’ll find some are of the crisp and crunchy variety while others are soft and chewy.

They’re all undeniably delicious and a true Italian classic.

Much like their French cousin Le Macaron, these Amaretti cookies have a very light crispiness on the outside. Their centres are soft and chewy with a delicate bite that’s light as air.

The Legend of the Amaretti cookie

As legend has it these cookies date way back to the renaissance period. At a time when a newly married couple from Saronno Italy presented the bishop with their original family cookies made with crushed apricot kernels, egg whites and sugar. In return the bishop blessed the couple with a long and prosperous happy marriage.

We’re not using apricot kernels in this recipe as there is some speculation on how safe their consumption really is. So, there’s no need to dash off somewhere in search of them.

Soft amaretti dough balls.

We are however using blanched almond flour which is basically ground almonds without their skins and a much finer flour.

Almond flour is known to add moistness to baked goods and delivers such a sweet taste which is simply perfect when baking up a batch of these soft amaretti cookies.

Although you most certainly can grind up whole blanched almonds to a flour like consistency, this can get a little tricky. You will have to take care that it doesn’t turn into a nut butter as its grinding.

Both the almond flour and dried blueberries can be found in the specialty food section of most grocery stores or head on over to Bulk Barn if you should be so lucky as to have one nearby.

Cookies rolled in powdered sugar.

How to make Soft Blueberry Amaretti cookies

Amaretti cookies are not difficult to make and shape out but it does take a little practice to get perfect little domes of goodness.

Use the amount of almond flour as a guideline because this will depend on the quantity of egg whites used. I used egg whites from 3 large sized eggs.

You can use a teaspoon or even better a 1 1/4 inch round ice-cream scoop for even sized cookies.

Scoop the dough onto a plate filled with icing sugar and turn to coat all over. Finally, shape the dough rounds between the palm of your hands into the size of a walnut in its shell.

You’ll find the dough soft and pliable to work with and will not spread too much during baking.

If you’re dough seems too soft to roll and hold its shape, simply fold in some extra almond flour, about 1 tablespoon at a time.

Freshly baked amaretti cookies.

When they’re ready the amaretti will have golden brown tinged bottoms and soft centres. Allow to cool on the baking sheet placed over a cooling rack because they are very fragile while still warm.

Due to their softness, you’ll want to let them cool sufficiently before lifting them off the baking sheet.

White tray filled with amaretti cookies.

I adore the little burst of sweetness that the blueberry imparts with every single bite and find they elevate these little plump morsels to a truly special treat.

Some will have sweet blueberries peaking through while others…well you’ll simply have to bite into one to discover its hidden fruit!

Do try them and enjoy…I know you’ll love them!

Gluten free blueberry cookies.

Gluten free blueberry cookies.
Print Recipe
5 from 1 vote

Soft Blueberry Amaretti Cookies

Gluten free Soft Blueberry Amaretti Cookies scented with amaretto di Saronno liqueur, studded with reconstituted dried blueberries and coated in icing sugar.
Prep Time50 mins
Cook Time15 mins
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: Italian
Keyword: Soft Blueberry Amaretti Cookies
Servings: 4 1/2 dozen
Author: Marisa

Ingredients

  • 3 egg whites from 3 large eggs
  • 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
  • 3 cups almond flour I used super fine (updated)
  • 2 teaspoons honey
  • 1 tablespoon Amaretto liqueur or 1 teaspoon almond extract
  • a pinch of salt
  • 1/2 cup dried blueberries reconstituted in hot water and drained
  • 3/4 cup icing sugar for rolling

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
  • Line three cookie sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
  • In a large bowl, using a hand held mixer with the whisk attachment, beat the egg whites until soft peaks form.
  • Gradually whisk in the sugar just until combined.
  • Fold in the almond flour then the honey, amaretto and a pinch of salt.
  • Gently fold in the reconstituted and well drained blueberries.
  • Use an ice cream scoop about 1 1/4 inch in diameter to scoop out the dough, rolling it generously in the icing sugar.
  • Roll the cookies between the palm of you hands to shape them roundly about the size of a walnut in its shell and place them on the prepared cookie sheet.
  • Bake in the preheated oven for about 13 to 15 minutes.
  • When ready the cookies will have golden brown tinged bottoms and soft centers.
  • Transfer the cookie sheets to a cooling rack and let them cool completely before lifting them off the pan.
  • Cookies can be stored in an airtight container with wax paper between the layers.

Notes

Reconstitute dried blueberries by placing them in a small bowl and pour just enough hot water to cover and then let stand for about 15 minutes. Most of all, allow to drain well before proceeding with the recipe.

Filed Under: Cookies, Dessert, Italian Cookies Tagged With: Amaretti, Baking, blueberries, cookies, gluten free, Italian cookies, sweets

Chewy Amaretti Cookies

February 22, 2019 by Marisa 23 Comments

Baked Italian cookies on a white plate.

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.

Rolling cookie dough balls in sugar.

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.

Freshly baked cookies on a cooling rack

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.

Chewy Italian cookies made with almonds and hazelnuts.

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!

Italian amaretti cookies in a white plate.

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.

Baked Italian cookies on a white plate.

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!

Almond and hazelnut amaretti cookies in a white plate.

Baked Italian cookies on a white plate.
Print Recipe
2.72 from 7 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: 2 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.

 

Filed Under: Cookies, Dessert Tagged With: almond, Amaretti, classic Italian, cookie, hazelnut, Italian cookie

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