Almond Cookies
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These almond cookies have a perfect chewy texture and nutty flavor that’s just the right amount of sweet. Whether for a special gathering or a quiet moment, they’re sure to hit the spot.
These almond cookies are inspired by soft Amaretti, the classic Italian almond treats with chewy centers and charming cracked tops. Made with almond flour, egg whites, and a splash of almond extract, they’re rich, nutty, and naturally gluten- and dairy-free. They’re perfect for holiday cookie platters, afternoon coffee breaks, or whenever you need a little something sweet.
What You’ll Need To Make Almond Cookies
- Egg Whites: Give the cookies a light yet chewy texture. Feel free to use fresh egg whites or those from a carton (you’ll need 6 tablespoons).
- Almond Extract: Enhances the lovely almond flavor of the cookies.
- Vanilla Extract: Adds warmth and depth.
- Granulated Sugar: Sweetens the dough and adds moisture.
- Almond Flour: The base of the cookies, providing a rich, nutty flavor and a naturally gluten-free structure. I use Bob’s Red Mill almond flour.
- Confectioners’ Sugar: Coats the dough balls, giving the cookies their signature cracked tops.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-By-Step Instructions
In a large bowl, whisk the egg whites, salt, almond extract, and vanilla extract until frothy. Whisk in the granulated sugar until combined.
Add the almond flour.
Stir with a spoon until the dough comes together into a slightly sticky cohesive mass. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour.
Place the confectioners’ sugar in a shallow bowl. Roll the dough into balls, then roll in the confectioners’ sugar.
Arrange the balls on the prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 2 inches apart.
Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the cookies are puffed with a crinkled appearance. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for a few minutes.
Transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely. Be gentle when handling them, as they will be delicate until they are cool. The cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days; freeze for longer storage.
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Almond Cookies
Ingredients
- 3 large egg whites
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon almond extract
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2½ cups almond flour (see note)
- About 1 cup confectioners’ sugar, for rolling
Instructions
- In a large bowl, whisk the egg whites, salt, almond extract, and vanilla extract until frothy. Whisk in the granulated sugar until combined. Add the almond flour and stir with a spoon until the dough comes together into a slightly sticky cohesive mass; you may need to use your hands to finish mixing. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour or until ready to bake.
- Preheat the oven to 325°F (160°C) and position two racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Place the confectioners’ sugar in a shallow bowl. Roll the dough into 1¼-inch balls, then roll each ball in the confectioners’ sugar to coat thoroughly.
- Arrange the balls on the prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 2 inches apart. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, rotating the pans from top to bottom and front to back halfway through, until the cookies are puffed, cracked, pale on top, and golden on the bottom. They should be a little crisp outside but remain soft inside.
- Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. Be gentle when handling them, as they will be delicate until they are cool.
Notes
Nutrition Information
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
Gluten-Free Adaptable Note
To the best of my knowledge, all of the ingredients used in this recipe are gluten-free or widely available in gluten-free versions. There is hidden gluten in many foods; if you're following a gluten-free diet or cooking for someone with gluten allergies, always read the labels of your ingredients to verify that they are gluten-free.
Comments
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Made this recipe in December for a cookie exchange party and they were delicious! Now made them for the family and it would definitely be our cookie for many holidays to come!
Only had a problem rolling them into balls. Any suggestions so the dough doesn’t stick to my hands??
Hi Mari, It is a sticky dough – you can try chilling it longer or dusting your hands with confectioners sugar. Hope that helps!
Your recipe was perfect timing because I’ve been obsessed with almond croissants that have frangipane (just looked up that word but it seemed to be correct lol) recently and I was searching for a cookie equivalent to make for the holidays, so this was great.
The cookies we’re delicious and I ended up sharing your recipe link with several friends and coworkers! Thanks for a great recipe.
FIVE STARS! Our new favorite cookie. Highly recommend the super fine almond flour. This was an easy recipe and the taste is simply amazing – not too sweet and a perfect balance of almond. Jenn your recipes are our favorite!!!
These are amazing! I have already made them twice for holiday parties! Very easy, great directions and everyone wants the recipe! For me, it worked well to make the batter one day and make the cookies the next day. I followed the suggestion to add an almond slice into the cookie. The perpendicular presentation seemed best for me. Beware these are addictive!!! Thank you, thank you!!!
I made these yesterday. The recipe is so easy to follow and the cookies out of this world in texture and flavour. Based on another review, I did add a little more almond extract–probably around 3/4 tsp.–and didn’t regret it. I think these will become a Christmas regular. Thank you!
Hi Jen,
Would it be ok to leave the dough in the refrigerator overnight before baking?
Thank you,
Jessica
Yep that’s fine – enjoy!
My favorite bakery in Rome is Il Fornaio and when in Rome I always go to get Amaretti cookies. I had no idea they would be so easy to make!!! The texture is spot on, but I prefer a little stronger almond flavor so added 1 teaspoon instead of 1/2 (must be my Scandinavian heritage). Another OUAC amazing recipe! I will be adding these to our holiday baking for years to come!!
These are delightful! When my husband sampled these, he immediately declared them his absolute favorite Christmas cookie! He wanted to keep sampling, even though they’re for Christmas cookie boxes for neighbors 😉
Jenn,
I’m not sure what I did wrong, but my dough was still kind of soft after I left it in the frig for over an hour. Is it possible, I whisked my egg whites too long or my egg whites weren’t cold enough when I added the sugar then spooned in the almond flour. I followed the recipe exactly as written but the dough was soft. I’ll see how the finished product is after they’re done baking. Will DEFINITELY make again even if these don’t come out right. I love all of your recipes that I have made.
Thanks,
Lboogie
Hi La Vita, The dough is on the soft side even when chilled, so you probably didn’t do anything wrong. How did they turn out?