Mary’s Amaretti Cookies
Yield: 30 Cookies
Amaretti Cookies
The amaretti cookie is so much more than just a cookie. These almond-flavored multi-tasking cookies are the Italian cousin of the French macaron, but they’re not nearly as fussy.
Ingredients
Dough
- 2½ cups almond flour or 3 cups blanched slivered almonds, finely ground
- 1½ cups superfine or caster sugar (see note)
- 3 large egg whites
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 tablespoons sugar (for dusting)
- ½ teaspoon orange zest
Amaretto Glaze (Optional)
- 1¾ cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted
- 5 to 7 tablespoons almond-flavored liqueur, preferably Amaretto
Instructions
Dough
- Preheat the oven to 300 degrees. In a large bowl of a food processor, combine almond flour and sugar. Add vanilla and almond extracts and process. Add egg whites to the almond flour mixture, one at a time, processing until dough is smooth.
- Combine 3 tablespoons of sugar with orange zest. Lightly dust hands with flour. Take teaspoons full of dough and roll into balls. Cover tops with the sugar and orange zest mixture. Place cookies 3-inches apart on a parchment paper lined baking sheet pan. Bake for 20 - 25 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on trays for 2 minutes. Carefully transfer cookies to a cooling rack.
- Cookies can also be finished with an Amaretto glaze. Whisk together confectioner’s sugar and Amaretto until drizzling consistency. Place cookies on a wire rack over a baking sheet. Using a spoon or fork, drizzle cookies with icing, allowing excess icing to drip onto baking sheet. Allow icing to set before serving, about 30 minutes. The cookies can also be sandwiched together with jam, ganache or buttercream.
- Note: It’s easy to make your own superfine sugar, also known as caster sugar. Place granulated sugar in a food processor or blender. Pulse the sugar until it reaches a super-fine consistency. Be careful not to overprocess or it will be powdery. Let the sugar settle for a few minutes before removing from the processor or blender.