Yummy Amaretti Cookies
Submitted by jgbwv
Toasted almonds ground to powder blend with beaten egg whites and sugar to create these crisp Italian amaretti cookies where lemon zest and almond extract deliver intense flavor in delicate, airy bites.
YIELD
48 servingsPREP
20 minCOOK
1 hrsREADY
1½ hrsThese are the real-deal Italian amaretti that require a little more technique but reward you with that authentic crisp-chewy texture bakeries charge premium prices for.
Toasting blanched almonds before grinding them releases their oils and deepens the nutty flavor exponentially.
Egg whites beaten to stiff peaks with sugar create the meringue base that gives these cookies their signature light, crisp exterior and slightly chewy center.
A full hour of low-temperature baking followed by an hour of drying time in the turned-off oven is what creates that perfect texture.
Baking Tips
- Pulse almonds in short bursts to keep them powdery and prevent them from turning into paste
- Pipe dough through a pastry bag for uniform size and professional presentation
- Don’t open the oven during the final drying hour or humidity will ruin that crisp shell
Ingredients
Directions
In a food processor, grind the almonds to a powder by pulsing off and on to keep the powder loose.
Mix the almonds with the powdered sugar and flour.
In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites to soft peaks.
Gradually beat in the granulated sugar until stiff.
Fold in the lemon zest and almond extract.
Pipe the mixture with a pastry bag using a round ¼ inch tip into 1½-inch rounds onto baking sheets lined with lightly buttered waxed paper or parchment.
Bake in a preheated 275℉ (140℃). for 1 hour, checking to make sure the amaretti don’t brown.
Turn off the oven and let the amaretti dry out for an additional hour--they should be very crisp.
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