Amaretti Biscuit is a traditional Italian biscuit that has been around for centuries. It is a type of biscuit made with ground almond and sugar, and it is one of the most popular Italian desserts.
History and Origin
Amaretti biscuits, also known simply as amaretti, have a rich history dating back to at least the Middle Ages. They originated in Italy, supposedly in the region of Lombardy. The name ‘amaretti’ translates to ‘little bitter ones’ in Italian, referencing the slightly bitter taste of the almond ingredient used in these cookies. They became particularly famous in the 18th century when a young couple from Saronno, Lombardy, presented their version of the cookie as a gift to the city’s cardinal. This version, known as Amaretti di Saronno, is still popular today.
NOTEs on KEY Ingredients
- Ground almond: doesn’t have to be super fine like for macarons. You can also consider substituting with other nuts for variety
- Sugar: I just used standard granulated white sugar
- Egg whites: for a vegan version, substitute the egg whites with aquafaba (chick pea water)
- Amaretto liqueur: for that extra almond kick – if you don’t want to use alcohol, use some almond extract diluted with water instead
- Powdered sugar for dusting: for that signature dusty white look
TIPS:
- I used my hand mixer to beat the egg whites to soft peaks, the process takes about 3-5 minutes. Don’t worry if they’re not perfect.
- If the batter is too runny, add in more ground almond
- If the cookies are too tough and don’t crack, they need more egg whites
Popular variations
Want to try something different? Here are some variations to the base recipe that you can get inspiration from:
- Espresso and Chocolate Amaretti Cookies: The richness of espresso and chocolate makes these cookies more appetising.
- Chocolate Amaretti cookies: Deep flavour of unsweetened cocoa makes these cookies delicious and rich.
- Pistachio Amaretti cookies: Replace almond with pistachios, and the flavour with still be on point.
- Matcha Amaretti Cookies: Matcha adds earthiness and colour to traditional amaretti cookies.
- Raspberry Amaretti Cookies: the subtle raspberry flavor and red hue make these cookies utterly delicious.
Amaretti Biscuits
Ingredients
- 200 g Ground Almond
- 150 g Sugar
- 2 Eggs
- 2 tbsp Amaretto Liqueur (or almond extract)
- 50 g Icing Sugar For dusting
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 150°C and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a bowl, beat the egg whites until they form soft peaks.
- In a separate bowl, combine the almond flour and granulated sugar.
- Add the amaretto liqueur into the the beaten egg whites and gently fold into the ground almond and sugar mixture.
- Roll the dough into small balls, about 2.5 centimeters in diameter, roll them in the icing sugar and place them on the prepared baking sheet.
- Bake for 20 minutes at 150°C, or until the cookies lightly crisp up and form cracks on the surface
- When ready, remove from oven and leave to cool for 10 minutes, then place on the cooling rack until cool. Dust with powdered sugar before serving or transfer to the air-tight container and place in the refrigerator for future use.
