Description
Italian Almond Cookies, also known as Ricciarelli, are traditional soft and chewy cookies with a crisp exterior and a melt-in-your-mouth center. Made with just finely blanched almond flour, sugar, egg whites, and almond extract, these naturally gluten-free treats are perfect for a delightful snack or dessert.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 2 cups (200 grams) finely blanched almond flour
- 1 cup (200 grams) granulated sugar
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup (29 grams) powdered sugar, for rolling
Wet Ingredients
- 2 large egg whites (room temperature)
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat the oven to 350 °F (175 °C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper to prevent sticking and ensure even baking.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a medium mixing bowl, stir together the almond flour, granulated sugar, and salt until thoroughly combined. Set this mixture aside.
- Beat Egg Whites: In a large mixing bowl, use an electric hand mixer or stand mixer to beat the egg whites at medium speed until soft peaks form. This creates the light structure needed for the cookies.
- Combine Ingredients: Gently fold the almond extract into the beaten egg whites, then carefully stir in the almond flour mixture. This will form a thick dough.
- Test Dough Consistency: Depending on the fineness of your almond flour, the dough may spread differently. Optionally bake a test cookie first. If cookies spread too much and are too flat, fold in up to 1/3 cup (33 grams) additional almond flour to achieve desired dough firmness.
- Shape and Coat Cookies: Roll the dough into 1 1/2 tablespoon-sized balls and coat each ball evenly with powdered sugar. Place the coated balls 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheet to allow space for spreading.
- Bake: Bake the cookies for 15-17 minutes or until the tops have cracked and the bottoms are lightly browned, indicating they are perfectly cooked through.
- Cool and Store: Allow the cookies to cool completely on the baking sheet to set their texture. Store in an airtight container for up to one week to keep them fresh and chewy.
Notes
- These classic Ricciarelli Italian almond cookies are naturally gluten-free and require only five simple ingredients.
- The texture is soft and chewy inside with a crisp exterior, making them a delightful treat.
- Rolling the cookies in powdered sugar creates a characteristic crackled appearance and adds a touch more sweetness.
- Adjusting the almond flour amount slightly can help control the spread to match your preferred cookie thickness.
- Storing them properly in an airtight container preserves their freshness for up to one week.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 100 kcal
- Sugar: 11 g
- Sodium: 18 mg
- Fat: 5 g
- Saturated Fat: 0.4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 13 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
