Description
These Raspberry Amaretti Cookies are delicate Italian-style treats combining almond flour and the vibrant flavor of freeze-dried raspberries. Light, slightly chewy, with a crackled top and a dusting of confectioners’ sugar, these cookies offer a perfect balance of nutty sweetness and fruity tartness. Ideal for afternoon tea or as a sweet gift, they are made with simple ingredients and feature a soft, sticky dough that’s easy to handle.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 2 1/4 cups (200g) almond flour or very finely ground almonds, sifted
- 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
- 1 ounce freeze-dried raspberries, very finely ground (about 1/4 cup of ground raspberry powder)
- pinch salt
Wet Ingredients
- 2 large egg whites (about 60 grams)
- 1/4 teaspoon lemon juice
- 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
Finishing
- confectioners’ sugar, as needed
Instructions
- Prepare oven and baking sheets: Preheat your oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit. Stack two matching, heavyweight, light to medium colored cookie sheets one inside the other to prevent the cookies’ bottoms from browning too much, then line with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
- Grind the raspberries: Using a food processor or spice grinder, finely grind the freeze-dried raspberries into a powder to evenly distribute raspberry flavor throughout the cookie dough.
- Mix dry ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together almond flour, granulated sugar, salt, and the raspberry powder until thoroughly combined and uniform in color.
- Whisk egg whites: In a clean bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, whisk the egg whites and lemon juice until soft peaks form, which will add lightness to the dough.
- Combine dough: Gently fold the beaten egg whites and almond extract into the dry ingredients. Stir until a soft, sticky dough forms, kneading lightly with your hands if needed. The dough will not be as delicate as macaron batter, so sturdy handling is fine.
- Shape cookies: Lightly dust your hands with confectioners’ sugar to prevent sticking. Using a small cookie scoop, portion the dough into roughly 1-inch balls. Roll each into a smooth ball, then coat thoroughly in confectioners’ sugar. Place on the prepared baking sheets, leaving about 1 inch between each to allow for spreading.
- Bake: Bake in the preheated oven for 30 to 35 minutes. The tops should crack slightly, and the bottoms will be just barely golden. If you are not using double stacked cookie sheets, watch closely as the cookies may brown faster and may only need around 25 minutes. For crunchier cookies, bake an additional 5 minutes or until the tops start to brown.
- Cool and store: Remove cookies from the oven and allow them to cool for a few minutes on the baking sheet before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
Notes
- Stacking baking sheets helps prevent the cookies from over-browning on the bottom, but if stacked sheets are unavailable, reduce baking time and keep a close eye.
- You do not need to be gentle when mixing the dough as with macarons; this dough is more forgiving.
- Freeze-dried raspberries can be found at specialty grocery stores or online; substitute with raspberry powder if available.
- Dusting hands with confectioners’ sugar helps with rolling sticky dough.
- For a crunchier texture, extend baking time slightly but watch carefully to avoid burning.
- Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature to maintain freshness.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie (approx. 20g)
- Calories: 90
- Sugar: 10g
- Sodium: 10mg
- Fat: 3.5g
- Saturated Fat: 0.3g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3.1g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 13g
- Fiber: 1.2g
- Protein: 2g
- Cholesterol: 0mg
