Amaretti Biscuits

The ultimate gluten free Amaretti Biscuits are crispy on the outside and super soft and chewy on the inside!

With just a handful of ingredients and a few simple steps, you can have a batch of sweet, almond-flavoured cookies ready to eat in 25 minutes.

Amaretti biscuits are a traditional Italian recipe, best enjoyed dipped into an espresso coffee or served with a sweet dessert wine late after a meal.

The sweet almond flavour is perfectly complemented by the crunchy/chewy texture... they're simply delightful!

If you're looking for some more delicious biscuits to serve at your next family get-together, you'll love my Monte Carlo Biscuits, Jam Drops and Afghans Chocolate Cornflake Biscuits!

Why You're Going To Love This Recipe

• Gluten-free - whether you're allergic to gluten or simply prefer to avoid it, these cookies are a great option. They're made with almond meal instead of wheat flour, so they're naturally gluten-free.
• Easy to make - with just a few ingredients and some basic mixing and baking skills, you can whip up a batch of these cookies in no time.
• Taste delicious! - these Amaretti biscuits have a sweet, nutty flavor that's perfect with a cup of coffee or tea. Plus, they're coated in both caster sugar and icing sugar for an extra bit of sweetness and texture.
• Traditional Italian recipe - Amaretti cookies are a classic Italian dessert, so making these cookies will give you a taste of Italy without ever leaving your kitchen.
• Conventional and Thermomix - you will find both methods in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.

What You Need

Just 6 ingredients are required to make Amaretti Biscuits!

Note: Please scroll to the recipe card at the bottom for ingredient quantities and the full detailed method.

For The Biscuits

• Egg whites - make sure your eggs are at room temperature to whisk up light and fluffy!
• Almond meal - also known as ground almonds. Almond meal can be found in the baking section of supermarkets or, alternatively, at health food stores. Almond meal can be made with whole or blanched almonds, and you can even make your own. The consistency is more like corn meal than flour.
• Caster sugar - also known as superfine sugar, this fine white sugar is perfect for using in biscuits as it dissolves easily.
• Almond extract - available from the baking section of the supermarket.
• Vanilla extract - or vanilla essence.

For Rolling

• Caster sugar - toss the unbaked biscuits first in caster sugar.
• Icing sugar - and then toss through icing sugar before baking.

Equipment Required

Just the very basics in baking equipment required for these delightful Amaretti biscuits.

You will need:

• Lined baking trays
• Mixing bowls
• Hand held beaters or stand mixer
• Thermomix (optional).

Step By Step Instructions

It takes just 10 minutes to prepare these classic Italian almond biscuits.

Note: Please scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of the post for ingredient quantities and the full detailed method.

Step 1 - Preheat And Prep

Start by preheating your oven to 150 degrees Celsius (fan forced) or 300 Fahrenheit. Then line two baking trays with baking paper and set them aside.

Step 2 - Whisk The Egg Whites

In a large bowl, beat the egg whites until they form firm peaks.

Thermomix: Insert the Butterfly attachment and whip the egg whites for 3-4 minutes at Speed 3.5. Remove the Butterfly.

Step 3 - Add Ingredients And Mix

Add the almond meal, caster sugar, almond extract and vanilla extract to the bowl.

Thermomix: Add the almond meal, caster sugar, almond extract, and vanilla extract. 

Mix the ingredients into the beaten egg whites very gently with a spoon until just combined. Don't overmix!

Thermomix: Mix for 10 seconds at Speed 4, then scrape down the sides of the bowl and mix for a further 10 seconds until ingredients are just combined.

Step 4 - Roll In Sugar

Place the extra caster sugar in a small bowl and the icing sugar in another bowl.

Roll the mixture into heaped teaspoonful-sized balls.

Toss them first in the caster sugar and then in the icing sugar. 

Step 5 - Bake

Place the sugar coated biscuits onto the prepared trays, leaving a 5cm gap between each cookie to allow for spreading. Press down lightly with your fingers, and don't worry if the edges crinkle and crack slightly - that's part of their charm!

Bake in the oven for 15 minutes, and then allow them to cool on the tray before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

TIP: Do not overcook Amaretti biscuits - we want them to still be soft and chewy on the inside!

Expert Tips

• Use room-temperature egg whites - let your egg whites sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes before you start making the amaretti biscuit dough. This will help the egg whites to whip up better and create a lighter, fluffier texture.
• Don't over-mix - mix the dry ingredients into the egg whites very gently, as you want to keep the air in them. Mix just until everything is combined, as over-mixing can cause the cookies to be tough instead of soft and chewy.
• Coat the cookies generously in sugar - the coating of caster sugar and icing sugar is what gives Amaretti biscuits their signature texture and sweetness, so don't skimp here!!
• Serve with coffee - these yummy Italian biscuits can be enjoyed warm or cold. They are traditionally served with coffee or a sweet dessert wine.
• Store in an airtight container - to keep your Amaretti biscuits fresh and crispy, store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week.

FAQs

Related Recipes

Amaretti Biscuits are perfect for having with your morning coffee or for serving guests.

Here are a few of my most popular biscuit recipes: