Amaretti Morbidi

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •Rimmed baking sheets
• •Parchment paper
• •Small cookie scoop (1 tablespoon capacity)
• •Wire cooling rack

Instructions

1. 1

   Combine dry ingredients

   Whisk together the almond flour, granulated sugar, and salt in a large bowl. Break up any lumps in the almond flour with your fingers. The mixture should feel uniformly sandy, with no clumps larger than a grain of rice. If your almond flour is coarse, pulse it briefly in a food processor until fine, then measure.

   Superfine almond flour (often labeled as blanched almond flour) produces the smoothest cookies. Coarse almond meal works but creates a more rustic texture.
2. 2

   Add extracts to egg whites

   In a small bowl, whisk the egg whites with the almond extract and bitter almond extract (or amaretto) until just combined and slightly frothy. You're not building a meringue here, just breaking up the whites so they incorporate evenly. About thirty seconds of whisking does the job.

3. 3

   Form the dough

   Pour the egg white mixture into the dry ingredients. Stir with a wooden spoon or stiff spatula until a sticky, cohesive dough forms. This takes some muscle. The dough will look shaggy at first, then suddenly come together into something resembling wet marzipan. It should be sticky enough to cling to your fingers but firm enough to shape. If the dough seems dry and crumbly, add egg white one teaspoon at a time until it holds together when squeezed.

   Humidity affects this dough significantly. On dry winter days, you may need the full amount of egg white. On humid days, you might use slightly less.
4. 4

   Rest the dough

   Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or up to 24 hours. This rest accomplishes two things: the dough firms up for easier shaping, and the almond flour hydrates fully, producing a more tender cookie. Cold dough also spreads less in the oven, giving you taller, more domed cookies.

5. 5

   Prepare for shaping

   Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Place the powdered sugar in a shallow bowl. Position the oven rack in the center and preheat to 325°F (165°C). The moderate temperature allows the cookies to set slowly, preventing the tops from cracking too much before the interior cooks through.

6. 6

   Shape the cookies

   Scoop level tablespoons of dough (about 15g each) and roll between your palms into smooth balls. The dough is sticky, so work quickly. If it clings to your hands unbearably, dampen your palms with water. Each ball should be roughly the size of a cherry tomato. Don't worry about perfection. Slight irregularity is authentic.

   A small cookie scoop (size 50 or 1 tablespoon) makes quick work of portioning and produces uniform cookies that bake evenly.
7. 7

   Coat in powdered sugar

   Drop each ball into the powdered sugar and roll to coat completely. The coating should be generous, almost excessive. This thick layer of sugar creates the signature crackled top as the cookie expands in the oven. Place the coated balls on prepared baking sheets, spacing them 2 inches apart. They spread slightly but not dramatically.

8. 8

   Bake until just set

   Bake one sheet at a time for 12 to 14 minutes. The cookies are done when the tops show distinct cracks through the powdered sugar coating and the edges feel barely set when touched. The centers will still look soft and slightly underdone. This is correct. Resist the urge to bake longer. The cookies continue cooking on the hot pan for several minutes after leaving the oven.

   Check at 12 minutes. Every oven runs differently, and even one minute too long transforms soft amaretti into dry ones. When in doubt, pull them out.
9. 9

   Cool completely

   Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes. They'll firm up significantly during this time but remain fragile. Transfer carefully to a wire rack to cool completely, at least 30 minutes more. The texture you want, that chewy, almost fudgy center with a delicate sugar shell, only develops fully once the cookies reach room temperature.

10. 10

    Store properly

    Layer cookies between sheets of parchment paper in an airtight container. At room temperature, they keep beautifully for up to two weeks, actually improving after the first day or two as the moisture redistributes and the almond flavor deepens. In hot weather, refrigerate and bring to room temperature before serving.

Chef Tips

• •The bitter almond extract makes a noticeable difference in achieving that authentic amaretti flavor. It provides a subtle bitterness that balances the sweetness and intensifies the almond character. If you can't find it, amaretto liqueur substitutes acceptably, though the result will be slightly sweeter.
• •For gift-giving, these cookies are ideal. They travel well, improve with time, and require no refrigeration. Pack them in tins between layers of parchment, or arrange in cellophane bags tied with ribbon. They'll hold their texture for the journey.
• •Pair with espresso, vin santo, or sweet Marsala wine. The Italians dip amaretti into their after-dinner wine, letting the cookies soften slightly before eating. Try it once and you'll understand why this tradition persists.
• •Save any broken or crumbled cookies. Crushed amaretti fold beautifully into whipped cream for a quick dessert, top affogato, or add texture to panna cotta. Nothing goes to waste.

Advance Preparation

• •The dough can be made and refrigerated for up to 3 days before shaping and baking. Let it sit at room temperature for 15 minutes to soften slightly before scooping.
• •Shaped but unbaked cookie balls freeze well for up to 2 months. Freeze on a baking sheet until solid, then transfer to freezer bags. Bake directly from frozen, adding 2-3 minutes to the baking time.
• •Baked cookies store at room temperature in an airtight container for 2 weeks. They actually taste better after resting a day or two.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 cookie (about 20g)