Description
Delightfully chewy Raspberry Amaretti Cookies featuring almond flour and vibrant freeze-dried raspberries, producing a naturally flavored, sweet treat with cracked tops and a dusting of confectioners’ sugar. Perfectly light and fruity, these Italian-inspired cookies are easy to make and ideal for sharing or gifting.
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
- Confectioners’ sugar, as needed
Wet Ingredients
- 2 large egg whites (about 60 grams)
- 1/4 teaspoon lemon juice
- 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
Instructions
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Baking Sheets: Preheat your oven to 300°F (150°C). Stack two matching, heavyweight, light to medium colored cookie sheets one inside the other to prevent excessive browning on the cookie bottoms. Line the top cookie sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
- Grind Freeze-Dried Raspberries: Use a food processor or spice grinder to finely grind the freeze-dried raspberries into a powder, ensuring an even raspberry distribution in the dough.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the sifted almond flour, granulated sugar, pinch of salt, and the finely ground raspberry powder until fully combined and evenly mixed.
- Whip Egg Whites: In a separate mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, whisk the egg whites and lemon juice together until they hold soft peaks, providing the structure and lightness for the cookies.
- Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients: Gently fold the beaten egg whites and almond extract into the dry ingredients, stirring until a soft, sticky dough forms. Knead lightly by hand if necessary; don’t worry about over-handling as the dough is forgiving.
- Shape Cookies: Lightly dust your hands with confectioners’ sugar to prevent sticking. Using a small cookie scoop, portion the dough into 1-inch balls. Roll each ball smoothly, then roll them thoroughly in confectioners’ sugar. Place on the prepared baking sheet about 1 inch apart to allow spreading.
- Bake: Bake the cookies for 30 to 35 minutes until the tops are cracked and the bottoms are just barely golden. If not using stacked cookie sheets, watch closely and bake for approximately 25 minutes as browning will happen faster. For crunchier cookies, bake for an additional 5 minutes until the tops begin to brown.
- Cool: Remove the cookies from the oven and let them cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes. Then transfer them to wire racks to cool completely for best texture.
- Store: Store the cooled cookies in an airtight container or bag at room temperature for up to 5 days to maintain freshness.
Notes
- Stacking two cookie sheets helps prevent the cookies’ bottoms from browning too much, preserving a delicate golden color and texture.
- Freeze-dried raspberries intensify the fruity flavor without adding moisture that could alter the dough consistency.
- Use almond flour rather than almond meal for a finer texture and lighter cookie crumb.
- Dusting hands with confectioners’ sugar prevents the sticky dough from clinging and helps create a pretty cracked sugar coating on the cookies.
- For softer cookies, bake closer to 30 minutes; for crunchier ones, extend to 35-40 minutes.
- These cookies are naturally gluten-free and a delightful treat for those avoiding wheat products.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie (about 20g)
- Calories: 90
- Sugar: 8g
- Sodium: 10mg
- Fat: 5g
- Saturated Fat: 0.3g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4.5g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 10g
- Fiber: 1.5g
- Protein: 3g
- Cholesterol: 0mg
