Italian Almond Cookies

This Italian almond cookie, also called ‘Ricciarelli’, is usually served on Christmas Day and has its origins in the Sienna region of Tuscany.

Well, we’re still a few months away from Christmas, but when almond flour is on special at the local store, it’s tempting to buy a few packets (usually a very expensive item on the shelves here in South Africa). And then you look for recipes in which almond flour can be used.

Put it on the table:

The cookie is chewy and covered with icing sugar (also called powdered sugar). This gives the cookie a snowy appearance and that’s probably why it’s made on Christmas Day (in the Northern Hemisphere).

If you have a bottle of Disaronno liqueur in your cupboard, it will work perfectly in this cookie. But otherwise almond extract would be fine too (which I had to settle for).

Ingredients for chewy Italian almond cookies

Ingredients:

2 egg whites

1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

1Ā¾ cups icing sugar (powdered sugar), plus Ā½ cup extra

Ā½ teaspoon salt

Ā¼ teaspoon baking powder

2 cups almond flour, sifted

2 teaspoons orange zest (you can also use lemon zest)

1 tablespoon almond extract (or Disaronno liqueur)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Beat the egg whites and lemon juice into soft peaks. In a separate bowl, combine the icing sugar, salt, baking powder and almond flour.

Fresh lemon juice and egg whites

Beat egg whites and lemon juice

Combine dry ingredients

Fold in the flour mixture to the egg whites. Stir in the orange zest, almond- and vanilla extract until completely combined. The mixture should be sticky, but workable.

Fold flour mixture to the egg whites

Stir in orange zest, almond- and vanilla extract and mix

Roll the dough into small balls in your hands (you will probably get between 20 – 25 balls out of the dough). Now roll the balls in the extra icing sugar until they are well covered and place on a baking tray that is lined with parchment paper.

Roll the small balls in the icing sugar

Let the cookies sit aside for about 20 ā€“ 30 minutes on the counter (this is important, because it will help firm up the dough). Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 150Ā°C/302Ā°F.

Just before you put the cookies in the oven, take a fork and press lightly on each cookie. The dough has now hardened slightly and you will notice small cracks forming on the cookies – don’t worry, that’s what it should look like.

The cookies are now ready for the oven

Let the cookies bake for about 20 – 25 minutes. They should turn golden brown around the edges.

Remove the cookies from the oven and let them cool completely in the baking tray before placing them in an airtight container.

Italian Almond Cookies

Maybe the Italians enjoy this cookie with a glass of Disaronno liqueur, but it tastes just as good with a hot cup of Rooibos tea with lemon and honey.

Tea time