Description
Italian Almond Cookies, known as Ricciarelli, are traditional gluten-free treats made with almond meal, dried cherries, and a delicate almond extract flavor. These chewy, soft-centered cookies are coated with flaked almonds, baked to golden perfection, and perfect for a sweet snack or festive gift.
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients
- 2 cups almond meal or blanched ground almonds
- 1/2 cup caster / superfine sugar
- 2 tsp lemon zest (from 1 lemon)
- 3 drops natural almond extract
- 1/8 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup dried cherries, chopped
Wet Ingredients
- 2 egg whites, at room temperature (from 2 large eggs)
- 2 tsp honey
- 1 extra egg white
For Coating
- 1 1/2 cups flaked almonds
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 190°C/375°F (170°C fan). Line two baking trays with parchment paper for non-stick baking.
- Combine Dry Ingredients: In a mixing bowl, whisk together the almond meal, caster sugar, lemon zest, almond extract, and salt until the lemon zest and almond extract are evenly distributed. Stir in the chopped dried cherries and set aside.
- Beat Egg Whites: Using an electric mixer or whisk, beat the two egg whites along with the honey until soft peaks form. This usually takes about 2 minutes on a handheld mixer at speed 8 or 1.5 minutes on a stand mixer at speed 6.
- Fold Egg Whites into Almond Mixture: Gently fold the beaten egg whites into the dry almond mixture. It’s normal if most of the air seems to be knocked out, but the meringue is still integrated.
- Prepare for Coating: In a small bowl, whisk the extra egg white until foamy. In another bowl, place the flaked almonds.
- Form Balls: Using about 1 tablespoon of the mixture, shape into rough 2.5cm (1 inch) balls using two spoons. Perfectly round balls are not necessary.
- Coat in Egg White: Drop each ball into the foamy extra egg white, turning carefully with two forks to coat thoroughly.
- Coat with Flaked Almonds: Roll the egg-white coated balls in the flaked almonds, pressing gently to cover the surface. Don’t worry about perfect coverage.
- Bake: Place the coated cookies on the prepared trays about 2.5cm (1 inch) apart. Bake for 13-15 minutes until golden brown, starting to check at 12 minutes to avoid almond burning.
- Cool: Transfer the baked cookies to a wire rack to cool completely before serving.
- Store: Store cooled cookies in an airtight container. They last up to 10 days or can be frozen for longer storage.
Notes
- Use almond meal or ground almonds without skins for best texture.
- Caster sugar is preferred for a fine, smooth cookie batter.
- Dried cherries add a sweet tart contrast; they can be substituted with other dried fruits if desired.
- Egg whites must be at room temperature to achieve proper volume when beaten.
- Beating egg whites to soft peaks is important to incorporate air and achieve the desired cookie texture.
- Keep baking time precise to avoid burning the flaked almonds.
- Cookies will have a soft, chewy center with a crisp almond coating.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian
