A friend recently made some soft amaretti biscuits when I went for a visit and I had forgotten how yummy they are. Squidgy almond middles with a gentle almond crust, a proper comforting treat.
As it happens, they are also incredibly easy to make. My recipe uses ground almonds, icing sugar, egg white and almond extract. And from start to finish take less than 30 minutes to make and bake.
Plus, this is a naturally gluten free and dairy free recipe, so it’s an easy crowd-pleasing bake to make.
How Long Do These Soft Amaretti Keep?
As they are based on ground almonds they keep well for a week or two. However, the batches I’ve baked have been wolfed down by my visitors so don’t expect them to hang around that long!
However, that long shelf life means these could be made as a lovely homemade Christmas gift. Wrap cooled biscuits in tissue paper and pop in a pretty box of gift bag.
Can I Use Almond Flour?
No it’s important that you use ground almonds for this recipe. Almond flour has different properties and will not yield the lovely soft cookies you are hoping for.
Are All Ground Almonds Coeliac Safe?
I’ve spotted a “may contain wheat” warning on the ground almonds in Lidl, so always check the label if you are coeliac. I used Sainsbury’s and Tesco ground almonds when making these.
Where Can I Buy Almond Extract?
You’ll find it in the baking section of most supermarkets. I use the Sainsbury’s Moroccan Almond Extract, which has a lovely flavour.
Soft Amaretti Biscuits Recipe
This soft amaretti recipe makes about 12 biscuits, depending on how large you make them.
You’ll find a full method below, plus photos to guide you. Feel free to email me any questions or comments you might have. You can contact me at laura@mygfguide.com or message me on Instagram/Facebook @myglutenfreeguide.
Lastly, if you enjoy these soft amaretti, I would be really grateful if you could leave a star rating or review on the recipe card below. Thank you!
Laura xxx
Soft Amaretti Biscuits (GF, DF)
Soft almond biscuits, originally from Italy and naturally gluten and dairy free. This easy bake only needs 4 ingredients and can be made and baked in under 30 minutes!
Ingredients
- 190g ground almonds
- 150g icing sugar (plus extra for coating)
- 2 large egg whites
- 1 tsp almond extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 160C (fan) and line a large baking tray with non-stick baking paper.
- Whisk the egg whites until they are thick and foamy, forming soft peaks.
- Sift the icing sugar over the egg whites, then add the ground almonds and almond extract. Fold all the ingredients together until you have a stiff, slightly sticky dough.
- Sift a little extra icing sugar onto a small plate. Take a heaped tsp of dough and roll between your palms to form a ball. Roll the ball in the icing sugar so it is well coated, then place on the baking tray.
- Repeat until you have used all the dough and have 12 balls on the baking tray, spaced evenly. They will grow during baking so leave space between them.
- Bake for 20 minutes, then remove from the oven. Cool on the tray for a couple of minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool fully.
Once cooled, you can store them in an airtight tin for up to two weeks.
For more easy bakes, why not try some of my other gluten free recipes or book mark them for later:
Enjoy! Laura xxx
