A crisp and crunchy almond cookie that’s lighter than air.
I’ll admit to having a sweet tooth and the thought of having a little treat each day gives me something to look forward to. While most of the year I’ll happily reach for a piece of chocolate, the holidays give me just the excuse I need to hole up in my kitchen and indulge in some baking and cookie making. Hopefully you’ll indulge me as I post another cookie for you to try this week.
Although there’s clearly no shortage of delicious cookie recipes floating around the web this time of year, I’d like to call your attention for a moment to these crisp and crackly cookies with the delicate taste of almonds.
Inspired by Amaretti cookies, the traditional Italian cookies made from bitter almonds and apricot kernels that make an appearance during the holidays in festive red tins or on homemade cookie platters, these thins make an excellent addition to the holiday cookie tin.
Pale brown, flecked with toasted bits of almonds on top, these almond cookies call to mind a flatter version French macaron shells but with the heartier crunch of Italian Amaretti cookies. The whipped egg white base gives them a delicate and crisp texture through and through, creating that melt-in-your-mouth quality after the initial crunch.
Best of all, you hardly need anything to make them. Egg whites are beaten with coconut sugar until pale and creamy and then a splash of almond extract and almond flour are stirred in to create a loose, buff colored batter that that you drop by the teaspoonful onto baking sheets before hitting the oven for a long slow bake.
Dunked in a cup of tea or packaged up in a tin for giving they keep well for a long time making them ideal for the season.
Gluten-Free Crunchy Almond Cookies aka Amaretti Thins (Paleo)
Crisp and crunchy gluten-free almond cookies that are light as air.
Ingredients
- 1 large egg white, at room temperature
- 1/3 cup/66g coconut sugar
- ½ cup/60g blanched almond flour
- 1/8 teaspoon almond extract (optional, you can also replace the almond extract with ¼ tsp of vanilla extract for a milder flavor)
- 2 Tablespoons/14g sliced almonds, light crushed with your hands
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 300°F.
- Line two or more baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
- Whisk together the egg white and coconut sugar in a metal bowl set over a pot of barely simmering water until the sugar dissolves and the mixtures is just barely warm to the touch. Remove from heat and continue to beat the egg and sugar mixture either with a handheld mixer or stand mixer until it increases in volume and is pale, ribbony and thickened. The mixture should be light beige and look shiny. Add in the almond extract if using.
- With a rubber spatula, fold the almond flour into the egg white mixture in three times; do this gently until well incorporated and the consistency of peanut butter.
- Use a teaspoon to spoon the batter into small rounds on the prepared baking sheets, leaving 1 inch between as the batter will spread. Top with the crushed sliced almonds.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes until lightly golden.
- Remove from the oven and transfer the entire sheet with the cookies to a cooling rack. Do not attempt to remove them immediately, the cookies will harden as they cool. When completely cool, remove them from the parchment and store in an airtight tin.
Notes
Gluten-Free, Grain-Free, Paleo, Refined Sugar-Free
NOTE: Recipe can be doubled
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Nutrition Information:
Yield:
24Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 35Total Fat: 2gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 8mgSodium: 3mgCarbohydrates: 4gFiber: 0gSugar: 3gProtein: 1g
Nutritional information for recipes contained on this website, such as calories, fat, carbs, etc. are only estimates and are not guaranteed to be accurate.
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Sylvie Shirazi is the recipe developer and food photographer behind Gourmande in the Kitchen. For the last 10 years she’s been making eating more healthfully easy and accessible with gluten-free, grain-free, paleo and vegan recipes that are free from processed ingredients.
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