These hazelnut amaretti cookies are a delightful treat: flourless, butter-free, and perfect for rounding off a meal with a cup of coffee or enjoying a sweet pause during the day. Similar to the more popular almond amaretti, these hazelnut cookies come together in just minutes, blending chopped nuts with sugar and egg whites. They’re not only a delicious option but also cater to those with celiac disease or allergies to lactose or milk proteins.
The recipe for hazelnut amaretti cookies is straightforward and practically foolproof. However, it’s crucial to adhere to the chilling time in the refrigerator to ensure the cookies maintain their shape. Otherwise, there’s a risk of ending up with one giant cookie after baking. The beauty of these soft hazelnut cookies also lies in their practicality: you can prepare the entire dough directly in the mixer glass, minimizing the need for multiple bowls and utensils. As they bake, the enchanting aroma of hazelnuts permeates the house, heightening the anticipation of a mouthwatering experience. And the end result lives up to expectations: hazelnut amaretti cookies boast an intense flavor, a crispy exterior, and a tender, delightful center.
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Ingredients for about 14 hazelnut amaretti cookies
If you’re celiac, remember that almond flour must be labeled “gluten-free”; alternatively, you can use peeled almonds, finely chopped.
- Power 107,09 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 11,38 (g) of which sugars 10,20 (g)
- Proteins 2,02 (g)
- Fat 6,34 (g) of which saturated 0,32 (g)of which unsaturated 3,83 (g)
- Fibers 1,15 (g)
- Sodium 35,55 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 20 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
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How to make flourless hazelnut cookies
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To prepare hazelnut amaretti cookies, start by placing whole, shelled hazelnuts in a food processor or mixer. Add about a third of the powdered sugar specified in the recipe—this helps absorb any oil released by the hazelnuts when chopped.
Begin with small pulses to avoid overheating the mixer, blending until you achieve a fine mixture resembling flour.
Remove the mixer blade and incorporate the almond flour. Add a pinch of salt and the remaining powdered sugar. Briefly mix with a spoon, then introduce the egg whites. Thoroughly mix everything until you have a homogeneous and slightly sticky mixture.
In a small bowl, pour a couple of tablespoons of granulated sugar. With slightly damp hands, form balls just larger than a walnut and roll them in sugar to coat entirely.
Place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, pressing lightly. Position the cookies well apart, as they will spread during baking.
Finally, garnish each amaretto cookie with half a hazelnut, pressing lightly to ensure adherence.
Let the tray with the amaretti cookies firm up in the refrigerator for at least 45 minutes. After this resting time, bake the hazelnut amaretti cookies in a preheated oven at 302 °F (150 °C) for about 25 minutes until lightly golden.
Allow them to cool completely before removing them from the tray. These hazelnut amaretti cookies are not only an excellent choice served at the end of a meal with coffee but also a delightful option for a snack or sweet break throughout the day.
How to store hazelnut amaretti cookies
You can store these hazelnut cookies in a tin box for approximately a week.
Tips and variations
Hazelnut amaretti cookies are a fantastic recipe to repurpose leftover egg whites from other preparations, such as pastry cream, carbonara, or tiramisu. For this recipe, you’ll need about 1 and a half egg whites. It’s advisable to weigh the egg whites and adjust the proportions of other ingredients accordingly. Calculating the quantities is straightforward: weigh the egg whites you have, divide the number by 1,7 (the oz specified in the recipe), and multiply the result by the weight of all other ingredients. For instance, if you have 2,4 oz of egg whites: 2,4 ÷ 1,7 = 1,4. To determine the required powdered sugar, multiply 4,2 (the initial oz of powdered sugar) by 1,4, resulting in 5,88 oz.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
What can I substitute for almond flour?
If you don’t have almond flour, you can replace it with 50 g of peeled almonds, finely blended together with hazelnuts.
Can I use hazelnut flour instead of whole hazelnuts?
Certainly, in that case, remember to add all the powdered sugar specified in the recipe (4,2 oz) to the dough.
Varied doses for servings