Italy’s tastiest little cookies?
Amaretti are among the most beloved cookies in Italian cuisine. These small, round treats with their distinctive almond flavor and unique texture – crispy on the outside and soft or chewy on the inside – have won many hearts over the centuries. With these raspberry amaretti, we’ve created a delicious plant-based version of this cookie for you.
Where did they come from, anyway?
Italy, of course! But there is more to this story. Amaretti are believed to have their roots in the picturesque town of Saronno in Lombardy. There is an adorable story that they were invented in the 18th century by a young couple in love. When a cardinal came to visit, they wanted to serve him something delicious, but didn’t have much in the house. With some almonds, sugar and some egg whites, the couple conjured up these divine cookies – and voilà, the amaretti were born! We substituted those egg whites, of course, and did so with polenta, another beloved ingredient in Italian cuisine that in this recipe contributes to the right texture and to the beautiful yellow color .
By the way, the name “amaretti” means “little bitter things” in Italian. Not because they are really bitter, but because they were originally made with a mixture of both sweet and bitter almonds.
Types of amaretti – because yes, there is choice!
In the world of amaretti, you have roughly two choices:
- The soft and cuddly cookies: these are the “amaretti morbidi,” with a nice crispy crust but deliciously soft and chewy inside, almost like marzipan. To dream away at! These raspberry amaretti fall into the soft category.
- The crispy crackers: These “amaretti secchi” are crispy through and through. Perfect for with your coffee (just dip them, hmmmm!) and they give a satisfying “crackle” when you bite into them.
In different Italian regions, they make their own versions. In Sicily, for example, they throw in pistachios (so delicious!), while elsewhere they experiment with citrus zest, coffee or even chocolate. Creativity at its finest!
Raspberry amaretti
In our test kitchen we had a creative moment and that’s how these amaretti filled with raspberry jam and dipped in dark chocolate were born. You can omit the chocolate if you are not so fond of it or find it too much work, the jam can be replaced with any other not too sweet jam. Serve the amaretti with coffee or tea, or very Italian with a glass of dessert wine. The amaretti are made from ground almonds, polenta and a little sugar. There is no added fat or oil and they are gluten-free, these cookies are just great.
Why does everyone love these raspberry amaretti so much?
There are many reasons why these raspberry amaretti are so beloved:
Its irresistible texture
That mix of crunchy and soft is just magical! You bite through that crispy layer and then – surprise! – comes that soft core. Delicious! The raspberries add a fresh touch and the chocolate adds an extra crunch and a nice bitterness.
Their addictive taste
That subtle balance between sweet and just-not-bitter…. you can’t get enough of that! The natural oils in the almonds impart a rich, nutty flavor that blends perfectly with the sweetness. It’s that mysterious “just one more” factor that characterizes these raspberry amaretti!
Super versatile
You can eat amaretti not only as a delicious sweet snack, but also use them in a variety of other desserts. Crumble them over your ice cream, use them as a base for your cheesecake, stuff them into peaches or mix them into your tiramisu. They really do make everything tastier! If you want to crumble the amaretti, for example as a no-cheesecake base then you can omit the dipping in chocolate.
Gluten-free treat
Because there is no flour in it, amaretti are naturally gluten-free! So even your gluten intolerance friends can feast. It’s a win-win!
How and when to enjoy the raspberry amaretti?
In Italy, amaretti are often enjoyed with a cup of strong espresso after dinner. Also delicious with a glass of sweet dessert wine such as Vin Santo or Moscato d’Asti! Try dipping an amaretto (singular of amaretti) very briefly into your coffee before biting into it – now that’s enjoyment!
In the cold winter months, some northern Italians like to serve their amaretti with hot chocolate. A sip of chocolate, a bite of amaretti…. welcome to heaven!
How do you store them?
Store them in an airtight container: Otherwise they will become limp, and no one likes limp cookies!
Keep them dry: Moisture is amaretti’s worst enemy. Store them in a cool, dry place.
Put baking paper between layers: If you store several layers in one drum, baking paper keeps them from sticking together.
Shelf life: store these amaretti for about 1 week. As if that’s a problem… they usually run out much sooner anyway!
Freezing is also an option: Surprisingly, you can freeze amaretti just fine! For up to 3 months. Let them thaw gently at room temperature before serving.
Whole almonds or almond powder?
The quickest method of making these cookies is with almond powder. Mix almond powder with the polenta, sugar and possibly anise sugar or lemon zest, water and your batter is ready. If you only have whole almonds in the house, first grind them into a fine powder in the food processor. Preferably use white almonds. These are blanched almonds that have been stripped of their brown husk. Be careful not to grind too long, because at a certain moment the oil is released from the almonds and you get almond paste, which does not give the desired result when baking.
Adding flavoring
We were very excited about adding a little anise to these cookies. For example, by adding a powdered cube of anise sugar to the dough. Other delicate flavorings include lemon zest, orange zest, vanilla sugar or extract, a dash of Amaretto or a pinch of ground cardamon.
Finally
Amaretti are much more than “just cookies” – they are a piece of Italian goodness that you bring right into your kitchen! Whether you enjoy the crunchy variety with your coffee, feast on the soft version as an indulgence, or use them as a secret ingredient in your desserts – amaretti always bring a touch of Italian magic to your table.
So, what are you waiting for? Try them, make them, share them…. but always keep a few for yourself! 😉
Raspberry Amaretti
Equipment
- 1 foodprocessor
- 1 baking tray
- 1 sheet of baking paper or silicone baking mat
Ingredients
for the raspberry jam (or use ready-made jam)
- 100 g raspberries fresh or frozen
- 100 g jelly sugar
- 1 el lemon juice
for the amaretti
- 225 almond powder of witte amandelen zelf tot poeder malen
- 110 g caster sugar
- 1 sachet or cube of aniseed sugar can be replaced with aniseed powder or left out
- 75 g polenta
- 90 g water
- ½ lemon, its zest
- 100 g powdered sugar
- 50 g plant-based cream cheese
Instructions
for the raspberry jam
- put raspberries, jelly sugar and lemon juice in a small saucepan, bring to the boil and simmer gently for a few minutes, then let to cool down100 g raspberries, 100 g jelly sugar, 1 el lemon juice
for the amaretti
- preheat the oven to 200° C
- put almond powder, caster sugar, anise sugar, polenta water and lemon zest in food processor and mix everything into a sticky dough225 almond powder, 110 g caster sugar, 1 sachet or cube of aniseed sugar, 75 g polenta, 90 g water, ½ lemon, its zest
- weigh out balls of dough of about 20 g and roll them between your hands into a smooth ball
- put the icing sugar on a plate and roll the balls of dough one by one through the icing sugar, tap off the excess icing sugar and place the balls on the baking tray lined with baking paper100 g powdered sugar
- use the tip of your thumb to make a dent in the balls to insert the filling
- using a piping bag or a teaspoon, first fill the dough balls with a little dot plant-based cream cheese about the size of a pea (you may also skip the cream cheese)50 g plant-based cream cheese
- further fill the hole with half a teaspoon of the raspberry jam (or any other jam of your liking)
- Bake the amaretti for 12 to 15 minutes at 200° C
optional: dipped in chocolate
- melt and temper dark chocolate and dip the undersides of the amaretti in the chocolate, let the chocolate set on a sheet of baking paper
- No idea how to temper chocolate? Then let the chocolate-dipped biscuits stiffen in the fridge for about 20 minutes.
