Best GF Hazelnut Amaretti Cookies

The best GF Hazelnut Amaretti Cookies are a moist and classic Italian cookie. These Italian flavored cookies make a great gluten-free option that you can take on the go. In short, my hazelnut amaretti cookies have a chewy exterior and are soft in the middle. They’re a treat any day of the week. They’re made with little more than hazelnut flour, sugar and egg whites with a splash of almond extract to really amp up the flavor.

Due to my love for creating new recipes, one afternoon I was thinking, I would love a classic amarretti cookie but I didn’t have almond flour.  To be honest, I didn’t want to drive to the store for almond flour.  Due to me not wanting to go out, I went through my pantry and noticed I had finely ground hazelnut flour. I thought to myself- I wonder if this will work as a replacement for the almond flour.

In this case, can you believe it worked just as good as if I was using almond flour. Of course I was surprised. In fact, what goes really well with hazelnuts? Chocolate of course. Since I was experimenting anyway, why not melt some bittersweet chocolate to coat the cookies when they come out of the oven and cool. Without a doubt, that is exactly what I did.

To conclude, I truly do enjoy these soft hazelnut amaretti cookies so much more than I ever thought I would. Overall, cookies are definitely one my favorite desserts to eat because they’re usually easy to make and transport easily. With that in mind, some of my favorites include Chocolate Chip and Oatmeal Cookies.

WHERE DO AMARETTI COOKIES COME FROM?

Traditional to Saronno, Italy, these cookies are a variety of France’s macarons. When fresh out of the oven, they’re soft with a slight crunch. These cookies become crispier and crunchier the longer they sit. Amaretti cookies are an Italian gluten-free cookie made of egg whites, sugar, almond flour and almond extract. Alternatively, my cookies are made with hazelnut flour but taste just as delicious.

Traditional Amaretti cookies are almond flavored Italian macarons that can have a texture ranging from chewy to crisp to soft. Amaretti means bitter. To truly get the authentic taste of amaretti, you must use bitter almonds. Typical amaretti morbidi (soft amaretti) do tend to use bitter almond flour, but I have found that it’s nearly impossible to find that in the States.

WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A FRENCH MACARON AND AMARETTI COOKIES?

Amaretti is a bitter-sweet flavored macaron. Amaretti hazelnut cookies are little cookies that are light and airy and delicate but so easy to make. For my recipe, I used regular almond extract and it tasted just fine.

A French macaron is a delicate meringue based sandwich cookie with a crisp exterior. Each cookie is known as a macaron shell. The cookies have a unique chewy texture and can be filled with any flavored buttercream or ganache filling.

The savoury nuttiness of the hazelnuts, combined with the sweetness of the meringue turns this classic Italian cookie into something that is irresistible to eat.

WHAT MAKES THESE COOKIES GLUTEN-FREE?

Amaretti cookies are naturally gluten-free, made with little more than hazelnut flour, sugar and egg whites with a splash of Almond extract to amp up these cookies. The best hazelnut amaretti cookies are chewy on the outside and are soft on the inside.

Personally, I think that these cookies are the ultimate cookie. For one thing, they are easy to prepare and so satisfying. They keep well and stay soft for a couple days, making them perfect for make-ahead holiday parties and gatherings. As with most of my recipes, I make my best hazelnut amaretti cookies extra special by dipping them in chocolate which really makes the flavors pop. Adding something unexpected really does take it from good to over the top.

WHAT IS A DOUBLE BOILER?

A double boiler is actually quite easy to use. First and foremost, a double boiler is just two pots: a large one that looks like a regular saucepan and a smaller, more shallow pan that nestles inside. To use one, you fill the bottom pan with 2 to 3 inches of water and set the shallow pan on top. In most cases, I personally use a glass mixing bowl as the insert.

Once the stove is turned on, the water in the bottom of the pan starts to simmer and give steady heat to whatever you’re cooking above. As you are stirring, make sure you check to make sure you haven’t run out of water or that the heat isn’t too high.

A double boiler is used for cooking delicate ingredients that have a tendency to seize or separate over direct heat. Such examples are tempering chocolate or whisking anything egg based. You can certainly find a double boiler online if you use one often. If not, you can make one at home that is super easy and is just as effective. Even so, the options are endless once you have mastered using a double boiler.

INGREDIENTS NEEDED FOR THE BEST GF HAZELNUT AMARETTI COOKIES

• 2 1/2 Cups Finely Ground Hazelnut Flour
• 1 1/2 Cup Granulated Sugar
• 4 Large Egg Whites (room temp)
• 1 Tbsp Almond Extract

HOW TO MAKE THE BEST GF HAZELNUT AMARETTI COOKIES?

• Preheat oven to 325 F.
• Mix the 2 1/2 Cups of finely ground hazelnut flour with the 1 1/2 Cups of granulated sugar. Set aside.
• Turn your stove top to medium to medium high heat- using a double boiler, take 3 4 ounce packages of 60% bittersweet chocolate and put the bars of chocolate on a cutting board and finely chop. Chocolate bars produce smoother melted chocolate than if using chips. Once melted, take the chocolate mixture off the stove and set aside.

• Bring 4 large eggs to room temperature. Carefully break each egg open, only setting aside the egg whites.
• When you have separated all 4 eggs, start whisking or use a hand mixer, add the Almond extract and start beating until you get soft white peaks.
• I split this final step up and add the meringue in 3 batches. Take a spoon and add to the flour and sugar mixture. Take a whisk and gently incorporate. Once combined, do this two more times until all the meringue is combined with the flour and sugar.

• The batter will be thick and sticky.
• Using a small cookie scoop, start by rolling the batter into small balls and line a baking sheet that is lined with parchment paper or a silpat mat.

• Bake them for 18-22 minutes depending on your oven.
• For my oven, these took 19-20 to be fully cooked.
• Allow to cool.
• Once cool, take each cookie and dip them in the chocolate until the entire cookie is covered in chocolate. Line on a sheet of parchment paper or a silpat mat and let the chocolate harden which usually takes about an hour.
• Cover the cookies in an airtight container and enjoy.

Best GF Hazelnut Amaretti Cookies

Print Recipe

★★★★★

5 from 2 reviews

The best GF Hazelnut Amaretti Cookies are a moist and classic Italian cookie. These Italian flavored cookies make a great gluten-free option that you can take on the go. In short, my hazelnut amaretti cookies have a chewy exterior and are soft in the middle. They’re a treat any day of the week. They’re made with little more than hazelnut flour, sugar and egg whites with a splash of almond extract to really amp up the flavor.

• Author: Allie
• Prep Time: 15 Minutes
• Cook Time: 20 Minutes
• Total Time: 35 Minutes
• Yield: 25 cookies 1x
• Category: Dessert
• Method: Baked
• Cuisine: Italian
• Diet: Gluten Free

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

• 2 1/2 Cups Finely Ground Hazelnut Flour
• 1 1/2 Cup Granulated Sugar
• 4 Large Egg Whites (room temp)
• 1 Tbsp Almond Extra

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 325 F.
• Mix the 2 1/2 Cups of finely ground hazelnut flour with the 1 1/2 Cups of granulated sugar. Set aside.
• Turn your stove top to medium to medium high heat- using a double boiler, take 3 4 ounce packages of 60% bittersweet chocolate and put the bars of chocolate on a cutting board and finely chop. Chocolate bars produce smoother melted chocolate than if using chips. Once melted, take the chocolate mixture off the stove and set aside.
• Bring 4 large eggs to room temperature. Carefully break each egg open, only setting aside the egg whites.
• When you have separated all 4 eggs, start whisking or use hand mixer, add the Almond extract and start beating until you get soft white peaks.
• I split this final step up and add the meringue in 3 batches. Take a spoon and add to the flour and sugar mixture. Take a whisk and gently incorporate. Once combined, do this two more times until all the meringue is combined with the flour and sugar.
• The batter will be thick and sticky.
• Using a small cookie scoop, start by rolling the batter into small balls and line a baking sheet that is lined with parchment paper or a silpat mat.
• Bake them for 18-22 minutes depending on your oven.
• For my oven, these took 19-20 to be fully cooked.
• Allow to cool.
• Once cool, take each cookie and dip them in the chocolate until the entire cookie is covered in chocolate. Line on a sheet of parchment paper or a silpat mat and let the chocolate harden which usually takes about an hour.
• Cover the cookies in an airtight container and enjoy.

Keywords: Best Hazelnut Amaretti Cookies, Gluten Free, Cookies, Italian, Holidays, Hazelnut Flour, Almond Extract

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