Ricciarelli Cookies (Chewy Italian Almond Cookies)

Ricciarelli Cookies (Chewy Italian Almond Cookies)

Ricciarelli are a simple and delicious Italian almond cookie. They are commonly oval shaped and always coated with a thick layer of powdered sugar. The dough will need at least 12 hours to chill plus an hour to dry out before baking, so be sure to plan accordingly.

Course Dessert

Cuisine Italian

Keyword Italian Cookies, Ricciarelli

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 16

Chill Time 12

Total Time 12 36

Servings cookies

Calories 101kcal

Author Angela Allison

Equipment

2 baking sheets

Ingredients

2 ½ cups almond flour (250 grams)
1 ¾ cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon orange zest
2 large egg whites
⅛ teaspoon cream of tartar
⅛ teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon almond extract
powdered sugar for topping

Instructions

In medium bowl, combine the almond flour, powdered sugar, and orange zest. Mix together until well combined; set aside.
In a separate large bowl, use an electric mixer to beat together the egg whites, cream of tartar, and salt until foamy. Add in the almond extract and continue beating until stiff peaks form. Add in the almond flour and use a spoon or rubber spatula to mix the ingredients until they are combined (it will be a thick dough consistency).
Cover and refrigerate the ricciarelli dough for 12-24 hours.
Once the dough has chilled, remove from fridge and place on a work surface that has been dusted with powdered sugar. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper; set aside.
Use your hands to roll the dough into a log shape, about 2 inches in diameter. Slice the dough into discs about ½ inch thick (you should be able to get 24 cookies total). Shape each disc into an oval shape and lay the cookies on the prepared baking sheets and dust the top of the cookies powdered sugar.
Let the cookies rest on the baking sheets for about an hour so they can dry out.
When the cookies are ready to bake, preheat oven to 325 degrees. Bake the cookies, one tray at a time, on the center baking rack, for about 16-18 minutes. Let the cookies cool completely on baking sheet before eating or storing.

Notes

Resting Times: there are two necessary resting times for making ricciarelli cookies. The first is chilling the dough overnight to make the shaping of the cookies more manageable. The second is letting the cookies dry out on the baking sheet before baking to get that cracked surface this cookie is known for.

Shaping the Dough: if you are having a hard time not keeping the dough from sticking, use extra powdered sugar to act as the "flour" when you roll the dough out.

Storage: store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to five days, or refrigerate for up to a week. You can also freeze in an airtight container for up to a month.

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