Vegan Amaretti Cookies

These delicious, chewy Vegan Amaretti Cookies are both gluten-free and oil-free! Enjoy your vegan cookies with a cup of coffee for a simple sweet treat.

Is there anything better than cuddling up on the couch with a hot cup of coffee (or hot cocoa/tea) and a soft, chewy cookie? Especially in the company of a good book, or a good friend…

These vegan cookies, with their beautiful soft almond flavor, are just the thing for an afternoon pick-me-up. And there’s no need to feel guilty for indulging in more than one…

Perfectly crisp on the outside and melt-in-your-mouth soft on the inside, they’re going to work their way into your regular baking rotation in no time.

Vegan amaretti biscuits also make a fabulous gift when popped into a pretty box, and last well if you’re preparing them in advance.

What are Amaretti Cookies?

Amaretti cookies are delicious, light almond-flour cookies. They originated in Italy and are similar to macarons, with a beautiful almond flavor throughout.

These vegan amaretti cookies skip the typical egg whites in the ingredient list and remain oil-free, thanks to the addition of aquafaba.

And as a bonus, these vegan almond flour cookies are also naturally gluten-free. So if you’re sensitive to gluten, you can indulge to your heart’s content!

What is aquafaba?

Aquafaba is the juice in a can of beans. Technically, it is from any beans but when cooking or baking, the juice from chickpeas is best. It can be used as a direct replacement for egg whites in many recipes. It works as a binder, leavening agent and basically anything that an egg white would do in a recipe.

Aquafaba is essentially your secret ticket to turning many baked goods vegan. Aquafaba cookies are typically those that would normally call for eggs, and/or egg whites – such as these amaretti cookies, or these delicious macaroons.

And don’t worry – aquafaba is practically tasteless, so it won’t add a strange chickpea taste to your cookies!

How to use Aquafaba

To use aquafaba in place of egg whites, you’re normally required to beat it first. To do this, you simply beat it until it forms stiff peaks. This will take a little longer than it would take with egg whites.

Why You’ll Love These Gluten-Free Amaretti Cookies

• Only 20 minutes of active cooking
• An easy gluten-free and vegan treat
• A tasty way to use up aquafaba from your can of chickpeas
• No oil!
• Perfect companion to coffee
• Make a great gift

Ingredients

• Blanched almond flour
• Powdered sugar
• Granulated sugar
• Aquafaba
• Salt
• Lemon Zest
• Amaretto Liqueur
• Powdered sugar

How To Make This Amaretti Cookie Recipe

Combine the almond flour, granulated sugar and powdered sugar in a medium bowl. Sift or use a whisk to break up any clumps and make sure it’s evenly distributed.

In a large metal or glass bowl beat the aquafaba with salt using electric beaters or a stand mixer on medium-high speed until soft peaks form. This will usually take about 5 minutes.

Gently stir in the lemon zest.

Fold in almond flour mixture until completely combined.

Stir in the amaretto liqueur. The dough will be sticky and soft, but formed enough to roll into a ball.

Cover the dough and chill in your fridge for at least 30 minutes, longer if it is a warm day.

Preheat oven to 325°F/160 C.

Line your baking sheets (you’ll need two) with parchment paper or silicon baking sheets.

Once the dough is chilled, place the remaining powdered sugar in a small bowl.

Using a teaspoon, scoop a heaping amount of the dough (about 2 tsp balls). Roll it between your hands until a ball forms. 

Roll the dough ball in powdered sugar until completely coated.

Then place the balls at least 2”/5cm apart on prepared baking sheets. Repeat with the remaining dough.

Place the baking sheet on a rack in the up 1/3 of the oven – the bottoms are prone to over cooking.

Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until golden brown under the sugar.

Allow to cool on the baking sheet for at least 5 minutes before moving to a cooling rack to cool completely. 

Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.

Tips for the Best Vegan Amaretti Biscuits

• Ensure sufficient time to chill and rest the dough – especially in warm weather
• If you are baking 2 sheets at once, keep them in the upper portion of the oven as much as possible. Switch positions of the baking sheets at about 12 minutes of baking. Baking multiple sheets at once may cause baking to take longer.
• When you remove the cookies from the oven, they’ll still be quite soft. But they harden up as they cool down.
• We’ve used Amaretto liqueur, but you can also use almond extract in your vegan amaretti cookies. Almond extract is stronger, so you’ll only need around a 1/2 tsp.

Flavour Variations

Try mixing up your amaretti cookie recipe with one of these fun variations:

• Add 3 tbsp of dark cocoa powder for chocolate flavored cookies.
• Add 1 tbsp matcha powder for matcha amaretti cookies.
• Add 3 tbsp freeze dried fruit powder for fruity and colorful amaretti cookies!

Serving Suggestions

Chewy gluten-free amaretti cookies are traditionally served with coffee. They can also be sandwiched with jam or ganache for an extra treat. 

If you have any leftover cookies, be sure to store them in an airtight container for up to 5 days.

Other Vegan Desserts:

• Decadent Raw Vegan Chocolate Cake
• Vegan No Bake Cheesecake
• Vegan Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups
• Vegan Macaroons
• Vegan Lemon Poppyseed Cake
• Apple oatmeal cookies

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