This is a yummy recipe that is simple and straightforward to make, you almost can't go wrong! Just some flour, almond flour, butter, sugar and a few other ingredients for flavoring and you will have a delicious cookies to share with your family and friends during the holidays or for big family functions that taste a little like soft amaretti cookies (except the other recipes use egg white and this recipe contains a whole egg).
100grams(7.14tbsp)buttersoftened (or substitute with 90 grams of seed oil)
100grams(0.22lb)white sugar + 3 tablespoons for rolling
1teaspoon(1teaspoon)vanilla extractor almond extract if preferred
1(1)lemon for the zest and lemon juice
1(1)egg
150grams(1.2cups)all-purpose flour
130grams(0.55cups)almond flour
1tablespoon(1tablespoon)baking powder
150grams(1.25cups)icing sugar for coating cookies
Equipment
1 bowls one for mixing the wet ingredients and one for the dry ingredients
baking or cookie sheet to bake the Italian almond cookies
Parchment paper to line the baking surface
Whisk to mix the ingredients together
electric mixer is an optional piece of equipment for mixing the dough
spatula or wooden spoon to scrape and mix
2 plates to hold the two types of sugar for rolling the Italian almond cookies in
cookie jar or cookie tin for storing the Italian almond cookies
Food processor is optional for making your own almond flour from whole or sliced almonds, either blanched or not
Instructions
In a large bowl, beat together the butter, 100 grams granulated sugar, vanilla or almond extract and lemon zest (zest of 1 organic lemon rind) until the mixture has soft peaks and is fluffy and light.
Add the egg and filtered juice of the one lemon and mix in completely.
In another small bowl, sift the all-purpose flour and almond flour and add the baking powder and stir until combined. Now add the flour mixture into the bowl with the butter and stir together before mixing by hand for a few seconds. If the dough is too wet, you can add a few more grams of all-purpose flour.
Wrap the almond dough in plastic wrap and put in the freezer for 15 minutes (or you can put in the refrigerator for about 45 minutes). It should be completely chilled before using.
Remove the dough from the fridge, cut off a little chunk of dough weighing about 20 grams and roll it in your hands until it is completely round.
Pour the 3 extra tablespoons of granulated sugar in one plate and the powdered sugar in another plate. Roll each dough ball first in the granulated sugar and then in the powder sugar to coat it completely.
As you are making them, place each finished sugar-covered dough ball on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper at a distance of 6 cm from each other, until you have used all the dough.
Place the balls back in the fridge for 1 hour, until chilled.
After the cookie dough balls have chilled for 40 minutes, preheat oven to 190° C | 375° F.
When finished chilling, remove the cookies from the fridge and put straight into the preheated oven on the middle rack to bake for 5 minutes at 190° C | 375° F, they should rise and cracks should form on the surface. After 5 minutes and without opening the oven, turn the oven down to 170° C | 340° F and complete baking for approximately 8 minutes. Take them out when they are still white, they should not turn golden brown.
Remove from the oven and let cool on the baking sheet for at least 30 minutes until they cool completely. Serve when cooled!