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Epicurious
Bon Appétit

Tuscan Almond Cookies (Ricciarelli)

By Skye Gyngell

3.7

(8)

Ricciarelli on a plate with two cups of coffee.
Photo by Alex Lau

These traditional almond cookies hail from Tuscany; their texture is chewy, similar to macaroons.

Recipe information

  • Yield

    Makes about 12

Ingredients

1 1/4 cups slivered almonds
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
1/2 cup powdered sugar, divided, plus more for dusting
1 large egg white
Pinch of kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Preheat oven to 350°F. Toast almonds on a rimmed baking sheet, tossing once, until golden, 5–8 minutes; let cool.

    Step 2

    Pulse almonds, lemon zest, and 1/4 cup powdered sugar in a food processor until finely ground. Whisk egg white and salt in a large bowl to medium peaks. Whisking constantly, gradually add 1/4 cup powdered sugar; whisk until egg white is very stiff but not dry. Fold in almond mixture and vanilla. Drop heaping tablespoonfuls of batter onto a parchment-lined baking sheet; using wet hands, flatten tops and press sides to make rounded diamond shapes. Chill 30 minutes.

    Step 3

    Bake ricciarelli until edges are lightly golden and firm and centers are still a little soft, 10–12 minutes; let cool on baking sheet. Dust with powdered sugar.

TagsDessertCookieItalianEuropeanAlmondNutLemonCitrusFruitDairy FreeGluten FreeMake Ahead5 Ingredients or FewerBakingBon Appétit

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