Soft pistachio amaretti with a hint of lemon are crackly on the outside, with a tender, marzipan-like center. They’re also absurdly easy to make with just 3 main ingredients.
Soft, chewy, and bursting with pistachio flavor, these lemony pistachio amaretti cookies are a bright twist on the classic Italian almond cookie. They’re naturally gluten-free, made with finely ground pistachios, sugar, and egg whites.
- This easy drop cookie needs no creaming, no rolling, no chilling!
- Ground pistachios with a hint of lemon makes a pretty green color and bright flavor.
- The cookies are lightly crisp outside, soft and pillowy inside.
Pistachio Amaretti cookie basics
In Italy you’ll see two main styles of amaretti:
- AMARETTI MORBIDI are the soft ones that I’m making today ~ tender, chewy, almost marzipan-like in the center with a crackly sugar crust. If you’ve tried my Sicilian Almond Paste Cookies you’ll know exactly what to expect from these gorgeous pistachio amaretti cookies.
- AMARETTI SECCHI are the dry, crisp ones ~ baked longer so they’re crunchy all the way through, the kind most Americans recognize from tins or cookie boxes.
Pistachios are a hallmark of Sicilian baking, and these soft pistachio amaretti nod to that tradition ~ the classic Italian almond cookie reimagined with Sicily’s signature nut and a bright touch of lemon.
Common Questions about Pistachio Amaretti
They are done when the tops are crackly and just set. They will still feel soft when lightly pressed. The cookies firm up as they cool.
Yes! Almond is the classic nut for amaretti, and you could use pecans or walnuts too .
Most recipe combine almond and pistachio nuts, but my recipe calls for only pistachio, resulting in a greener color and more pronounced pistachio flavor.
Yes, it’s available online, at Oh Nuts, and other places.
Store the cookies at room temp, they’ll keep for days. They freeze beautifully for up to 2 months.
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Pistachio Amaretti Cookies
Equipment
- parchment paper
- food processor optional for making lemon sugar
Ingredients
for the cookies
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- zest of 1 lemon Note: peel the lemon zest with a serrated vegetable peeler ~ you want only the yellow part, try to avoid getting the bitter white 'pith'.)
- 2 large egg whites
- 1/2 tsp almond extract
- 2 1/2 cups finely ground pistachios, measure after grinding your nuts. You will need approximately 3 cups of whole nuts.
for the coating
- 1/2 cup confectioner's sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- To make the lemon sugar put the granulated sugar with the lemon zest into a food processor and pulse/process for about a minute until the zest is fully incorporated and the sugar is moist, pale yellow, and super fragrant. Note: If you do not have a food processor you can skip this step and just whisk the zest and sugar together.
- In a mixing bowl whisk the egg whites until foamy. Note that you are not making meringue, so just whisk them until loose and foamy. Whisk in the almond extract.
- Add the lemon sugar and ground pistachios to the bowl and mix thoroughly. It will seem dry at first, but keep mixing until you get a moist dough with everything evenly incorporated. Don't worry about over mixing, there is no gluten in this dough so your cookies will not get tough.
- Using a tablespoon or small scoop, form into small balls and coat in powdered sugar. Make sure the balls are thoroughly coated with the sugar, then place on your prepared baking sheets 2 inches apart. Note: the cookies will not spread much at all, but I like to space them for even baking.
- Bake for 12-15 minutes. The cookies will not look very different, but they will have puffed slightly and formed nice cracks. They will seem soft but they will firm up as they cool. Do not over bake. I suggest doing a test cookie or two to determine the exact time for your oven.
- Let cookies sit on baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a rack to cool.
Notes
Nutrition
more pistachio recipes
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