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–+ servings
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5 from 2 votes

Sicilian Almond Cookies

These 6-ingredient Sicilian Almond Cookies are the most delicious pure almond cookies ever! Quick, simple, and gluten-free.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time15 minutes
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: Italian
Keyword: almond, cookies
Servings: 22

Ingredients

  • 250 g almond flour (2 cups), or homemade almond flour (see notes)
  • 150 g granulated sugar (¾ cup)
  • 2 egg whites
  • 2 tsp. honey
  • zest of half a lemon
  • 1 tbsp. powdered sugar

Toppings

  • candied cherries
  • whole almonds

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 180°C (356F) and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
  • Place egg whites and sugar in a large bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (you can also use a handheld mixer). Mix for 1-2 minutes on medium speed until combined. Note: You do not need to whip the egg whites.
  • Add lemon zest, honey, and sifted almond flour and mix until combined. The mixture should resemble a thick paste.
  • Take a tablespoonful of dough and roll into a ball. Place onto lined baking sheet. Repeat for the remaining cookie dough.
  • Place a whole almond or candied cherry on top of each dough ball.
  • Bake for 10-15 minutes or until lightly golden brown at the sides. The top of the cookies should be slightly cracked. Let cool for 5-10 minutes on a cooling rack, dust with more powdered sugar, and serve.

Notes

Making Almond Flour from Scratch
You will need an approximately 250g raw almonds for this recipe (to yield 2 cups of almond flour).
  1. If you're starting off with raw almonds with the skin on, blanch the almonds first.
    Bring 2 cups of water to a complete boil in a small pan.
    Place the raw almonds and cover the pan, leaving the heat on (boiling).
    Boil for exactly 1 minute. Once ready, drain the almonds in a colander placed in a sink and run them with cold tap water.
  2. Gently squeeze the almonds out of their skin. Discard the skins and place the almonds in a single layer on a flat baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
  3. Preheat your oven to 170 °C and roast the almonds for 10 minutes in the oven. Do not skip this step. The slight roasting helps to "dehydrate" the almonds so that your almond flour will be dry enough and won't stick together.
  4. Once the almonds are dehydrated, place them in the food processor, and mix for 1-2 minutes until the almonds are finely ground. Do not overmix or the mixture will turn to almond butter.