Pistachio Amaretti are a twist on traditional Italian amaretti cookies, but with the addition of pistachios. Crisp on the outside and soft and chewy on the inside, they are the perfect sweet treat with your cup of coffee and especially gorgeous for your holiday dessert table. They are also gluten free!
Lately, I’ve been thinking of that package of chopped pistachios that I brought over from Sicily. I decided I really need to use them so I finally got around to making pasta with creamy pistachio sauce, which was a huge hit at our house!
Next, I figured it was time to experiement with pistachio desserts. I immediately thought of my mother’s traditional amaretti cookie recipe and I decided that pistachios would taste great in those cookies, and wow was I right!
Chewy amaretti cookies with pistachios give these cookies extra flavor as well as an attractive color. And just like my basic amaretti recipe, they are a breeze to put together!
Step by Step Instructions
Many people have told me that they have never made amaretti ’cause they find them rather intimidating. Yes, you can find piles of them in any good Italian bakery but aside from the fancy look and name, they are one of the easiest cookies you can make! You can literally prepare a batch ready for the oven within ten minutes. Let me walk you through it.- Combine the egg and sugar in a bowl and mix well. Stir in the amaretto or vanilla extract.
- Next incorporate the almond flour and ground pistachios. Then stir in the baking powder.
- This will result in a firm dough rather than a batter.
- Roll into tablespoon sized balls, coat lightly in powdered sugar. Then coat one side in chopped pistachios, pressing lightly for the pistachios to stick. Bake at 325F for 15-16 minutes and enjoy!
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Recipe Notes
How to make pistachio flour:
- I purchased my pistachios in Sicily and they came chopped (as shown below) which I then ground with my food processor. If these are not available where you live, purchase whole shelled pistachios which you will then grind in your food processor to turn into pistachio flour.
Substitutions:
- I tested this recipe using both amaretto and vanilla extracts and quite frankly both turned out delicious. Since I couldn’t decide which I prefer, I’m presenting both options in the recipe. If you’re partial to that traditional amaretto flavor in your cookies, choose that one. But if you love vanilla, go for it. Of course, you can always make half batches of both and see which you prefer.
Baking time:
- Baking time may vary according to your oven. In my oven these take precisely 16 minutes to bake. You are looking for a light brown color underneath. Begin checking the cookies after fifteen minutes to make sure they don’t burn.
Storage:
- These Italian pistachio cookies must be kept in a tightly sealed container in order to maintain their chewy texture otherwise they’ll be hard as rocks! Store for 3-4 days at room temperature.
- Alternately they can be frozen. This is a great idea of you want to get ahead now on your holiday baking!
That’s all there is to it! I hope you enjoy this recipe or my basic Chewy Amaretti recipe. If you do try them, please post a photo of your creations by tagging me with @mangiabedda or #mangiabedda on Instagram or Facebook. You can also feel free to share on social media by clicking the social icons on this page. Buon appetito!
Here are more Italian cookie recipes for you to check out!
- Chewy Amaretti Cookies
- Chocolate Pizzelle
- Cuccidati – Sicilian Fig Cookies
- Biscotti di San Martino
- 3-Ingredient Hazelnut Cookies
- Tetù (Sicilian Chocolate Spice Cookies)
- Biscotti Regina
- Classic Almond Biscotti with Variations
- Italian Pizzelle Cookies
- Raspberry Almond Thumbprint Cookies
- Chocolate Espresso Amaretti
- Italian Nut and Jam Rolled Cookies
- Genovesi Ericine
- Italian Lemon Glazed Cookies
- Italian Orange Juice Cookies
- Sheet Pan Almond Biscotti
Ingredients
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 tsp Amaretto or vanilla extract
- 1 cup almond flour
- 3/4 cup ground pistachios, see note
- 1/4 tsp baking powder
- 2 tbsp powdered sugar
- 2 tbsp chopped pistachios, for coating
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325 F and prepare two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, beat the egg and sugar. Stir in the Amaretto or vanilla extract.
- Add the almond flour, ground pistachios and baking powder and stir until combined and a firm dough is formed.
- Shape tablespoonfuls of dough into a ball. Lightly dredge in the icing sugar, shaking off excess.
- Press down lightly on the chopped pistachios and place pistachio side up on the prepared baking sheets. Continue with the remaining dough.
- Bake for 16 minutes until golden and the tops of the cookies are crackled and the underside are lightly browned.
- Transfer to rack to cool. Store in an airtight container for 3-4 days.
Notes
- If ground pistachios are not available where you live, purchase shelled pistachios which you will then grind in your food processor to turn into pistachio flour.
- I tested this recipe using both amaretto and vanilla extracts and quite frankly both turned out delicious. Since I couldn't decide which I prefer, I'm presenting both options in the recipe.
- Baking time may vary according to your oven. In my oven these take precisely 16 minutes to bake. You are looking for a light brown color underneath. Begin checking the cookies after fifteen minutes to make sure they don't burn.
- Amaretti must be kept in a tightly sealed container in order to maintain their chewy texture otherwise they'll be hard as rocks! Store for 3-4 days at room temperature.
- Alternately they can be frozen.
Nutrition
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Beautiful…… did exactly like detailed in the recipe except for the size…. Next time (because there will be a next time 😋😋) I’ll make sure they’re smaller to get the 24 count (only got 17 😔) Thanks for sharing
Thanks Nadia, glad you enjoyed them!
Hi Nadia,
i wanted to make a friend a treat on short notice and this recipe was so quick and simple to prepare that i was sure i did something wrong. it tasted delightful!
ps: i have tried another recipe from somewhere else, but it involved more ingredients and it required several egg whites. yours was simpler and was just as rich using only one large egg.
thank you 🙏🏽
It is indeed such a simple recipe, so glad you enjoyed the cookies. Thank you!
Absolutely perfect. Followed exactly, made many times now, always praised by everyone who tries them. Super chewy, toasty, and the right amount of sweetness. I use the coffee bean grinder to make the pistachio flour from whole blanched pistachios. Freeze and defrost well.
Hello Vilija, I’m thrilled to hear you enjoy these cookies. Thank you for taking the time to comment!
I followed the directions as written but my cookies spread and were crunchy hard. Good, but not the chewy soft I was expecting. Kinda disappointed.
Hi Kathy, I’m sorry to hear they did not turn out as expected. I know that each oven bakes differently so I’m wondering if perhaps they could have baked a little less long to maintain their chewy texture? Just something to consider but thank you for taking the time to comment!