Almond Macaroon Cookies
These classic Italian almond macaroon cookies are timeless treats made with just a handful of simple ingredients. With a crispy, crackled exterior and a soft, chewy center bursting with rich almond flavor, they are naturally gluten-free and dairy-free — perfect for holidays, Passover, Easter, or any occasion that calls for something special.
Equipment
- Hand mixer or stand mixer with whisk attachment
- Large mixing bowl
- Parchment paper or silicone baking mat
- Cookie sheets - Two required
- Cookie scoop - Size #40 or 1.5 tablespoon capacity
- Cooling rack
- Fine-mesh sieve - For dusting powdered sugar
Ingredients
- 8 oz almond paste - 227g — not almond filling or marzipan
- 1 cup granulated sugar - 200g
- 2 large egg whites - at room temperature
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup almond flour - 50g — optional, for added texture
- 1/2 tsp almond extract
For Topping
- 1/4 cup powdered sugar - 30g — for dusting
- 1/4 cup sliced almonds - 25g — for topping
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line two cookie sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. Place egg whites in a bowl of warm water for 5 minutes to bring them to room temperature, then break almond paste into walnut-sized pieces.
- Using a hand mixer on medium speed, beat the egg whites for 1–2 minutes until frothy and foamy but not forming peaks. Add salt and almond extract and mix for another 10 seconds.
- Add the almond paste pieces to the egg white mixture and beat on medium-low for 2–3 minutes, scraping down the sides, until the mixture is relatively smooth with only small bits of paste visible.
- Add the granulated sugar all at once and beat on medium for 1–2 minutes until incorporated. If using almond flour, add it now and mix for 30 seconds — the batter should be thick and sticky, similar to wet marzipan.
- Scoop 1.5-tablespoon portions of dough and roll each gently into a ball between your palms (dampen fingertips if too sticky). Place 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheets and gently flatten the tops with dampened fingers.
- Lightly dust each cookie with powdered sugar using a fine-mesh sieve, then press 2–3 sliced almonds gently onto the top of each cookie.
- Bake one sheet at a time on the middle rack for 16–18 minutes, until cookies are lightly golden on the bottom and edges with small cracks on top. If baking two sheets at once, rotate and switch positions halfway through.
- Let cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then slide the parchment onto a cooling rack — or transfer to the freezer for 5 minutes for easy, clean removal. Store in an airtight container once fully cooled.
Notes
- Always use almond paste, not almond filling or marzipan — they have different sugar ratios and will alter the texture and sweetness significantly.
- Room temperature egg whites are essential; cold egg whites won't incorporate smoothly and will leave a lumpy batter.
- Break the almond paste into small walnut-sized pieces before adding it to the egg whites — large chunks won't break down properly.
- Dampen your fingertips with water when rolling and flattening the dough to prevent sticking without affecting the cookies.
- Do not overbake — the cookies should look slightly soft when you pull them from the oven, as they firm up considerably as they cool.
- The freezer trick is key to easy removal: after 5 minutes cooling on the pan, transfer parchment with cookies to the freezer for 5 minutes before peeling off.
- Cookies can be baked up to 1 week ahead and stored in an airtight container at room temperature, layered with parchment paper.
- Baked cookies freeze well for up to 3 months. Unbaked dough balls can also be frozen for up to 2 months — bake from frozen, adding 2–3 minutes to the bake time.
- To revive stale cookies, warm them in a 300°F (150°C) oven for 3–5 minutes to restore their crispy exterior.
- The almond flour is optional — omit it for a smoother, more traditional Italian-style macaroon with an almost marzipan-like interior.