Here is my sugar free version of the Italian chocolate amaretti cookies. They are moist and chewy in the centre, with a deliciously crunchy shell covered in powdered sweetener. A gluten free, dairy free family favourite.
I have a faible for Italian cookies. Like everything else in Italian cuisine, they taste delicious and are really simple to make, using only few ingredients.
Two of my favourite Italian-inspired cookie recipe are these keto biscotti and my Italian walnut kisses!
Well, with December around the corner and Christmas just a few weeks away, I decided to make healthy amaretti cookies.
Basic amaretti are an ingenious mix of almond flour with whisked egg white and sugar. You then add a liqueur such as Amaretto, or simply use almond extract. Other flavours could be lemon, orange, coffee or pistachio.
I decided to make a chocolate version. And boy, it was a great success! My keto amaretti have a crunchy outside, a moist centre and are pure pleasure, every bite.
Yes, one cookie is just 80 calories and 1.4g net carbs per serving.
Ingredients
Almond flour - I used ground almonds, which is equivalent to regular almond flour in the US. However, super fine almond flour should also work.
Egg whites - Whisked to stiff peaks.
Powdered sweetener - I made this recipe twice. The first time I used a powdered erythritol monk fruit sweetener mix and the second batch I made with powdered Bocha Sweet. Both worked well, although the erythritol batch had a crunchier crust.
Unsweetened cocoa powder
Baking powder
Pinch of salt, almond extract and vanilla extract
Instructions
This section contains step-by-step instructions and photos that show how to make this recipe. See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Step 1: Sift the powdered sweetener to get rid of any lumps. Then, stir together the dry ingredients - almond flour, cocoa powder, sweetener, baking powder, pinch of salt.
Step 2: In a second bowl, beat the egg white until soft peaks form. Stir in the almond and vanilla extract.
Step 3: Fold in the dry ingredients with a spatula and mix until a smooth batter forms.
Step 4: Form a dough ball and quarter. Roll 2 dough balls from each quarter and place on the prepared cookie sheet, flattening them slightly.
Step 5: Bake in the oven until cracks are appearing on the tops.
Step 6: Let the cookies cool slightly, then dust with powdered sweetener.
Recipe tips
Dust with sweetener after baking. Traditionally, amaretti are rolled in icing sugar before baking. This way, the chocolate peeks through the cracks, making the cookies look just so pretty.
When I tried this with the sweetener, it melted in the oven and was almost invisible by the end of baking. That's why we're dusting the powdered sweetener over afterwards.
Don't omit the almond extract! It's the flavour that makes these almond cookies taste exceptional. Think marzipan, just lighter.
FAQ
Any erythritol based sweetener or Bocha Sweet. I found that erythritol yielded a slightly crunchier cookie than the version I made with Bocha Sweet. Allulose and xylitol should also work in this recipe. However, I have not tried those yet.
Omit the cocoa powder and add 1 additional tablespoon of almond flour.
No, this would not work in this recipe, it's designed for almond flour. Try my keto coconut flour cookies instead!
Storage
Store your gluten-free amaretti cookies in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.
I have not tried freezing these myself, but you should be able to freeze them for up to 3 months.
Related recipes
There's more to life than keto chocolate chip cookies! Here are some more sugar free cookie recipes for the festive season (and the rest of the year!)
Tried this recipe? Give it a star rating below!
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Recipe
Sugar Free Chocolate Amaretti
from Sugar Free LondonerNote: The servings slider only changes the first amount in each line and not any subsequent amounts. Please make your own calculations where necessary.
Ingredients
- 1 cup / 100g almond flour or ground almonds
- 1 egg white large
- ⅓ cup / 53g powdered sweetener
- 2 tablespoon cocoa powder
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ tsp almond extract
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
- pinch of salt
Topping
- ¼ cup / 25g powdered sweetener
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180C electric / 350F / 160C fan and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
- Sift the powdered sweetener to get rid of any lumps. Then, stir together the dry ingredients - almond flour, cocoa powder, sweetener, baking powder, pinch of salt.
- In a second bowl, beat the egg white to stiff peaks. Stir in the almond and vanilla extract.
- Fold in the dry ingredients with a spatula and mix until a smooth batter forms.
- Form a dough ball and quarter. Roll 2 dough balls from each quarter (mine weighed about 20g each) and place on the prepared cookie sheet, flattening them slightly.
- Bake for about 13-15 minutes until cracks are appearing on the tops.
- Let the cookies cool slightly, then dust with powdered sweetener.
Sandy
These were a terrific treat for Christmas! Just love Katrin's recipes. My go to for Keto recipes.
Cat
Hello,
Would I be able to use ground sunflower seeds instead of ground almonds for this recipe?
Thank you.
Katrin Nürnberger
Yes, I think that could work. Perhaps a mixture of sunflower seed flour and sesame seed flour would be even better.