These cookies are sweet with a hint of savory flavor from the almond flour and extract, and the texture is perfectly chewy and soft. I made so many rounds of this cookie before I landed on the final recipe and with many taste testers along the way I know this final recipe is one that you'll all love.
I used Bob's Red Mill super-fine almond flour for this recipe. In combination with the almond extract, it brought the perfect almond flavor to these cookies. The addition of a small amount of cornstarch and olive oil help to bring an incredible texture without impacting the delicious almond flavor.
The method I've shared below is the more common way of making this type of italian almond cookie, but through trial and error I did try one alternative method with the same recipe that I loved which led to a bit more of an airy cookie. Instead of whipping the two egg whites together, I whipped one in a small bowl, and then in a separate large bowl I whipped the other egg white with powdered sugar, then added in the oil and extracts and folded in the single whipped egg white, then continued with the remaining dry ingredients including the granulated sugar and scooped and coated the dough in powdered sugar. It led to a more wet dough with a similar taste but a slightly different texture in the end which I also loved - if you're interested in an experiment, you can try out both methods and see which you like best!
Ingredients
2 large egg whites
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 teaspoons almond extract
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup granulated sugar 96g
3/4 cup powdered sugar 90g
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
2 cups almond flour, super fine 224g
3 tablespoons cornstarch 24g
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup powdered sugar, for rolling 60g
Total time: About an hour
Prep time: 15-20 minutes
Bake time: 18-20 minutes
Servings: 16 cookies
Equipment
Large, medium, and small bowls
Hand mixer
Spatula or large spoon
Cookie sheets
Parchment paper
Medium sized cookie scoop (about 1.5 tablespoons)
Cooking instructions
Preheat your oven to 325 degrees.
In a medium bowl, combine your dry ingredients - granulated sugar, powdered sugar (3/4 cup), baking powder, almond flour, cornstarch, and salt.
In a large bowl, use your hand mixer to whip two egg whites to stiff peaks.
To your egg whites, add about 1/3 of your dry ingredients and use a spatula or large spoon to carefully fold together. Then, add in your olive oil, almond and vanilla extract. Mix together carefully.
Add in another 1/3 of your dry ingredients and fold together. Then add and mix in your remaining mixture of dry ingredients to form your dough.
Prepare a large cookie sheet with parchment paper, or two medium cookie sheets. In a small bowl, measure out your 1/2 cup of powdered sugar.
Now it's time to scoop and coat your cookie dough balls. For each cookie, use a medium sized scoop (about 1.5 tablespoons) to scoop a portion of dough, drop it into the powdered sugar, roll it on your hands, and then drop it onto your cookie sheet. Once you do this for all of your cookie dough, I like to roll the cookie dough balls once more in the powdered sugar to make sure each one has a nice coating. Gently press down the top of the cookie dough balls to flatten the tops.
Bake your cookies at 325 for about 18 to 20 minutes, allow them to cool and then enjoy! Personally I think they taste best the day after they've been baked once the edges soften a bit.
Once your cookies are completely cooled, you can store them in an airtight container for about 4 or 5 days and they'll remain fresh. They'll still taste delicious after this but they'll begin to lose their texture.
Carb and serving info
Servings: 16 cookies
Carbs per serving (1 of 16): 21
Carbs for full recipe: 331
Note: Carb information is calculated based on the specific ingredients I used to cook with to help guide my own insulin to carb ratio when dosing before I eat my home cooked recipes.