Italian Almond Cookies {Paste Di Mandorla}

Sicilian Almond Cookies or Paste Di Mandorla are perfect for Holiday Cookie Trays. These Italian Cookies are very easy to make and they disappear quickly!

There are dozens if not hundreds of almond cookies in Italy. Some follow the same recipe but have a different name depending of the region of Italy where they’re coming from, others differ in both name, ingredients and shape. 

But without a doubt almond cookies are one of the most favorite. During holiday season sure enough there will be a type of almond cookies on the cookie tray.

The most famous Italian almond cookie, without a doubt is amaretti cookies. 

Today, I’ll be sharing with you another type of Italian almond cookie that originates in Sicily.

In fact, in Sicily these cookies are called paste di mandorla or pasticcini di mandorla.

The difference between Sicilian Almond Cookies and Amaretti is that the former don’t use bitter almonds or apricot kernels and the base dough can be flavored with lemon or orange zest, pistacchio paste, coffee and even chopped chocolate.

Authentic Italian almond cookies don’t use flour in the recipe so they’re naturally gluten free.

How To Make Italian Almond Cookies – Step By Step

• In a huge bowl mix almond flour and sugar.

• In a separate bowl beat egg whites with a whisk just until foamy.
• Start adding beaten egg whites, leaving about 1 egg white for later. Mix with a spatula.
• Add honey and almond flavor extract.

• Mix the dough with your hands scooping all the dry ingredients from the bottom of the bowl. The dough should be soft but not too sticky.
  If  the dough feels hard and is not coming together add the remaining egg white.

• Dust your hands with confectioners sugar and take a good chunk of the dough. Roll it lightly on a work surface dusted with confectioneers sugar.
• Cut in about ½ x ½  inch pieces. If you have a kitchen scale you can check each piece by weight. It should be about an ounce or slightly over an ounce.
• Roll each piece of the dough in your palms to form a nice round cookie shape. Set aside on a dusted with confectioners sugar work surface or on a tray.
• Divide and roll the remaining dough.
• Roll each cookie in confectioneers sugar. Make sure to sift it before use to avoid any lumps.

Arrange cookies on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Decorate with candied cherry halves, whole almonds.

You can also simply pinch a cookie with your fingers twice to form an irregular shape – called pizzicotti.

Bake in a preheated to 350F/ 175C oven for 15-20 minutes.

After 10 minute mark check on your cookies to adjust baking time. It mainly depends on your oven. The cookies should start to get a light color on top and on the bottom.

More Italian Cookies To Try:

• Cuccidati – Italian Fig Cookies
• Papassini – Sardinian Anise Cookies
• Italian Butter Cookies
• Bruttiboni – Italian Hazelnut Cookies
• Amaretti Cookies
• Canestrelli – Italian Egg Yolk Cookies
• Soft Lemon Crinkle Cookies

Favorite Holiday Treats:

• Pignolata or Struffoli – Italian Fried Honey Balls
• Fritelle or Ciambelle – Super Soft Italian Donuts
• Chiacchiere or Crostoli – Italian Dough Fritters
• Zeppole di San Giuseppe
• Marron Glacé – Candied Chestnut Treats

Full Recipe

Italian Almond Cookies {Paste Di Mandorla}

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Sicilian Almond Cookies or Paste Di Mandorla are perfect for Holiday Cookie Trays. These Italian Cookies are very easy to make and they disappear quickly!

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Prep Time20 minutes mins

Cook Time20 minutes mins

Course: Cookies, Dessert

Cuisine: Italian

Servings: 45 cookies

Ingredients

• ▢ 750 g almond flour approx 6 ½ cups
• ▢ 450 g sugar approx 2 cups 2 tbsp
• ▢ 6 egg whites
• ▢ 2 tsp honey
• ▢ 1 tsp almond extract
• ▢ 2-3 cups confectioners sugar for shaping and dusting

For decoration:

• ▢ Candied Cherries assorted colors
• ▢ Whole Almonds

Instructions

• In a huge bowl mix almond flour and sugar.
• In a separate bowl beat egg whites with a whisk just until foamy.

  Start adding beaten egg whites, leaving about 1 egg white for later. Mix with a spatula.

  Add honey and almond flavor extract.
• Mix the dough with your hands scooping all the dry ingredients from the bottom of the bowl. The dough should be soft but not too sticky.

  If the dough feels hard and is not coming together add the remaining egg white.
• Dust your hands with confectioners sugar and take a good chunk of the dough. Roll it lightly on a work surface dusted with confectioners sugar.

  Cut into about ½ x ½ inch pieces.

  If you have a kitchen scale you can check each piece by weight. It should be about an ounce or slightly over an ounce.
• Roll each piece of the dough in your palms to form a nice round cookie shape. Set aside on a dusted with confectioners sugar work surface or on a tray.

  Divide and roll the remaining dough.

  Roll each cookie in confectioners sugar.

  NOTE: Make sure to sift it before use to avoid any lumps.
• Arrange cookies on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

  Decorate with candied cherry halves, whole almonds or simply pinch a cookie with your fingers to form an irregular shape – called pizzicotti.
• Bake in a preheated to 350F/ 175C oven for 15-20 minutes.
• After 10 minute mark check on your cookies to adjust baking time. It mainly depends on your oven. The cookies should start to get a light color on top and on the bottom.

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Italian Almond Cookies are perfect for a Christmas cookie tray or packaged on a gold gifting dessert tray in cellophane bags with a ribbon.
But that, I guess, goes without saying 😉

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Happy Holidays!