Ingredients
Instructions
- Combine the egg whites, zest, vanilla, and almond flavoring in the mixer, then blend them together. Add the sugar, flour, salt, and baking powder, and mix on low speed until a soft and cohesive dough is formed.
- Transfer the dough to a bowl, cover it with plastic wrap, and place it in the refrigerator for a minimum of 4 hours or a maximum of 48 hours to chill and firm up.
- Preheat the oven to 325°F (160°C). Prepare two cookie sheets by lining them with parchment paper.
- Take the chilled dough out of the refrigerator and transfer it onto a flat surface that has been lightly dusted with powdered sugar. Cut dough into ½ inch slices and roll into balls. Arrange the dough balls on the prepared cookie sheets and gently press them to flatten and shape them into ovals. Sprinkle the cookies with powdered sugar once more. Let the cookies rest at room temperature on the cookie sheets for 10 minutes before placing them in the oven to bake.
- After baking the cookies for 15-20 minutes, remove them from the oven and let them cool for at least 10 minutes. Once they have sufficiently cooled, carefully transfer the cookies to a cooling rack to allow them to cool completely. During this cooling process, the cookies will develop a firm outer texture while maintaining a delightful chewiness on the inside.
Notes
High-quality almond flour: Blanched almond flour gives Ricciarelli their smooth, chewy texture. Avoid coarse almond meal for best results.
Let the dough rest: After mixing, chill the dough for at least 30 minutes. This makes it easier to shape and improves flavor.
Don’t overbake: Ricciarelli should be soft and slightly chewy inside. Bake just until the edges start to turn golden — they’ll firm up as they cool.
Powdered sugar: Roll the shaped cookies generously in powdered sugar before baking to get that signature crackled look.
Citrus: A touch of grated orange or lemon zest adds a bright, fragrant twist that balances the almond richness beautifully.