Ricciarelli are soft and chewy almond cookies flavored with lemon zest and vanilla extract. Originating from the city of Siena in Tuscany, these beautifully crackled gluten-free and dairy-free cookies are an easy make-ahead holiday treat.
Ricciarelli (which is pronounced reach-a-relli) are traditional Italian Christmas cookies from Siena, dating back to the 14th century. They have a beautiful crackled appearance, sweet almond flavor, and hints of vanilla and citrus.
Like pignoli cookies, I love including them in cookie platters and cookie swaps because they’re not only eye-catching but also naturally gluten-free and dairy-free cookies that everyone will enjoy.
The dough needs to chill overnight before baking, but I always appreciate having a few make-ahead recipes in the lead-up to a holiday event. The cookies have a crisp shell and a soft, chewy center the day they’re baked. They taste even better the day after baking when the flavors have had time to meld, and the cookies are universally soft.
Table of Contents
- The Difference between Amaretti and Ricciarelli Cookies
- Ingredients for Ricciarelli Cookies
- How to Make Ricciarelli Cookies
- Swaps and Variations
- What to Serve with Ricciarelli Cookies
- How to Store and Freeze Ricciarelli Cookies
- Even More Mediterranean Cookie Recipes
- Ricciarelli (Soft Italian Almond Cookies) Recipe
The Difference between Amaretti and Ricciarelli Cookies
There are countless varieties of almond cookies throughout all the regions of Italy, all with slight differences. Amaretti and ricciarelli are both famous Italian almond cookies prepared during the holidays, but there are a few differences apart from just their shape.
Amaretti are round almond cookies originating from Lombardy with a crisp exterior and soft interior. In addition to almond flour, they’re flavored with bitter almonds, giving them a distinctive bitter almond flavor. The dough uses granulated sugar, which helps achieve the contrast between the crisp shell and chewy center.
Ricciarelli are oval-shaped almond cookies from Tuscany that are softer and sweeter than amaretti. They don’t usually include bitter almonds, lending them a milder almond flavor. The powdered sugar in the dough helps to keep them soft and chewy.
Ingredients for Ricciarelli Cookies
Ricciarelli cookies are simple to make and only require a few pantry staples. I like including vanilla, almond, and lemon zest for a complex almond flavor. Here’s what you’ll need:
- Almond flour: Almond flour is made from finely ground blanched almonds and has a subtle almond flavor. You can also use almond meal in place of almond flour. More on this below!
- Powdered sugar: Powdered sugar sweetens the cookies and helps form the dough.
- Baking powder: A little bit of baking powder helps the cookies rise and contributes to the crackly appearance.
- Salt: Salt enhances the flavor of the cookies and helps to balance the sugar and the bittersweet almond flavor.
- Egg whites: Whipped egg whites bind the dough together. Use the yolks to make a batch of Aioli!
- Vanilla extract: Vanilla extract adds warm vanilla flavor to the cookies.
- Almond extract: Almond extract is very strong, so you’ll need just a 1/4 teaspoon to elevate the almond flavor in the cookies.
- Lemon zest: Freshly grated lemon zest adds a bright citrus flavor that complements the almonds. You can also substitute the lemon with orange zest.
How to Make Ricciarelli Cookies
After mixing, the dough needs to chill in the refrigerator overnight, or at least 4 hours, so plan ahead. You can also make the dough ahead of time and keep it in the fridge for up to 3 days. Here’s how to make ricciarelli cookies:
- Combine the dry ingredients: In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together 2 2/3 cups (256 grams) almond flour, 1 3/4 cups (200 grams) powdered sugar, 1/4 teaspoon baking powder, and 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt.
- Whip the egg whites: In a large mixing bowl, beat 2 large egg whites with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until stiff peaks form. Add 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1/2 teaspoon almond extract, and the zest of one lemon. Fold together with a rubber spatula to combine.
- Make the dough: Add the almond flour mixture to the egg whites and fold with a rubber spatula until it comes together into a thick dough.
- Chill the dough: Cover the bowl and chill in the refrigerator overnight, or at least 4 hours. The dough will keep in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- Shape the cookies: Remove the dough from the fridge. Dust a work surface liberally with powdered sugar. Use your hands to roll the dough into a 16-inch log, coating it in powdered sugar. If the dough cracks in places, press it back together and continue rolling. Cut the log into 1/2 to 3/4-inch-thick slices. You should get between 20 and 24 cookies. Lay the cookies flat and use your fingers to shape them into ovals roughly 2 inches long by 1 1/2 inches wide. Place the cookies, spaced about 1 1/2 inches apart, on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Dust the cookies generously with powdered sugar.
- Let the cookies dry: Preheat the oven to 350°F. While the oven preheats, let the cookies sit uncovered. The tops of the cookies will dry out slightly, forming a shell that will crack during baking.
- Bake: Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, or until the tops of the cookies have cracked and the cookies are just beginning to brown.
- Cool: Let the cookies cool completely on the baking sheet.
Swaps and Variations
Besides trading the lemon zest for orange, there are a few other ways to swap out ingredients or put a different flavor spin on ricciarelli. Here are a few ideas:
- Use almond meal: You can also use almond meal in place of almond flour. Almond meal is made from raw almonds, not blanched ones, and includes the brown skins on the nuts. Your ricciarelli will have a slightly speckled appearance as a result, and an ever so slight slightly bitter almond flavor, but they will bake very similarly to the original.
- Start with blanched nuts: If you can’t find almond flour or almond meal, you can substitute whole blanched almonds by weight (256 grams or a little more than 1 3/4 cups). Grind the almonds in a food processor, pulsing in 1- or 2-second increments, until they’re very finely ground. Avoid running the processor at full speed or you could accidentally turn them into almond butter.
- Make hazelnut ricciarelli: Replace the almond flour with hazelnut flour. You can also use the whole almond method above to make your own hazelnut flour by starting with whole-blanched hazelnuts.
- Add some spice: I love the combination of almonds and cinnamon. You can add 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon of ground cinnamon to the dough or add some cinnamon to the dusting of powdered sugar.
What to Serve with Ricciarelli Cookies
I love to serve ricciarelli with coffee or a carajillo and even sneak a dunk every few bites. If you are more of a tea enthusiast, try them with some black tea with mint. The lemon zest in these cookies means they’ll pair well with an aperitif of limoncello. Or, for an indulgent dessert, serve a ricciarelli cookie on the side of a cup of Italian hot chocolate.
For a holiday party or delicious gift boxes, you can put together a Mediterranean dessert platter with ricciarelli, crunchy pignoli, chocolate and hazelnut baci di dama, honey-scented melomakarona, date-filled maamoul, and colorful Turkish delight.
How to Store and Freeze Ricciarelli Cookies
Once baked and cooled, store ricciarelli in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
Ricciarelli also freeze beautifully! Simply layer them between sheets of parchment and place them in an airtight container in the freezer. Freeze them for up to two months and defrost them at room temperature.
Even More Mediterranean Cookie Recipes
Browse all Mediterranean recipes.
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Ricciarelli (Soft Italian Almond Cookies)
Ingredients
- 2 2/3 cups (256 grams) almond flour
- 1 3/4 cups (200 grams) powdered sugar, plus extra for shaping and dusting
- 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 large egg whites
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
- Zest from 1 lemon
Instructions
- Combine the dry ingredients: In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the almond flour, powdered sugar, baking powder, and salt.
- Whip the egg whites: In a large mixing bowl, beat the egg whites with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until stiff peaks form. Add the vanilla extract, almond extract, and lemon zest, and fold to combine.
- Make the dough: Add the almond flour mixture to the egg whites and fold with a rubber spatula until it comes together into a thick dough.
- Chill: Cover the bowl and chill in the refrigerator overnight, or at least 4 hours. The dough will keep in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- Shape the cookies: Remove the dough from the fridge. Dust a work surface liberally with powdered sugar. Use your hands to roll the dough into a 16-inch log, coating it in the powdered sugar. If the dough cracks in places, press it back together and continue rolling. Cut the log into 1/2- to 3/4-inch-thick slices. You should get between 20 and 24 cookies. Lay the cookies flat and use your fingers to shape them into ovals roughly 2 inches long by 1 1/2 inches wide. Place the cookies, spaced about 1 1/2 inches apart, on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Dust the cookies generously with powdered sugar.
- Let the cookies dry: preheat the oven to 350°F. While the oven preheats, let the cookies sit uncovered. The tops of the cookies will dry out slightly, forming a shell that will crack during baking.
- Bake the cookies: Bake until the tops of the cookies have cracked and the cookies are just beginning to brown, 18 to 20 minutes.
- Cool the cookies: Let the cookies cool completely on the baking sheet.
Notes
- Visit our shop to browse quality Mediterranean ingredients including olive oils, honey, jams, and spices.
- Storage: Once cooled, store ricciarelli in an airtight container for up to 3 days. The baked and cooled cookies can also be frozen for up to 2 months.
- Substitute almond meal: You can also use almond meal (or hazelnut meal) in place of the blanched almond flour. Almond meal is made from raw almonds, not blanched ones, and it has includes the brown skins. Your ricciarelli will have a slightly speckled appearance as a result, and an ever so slight slightly bitter almond flavor, but they will bake very similarly to the original.
Nutrition
The Mediterranean Dish: Simply Dinner
125 Easy Mediterranean Diet-Inspired Recipes to Eat Well and Live Joyfully from New York Times Bestselling Author Suzy Karadsheh
