Gluten Free Chocolate Amaretti Cookies

One thing I love about Italian baking is that so many classic recipes are already gluten free without even trying. These chocolate amaretti cookies are a perfect example of that.

They use almond flour as the base, which gives them an incredible texture and a rich, nutty flavor that pairs so well with chocolate. No gluten free flour blends needed here.

I’ve made these for friends and family many times, and people are always surprised when I tell them there’s no regular flour in them. They’re that good.

The cookies come out with a gorgeous crackled top covered in powdered sugar, crisp on the outside, and wonderfully chewy on the inside. Plus they have little pockets of melted chocolate chips throughout.

The process is pretty straightforward. You whip some egg whites, fold in the dry ingredients, scoop, and bake. That’s really all there is to it.

Here’s exactly how I make them.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Irresistible Texture Combo – These cookies have a crisp crackly shell on the outside and a soft chewy center that melts in your mouth.

Naturally Gluten Free – Almond flour replaces regular flour so these taste amazing without any weird substitutions or gummy textures.

Rich Chocolate Flavor – Between the cocoa powder and mini chocolate chips you get a deep double-chocolate taste in every single bite.

Ingredients

• 2 cups Almond Flour
• 1 cup Powdered Sugar
• 1/3 cup Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
• 1/4 tsp Fine Sea Salt
• 3 large Egg Whites (at room temperature)
• 1/4 tsp Cream of Tartar
• 1/4 cup Granulated Sugar
• 1 tsp Almond Extract
• 1 tsp Pure Vanilla Extract
• 1/2 cup Mini Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
• Powdered Sugar (for dusting)

How to Make

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. In a large bowl, whisk together the almond flour, the 1 cup of powdered sugar, cocoa powder, and fine sea salt until evenly combined and no lumps remain.

Step 2

In a separate clean, dry bowl, beat the egg whites and cream of tartar with an electric mixer on medium speed until soft peaks form. Gradually add the granulated sugar while continuing to beat, increasing the speed to high, until stiff glossy peaks form, about 3 to 4 minutes total.

Step 3

Gently fold the almond extract and vanilla extract into the beaten egg whites. Add the almond flour mixture in two additions, folding gently with a rubber spatula after each until just combined.

Be careful not to overmix or the egg whites will deflate. Fold in the mini chocolate chips at the end.

Step 4

Scoop the batter by rounded tablespoons onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 1 1/2 inches apart. Dust the tops generously with powdered sugar through a fine mesh sieve.

Step 5

Bake for 14 to 16 minutes until the tops are crackled and feel firm to the touch but the centers still yield slightly when pressed. The exterior should form a delicate crisp shell.

Step 6

Let the cookies cool completely on the baking sheet before removing. They will develop their signature chewy interior with a crisp, crackly exterior. Dust with a final layer of powdered sugar before serving.

My Tips

Make Sure Your Bowl Is Completely Clean

Before you beat the egg whites, wipe your bowl and beaters with a paper towel dipped in a little white vinegar. Even a tiny bit of grease or egg yolk residue will stop the whites from whipping up properly.

This is one of those things that can make or break the whole recipe. If the egg whites don’t reach stiff glossy peaks, your cookies will come out flat and dense instead of having that crackly shell with a chewy center.

Sift the Almond Flour Mixture

Almond flour tends to clump, and cocoa powder is even worse. After you whisk the dry ingredients together, pass them through a fine mesh sieve to break up any lumps.

This makes a big difference because lumps in the dry mixture mean you’ll have to fold more to get them out. And the more you fold, the more you deflate those egg whites you worked hard to whip up.

If some bigger almond pieces won’t go through the sieve, just press them through gently with the back of a spoon.

Fold the Dry Ingredients in Two Batches

Don’t dump all the almond flour mixture in at once. Adding it in two smaller additions makes it way easier to fold everything together without knocking all the air out of the egg whites.

Use a rubber spatula and fold from the bottom up, turning the bowl as you go. It should take about 10-15 gentle folds per addition. The batter will feel thick but should still be slightly airy – not runny and not stiff like dough.

More Tasty Recipes

• Gluten Free Chocolate Dipped Almond Biscotti
• Gluten Free Chocolate Crinkle Cookies
• Gluten Free Coconut Macaroons
• Gluten Free Cannoli Cookies
• Gluten Free Dark Chocolate Sea Salt Truffles

FAQ

My almond flour is very coarse – will that affect the texture?

Yes, the texture of your almond flour makes a noticeable difference in these cookies. Finely ground almond flour (sometimes labeled as super-fine or blanched almond flour) gives you the smoothest, most delicate result with that classic amaretti texture.

If your almond flour is on the coarser side, you can pulse it in a food processor with the powdered sugar for a few seconds to break it down finer. Just be careful not to over-process it or it will start releasing oils and turn into almond butter.