Amaretti biscuits get their bitter-almond punch from apricot kernels, not almonds—an Italian baking secret since the 1700s.
Lemon Amaretti Biscotti
Get ready to indulge in these delightful Lemon Amaretti Biscotti! With their perfectly crunchy exterior and a tender, chewy center, these cookies are infused with zesty lemon and complemented by the nutty flavor of almonds. Perfect for a summer snack or a charming dessert, they’re sure to brighten up any occasion!
The Story
These aren't biscotti at all, technically—they're amaretti morbidi, soft almond cookies that Sicilian nuns were bashing out in Erice convents back in the 1300s, using almonds the Arabs brought over centuries earlier, and this lemon-zested version is basically a Sorrento beach holiday wearing a Palermo monastery's Sunday best, which is a proper contradiction and also brilliant.
Regional Twist
In Sicily's Noto province, bakers swap the lemon zest for blood orange zest and stir in a splash of Marsala wine instead of vanilla extract, giving the ground almond base a boozier, more autumnal character than this Amalfi-leaning citrus version delivers.
Prep
15
min
Cook
15
min
Serves
25
people
Level
intermediate
📝 Ingredients
Serves 25🥬Fresh Produce(2)
- 2 tbsp of lemon juice (30 ml)
- The zest of ½ a lemon
🥛Dairy & Eggs(1)
- 2 egg whites
🫙Pantry Staples(4)
- 3 tbsp of icing sugar (45 ml)
- 250g caster sugar (1.25 cup)
- 3 tbsp of caster sugar (45 ml)
- ½ tsp of vanilla extract (2.5 ml)
🧂Spices & Seasonings(1)
- A pinch of salt
📦Other(2)
- 250g ground almond (8.82 oz)
- 30 unpeeled almonds
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories
120
Protein
3g
Carbs
14g
Fat
6g
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
In a large bowl, start adding the whites of two eggs.
- 2
Add a pinch of flaky sea salt and beat the egg whites until nice and thick.
- 3
Add the sugar, ground almond, half a teaspoon of vanilla extract, and the zest of half a lemon.
- 4
Mix the ingredients with your hands until the dough feels sticky and tacky.
- 5
Add lemon juice and give it a final mix with a spatula.
- 6
Shape the dough into walnut-sized balls and roll them in caster sugar, then in icing sugar.
- 7
Press an unpeeled almond on top of each ball.
- 8
Bake in the oven at 170 degrees Celsius for about 15 minutes.
- 9
Let them cool down for at least 5 to 10 minutes after baking.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Beat egg whites to stiff peaks (3-4 minutes with electric mixer) before folding in dry ingredients because the air bubbles stabilize the meringue structure, which traps CO₂ during baking and creates the characteristic crumbly texture of amaretti.technique3-4 minutes to stiff peaks
- ✓Add lemon juice as the final ingredient after combining dry ingredients because the acid destabilizes egg white foam by breaking protein bonds; adding it earlier reduces volume by up to 30%.technique30% volume loss if added early
- ✓Use a 1:1 ratio of caster sugar to icing sugar coating (equal amounts) because caster sugar provides structure and caramelization (melts at 160°C) while icing sugar creates a soft matte finish that prevents shine.ingredient1:1 ratio caster:icing sugar
- ✓Bake at 170°C for exactly 12-15 minutes until the exterior is set but the interior remains slightly tacky (test by pressing gently—it should spring back slowly), as baking longer than 16 minutes dries out the crumb and loses the signature moisture that defines amaretti texture.timing12-15 minutes at 170°C; avoid >16 minutes
- ✓Press almond on top immediately after shaping and before the sugar coating dries (within 2 minutes) because the sticky dough surface provides adhesion; once the coating hardens via sugar crystallization, almonds will slip off.timingWithin 2 minutes of coating
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