There’s something about the holidays that makes me want to bake something that feels both special and deeply comforting. That’s exactly why I turn to these Italian Almond Ricciarelli. To me, they’re like little edible hugs—soft, chewy, and full of pure almond warmth. They’ve become a star of my holiday baking, and I think they deserve a spot on your list of Christmas cookies recipes, too. They offer that wonderful feeling of creating a treat that’s elegant yet simple, a true comfort food recipe that fills the kitchen with a sweet, nutty aroma.

What I love most is that they stand out as truly unique Christmas cookies. While everyone else is sharing plates of more common holiday cookies this Christmas season, these powdered sugar-dusted delights offer a sophisticated, gluten-free alternative. They are, without a doubt, some of my favorite Christmas sweets. And while their name might remind you of something else, these Italian Almond Ricciarelli are a world apart from the coconut version, making them a perfect choice for anyone seeking macaroons Christmas with an elegant, Italian twist.

Trust me, bringing a batch of these to the table is like sharing a little piece of Tuscan sunshine. They’re proof that the most memorable holiday treats often come from the simplest ingredients and a bit of heartfelt baking.

Love Italian Almond Ricciarelli? So do we! If you're into Christmas Cookie or curious about Dessert Recipes, you'll find plenty of inspiration below.

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Why You’ll Love This Italian Almond Ricciarelli

• Simple & Elegant: Just a few ingredients create a sophisticated cookie.
• Textural Dream: Soft, chewy interior with a thin, crackly crust.
• Gluten-Free: Naturally made with almond flour as the base.
• Make-Ahead Marvel: Dough benefits from overnight resting for deeper flavor.

Ingredients & Tools

• 250 g finely ground almond flour
• 200 g powdered sugar, plus more for dusting
• 2 large egg whites, at room temperature
• 1 tsp almond extract
• 1/2 tsp orange zest (from about 1/2 an orange)
• 1/4 tsp vanilla bean paste or pure vanilla extract
• A pinch of fine sea salt

Tools: Baking sheets, parchment paper, a stand mixer or electric hand mixer, a small sifter or fine-mesh strainer for dusting.

Notes: Use finely ground, blanched almond flour for a smooth texture. Don’t skip the orange zest—it adds a fragrant brightness.

Nutrition (per serving)

Serves: Makes about 18 cookies | Prep Time: 20 minutes (plus resting) | Cook Time: 12-15 minutes | Total Time: 35 minutes (plus resting)

Before You Start: Tips & Ingredient Notes

• Almond Flour is Everything. For the smoothest texture, use a finely ground, blanched almond flour. Coarser almond meal will work, but your cookies will have a more rustic, grainy texture, which isn’t traditional for ricciarelli.
• Room Temperature Egg Whites are Non-Negotiable. Cold egg whites won’t whip up to the same volume, and you need that airy structure to help leaven the cookies and give them their characteristic lightness.
• Patience with the Resting Time. I know it’s tempting to skip, but letting the dough rest, covered, in the fridge for at least 8 hours or overnight is a game-changer. It allows the almond flour to fully hydrate, resulting in a chewier, more flavorful cookie that’s less likely to spread.
• Don’t Over-mix the Final Dough. Once you add the dry ingredients to the meringue, fold gently just until combined. Over-mixing will deflate all the precious air you just whipped in, leading to dense cookies.

How to Make Italian Almond Ricciarelli

Storage & Freshness Guide

• Fridge: Not recommended; store airtight at room temperature.
• Freezer: Freeze shaped, unbaked dough logs; bake from frozen, adding 1–2 minutes.
• Reviving: If cookies soften, re-crisp at 300°F (150°C) for 3–4 minutes.

Serving Suggestions

Complementary Dishes

• A Simple Cheese Plate — A sharp, aged Pecorino or a creamy Gorgonzola provides a wonderful salty contrast to the sweet, nutty cookies, creating a perfect end to an Italian meal.
• Fresh Fruit Salad — A light salad with oranges, pomegranate seeds, and a hint of mint cleanses the palate and highlights the citrus notes in the ricciarelli.
• Espresso Affogato — Pour a shot of hot espresso over a scoop of vanilla gelato. The bitter coffee and cold cream are a dream paired with the soft, sweet cookie.

Drinks

• Vin Santo — This is the classic Tuscan pairing. The sweet, rich dessert wine is meant for dipping these very cookies, a practice known as ‘cantucci e vin santo’—though ricciarelli are just as perfect for it.
• Dark Roast Espresso — The intense, bitter notes of a good espresso cut through the sweetness of the cookie beautifully, making for a sophisticated and balanced combination.
• Sweet Marsala — Another fantastic Italian fortified wine, its nutty and caramelized flavors are a natural match for the almond base of the ricciarelli.

Something Sweet

• Dark Chocolate Ganache Tartlets — The deep, bitter intensity of dark chocolate provides a stunning counterpoint to the delicate, floral sweetness of the almond cookies.
• Lemon Sorbet — Its bright, sharp acidity is incredibly refreshing and acts as a perfect palate cleanser between bites of the rich ricciarelli.
• Panettone — For a truly Italian holiday spread, serve these alongside a slice of soft, fruity panettone. The textures and flavors complement each other wonderfully.

Top Mistakes to Avoid

• Mistake: Using coarsely ground almond meal. This will result in a gritty, rather than melt-in-your-mouth, texture. The fine, powdery consistency of blanched almond flour is essential for that classic smooth interior.
• Mistake: Skipping the chilling step. I’ve been impatient before too, and the cookies always spread too much and lack depth of flavor. The rest allows the almond flour to absorb the moisture, creating a chewier, more stable cookie.
• Mistake: Over-baking the cookies. You are not looking for golden brown. As soon as they are set and have that matte, crackled top, they are done. Any longer and you’ll lose that lovely soft center.
• Mistake: Not dusting your hands with powdered sugar. The dough is intentionally sticky to achieve that soft texture. If you try to shape it with bare hands, you’ll have a mess. The sugar coating is your best friend here.

Expert Tips

• Tip: Weigh your ingredients. For recipes like this that rely on a specific texture, using a kitchen scale for the almond flour and sugar is more accurate than cup measurements and leads to more consistent results every single time.
• Tip: Add a textural twist. For a little crunch, fold in 2 tablespoons of finely chopped candied orange peel into the dough along with the dry ingredients. It adds tiny bursts of citrus and a lovely chewy contrast.
• Tip: Revive them if they go soft. If your cookies lose their crisp exterior after a few days (which they might in a humid climate), you can pop them back into a 300°F (150°C) oven for 3-4 minutes to re-crisp the outside.
• Tip: Use an Italian 00 powdered sugar if you can find it. It’s even finer than standard confectioners’ sugar and will create an exceptionally smooth dough and a more delicate, crackly crust.

FAQs

Can I make these without a stand mixer?
Absolutely! An electric hand mixer will work just fine. The key is having a tool that can whip the egg whites to stiff peaks, which is difficult to achieve by hand but very doable with a hand mixer. Just make sure your bowl and beaters are completely clean and free of any grease, as even a tiny bit of fat can prevent the whites from whipping properly.

Why are my ricciarelli spreading too much?
This usually points to two common issues: the dough wasn’t chilled long enough, or the meringue was under-whipped. The chilled, firm dough and the air incorporated from properly whipped egg whites are what give the cookies their structure. If the dough is too warm or the meringue is slack, the cookies will flatten out in the oven. Ensure a full 8-hour chill and whip those whites until truly stiff.

How should I store them, and how long do they keep?
Store your completely cooled ricciarelli in an airtight container at room temperature. They actually improve in texture over the first 24 hours, becoming even chewier. They will keep beautifully for up to a week. For longer storage, you can freeze the shaped, unbaked dough logs on a tray and then transfer to a freezer bag, baking them straight from frozen (adding a minute or two to the bake time).

My cookies are dry and crumbly. What happened?
This is almost certainly a case of over-baking. Remember, you are baking them just until set, not until golden. The second they look matte and crackled, they are done. The residual heat will continue to cook them as they cool on the tray. Another possibility is that you measured the almond flour by packing it into a cup, which can result in using too much flour and creating a dry dough.

Can I use bitter almond extract?
You can, but use it with extreme caution! Bitter almond extract is incredibly potent and can easily overpower the delicate flavor. If you want to use it for a more authentic, complex almond note, use only a drop or two in addition to the regular almond extract. A little truly goes an impossibly long way here.