On my recent trip to Italy I had a chance to eat a bunch of gluten free cookies. I particularly fell in love with the Sicilian cookies. They were crisp on the outside and dense and chewy on the inside. So of course, I had to come home and try to recreate it. I searched online and developed my recipe based on this and this. These cookies are naturally gluten-free, dairy-free and so delicious.
This recipe for traditional Sicilian cookie is not only the yummiest and perfectly crisp-on-the-outside and chewy-on-the-inside, BUT it’s also the easiest. The only thing I didn’t like much was the overnight chill time before baking, but it was worth it. The basic recipe is really simple and contain few ingredients. You start by grinding the blanched almonds with sugar and then bind the mixture with eggs. I used pre ground almond meal instead, which I always have in my fridge. Mixing almond meal with sugar and egg whites result in a soft, sticky dough. It is then formed into mounds or piped into fancy shapes and then baked. There are many different variations in ingredients and shapes. One of them was recently posted by my friend Monica. Before baking, the cookies are decorated with candied fruit or almonds. I chose to decorate with maraschino cherries. No matter what decoration you choose, they will always look pretty and make a perfect little snack to enjoy with coffee.
These cookies are also very sturdy, which makes them great to be gifted to friends and family.
Let me know how they turn out if you try. Enjoy!
I also experimented with egg and sugar free version, just in case someone with different dietary restrictions needed to try them. The result was soft with a texture of cake. Because they were lacking the real binding agents like eggs and dairy, they were not crisp but they still tasted fine. I hope you like these, too. We loved them.
Before I jump to the recipe, I want to share a little bit of exciting news. I am in the top 100 gluten free blogs. When I received an email from Mr. Anuj Agarwal and saw the tweet that I was among the best 100 gluten free blogs, my response was like, “what? 😕 Does anyone read my blog? But it turns out people do read it!” It makes me feel so honored and motivates me to carry on with my blog.
Thank you Feedspot for including my blog in your Best 100 Gluten Free Blogs on the Planet.
And, thank you to everyone who is following me on my blog, simpleglutenfreekitchen. I appreciate all the support!
These pretty GF cookies are a perfect treat to enjoy with cup of coffee anytime or share with friends over the holidays.
Ingredients
- 200 g (2 cups + 2 tbsp) almond meal (Make sure to use a brand of almond flour with a fine texture. I used Bob's red mill)
- 80 gm (little less than 1/2 cup) white sugar
- 3 large egg whites, lightly beaten
- Zest of 1/2 an orange
- Candied cherries or almond halves to decorate
- 1 apple, chopped
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 tbsp. sugar free golden raisins
- 90 gm almond meal
- 2-3 drops almond extract
- almond halves for decoration
Instructions
- In a medium bowl combine almond meal, and sugar.
- Add in egg whites and zest.
- Mix everything until you get a homogenous mixture, soft and sticky.
- Transfer the mixture into a pastry bag with a large star (or any decorating) nozzle..
- Line a baking tray with parchment paper.
- Make small flowers of dough spaced evenly.
- Decorate each cookie with cherry or almond halves.
- Let it sit in the fridge overnight.
- Bake In a preheated oven at 350 degrees for about 15 minutes or until they are lightly golden.
- Remove from oven. They will still be soft.
- Transfer each cookie carefully on a wire rack and let cool completely.
- These cookies keep well for about two weeks. Store them in air air tight glass container between layers of wax paper.
- Core and chop apple.
- Add the apple to a saucepan along with the raisins and water.
- Bring the water to a boil, reduce, cover then leave to simmer until the apple is soft.
- Mash with potato masher.
- Add almond meal and almond extract when it is cool.
- If the mixture seems runny add 1 more tbsp of almond meal.
- Follow the instructions as above from step 4.If you do not want to use pastry bag, pinch a small dough and flatten into mini cakes.
- They take a bit longer to bake then the traditional cookies..
- They are best eaten the same day but can be stored for 2-4 days in a container.
Notes
if you do not have a pastry bag, use a plastic bag with the corner cut off to form small mounds. The rest in the fridge is important because then the cookies will get harden and don’t sag while baking.
This post is linked to Tasty Tuesdays, Gluten Free Fridays.
Blackswan
Congrats on the well-deserved award, Balvinder! Those cookies are so pretty & healthy too! xoxo
Monica
These look so good! Italian almond cookies, in all their varieties, are truly one of my favorite treats. I love how golden and crisp yours are on the outside and I can picture that chewiness within. And you are a hero for experimenting and sharing an egg and sugar-free version! Thank you for the shout-out as well. Let’s keep making and sharing Italian cookies for a long time to come!
Audrey
I hate long chilling times too, but sometimes that is exactly what the cookies need. These sound delicious with the almonds and cherries. Thanks for sharing on #TastyTuesdays
Angie@Angie's Recipes
These cookies look literally melt-in-mouth and heavenly!
Claudia
These look amazing. I found you over at Tasty Tuesdays. I will have to try to make these soon.
Congrats for being in best 100 gluten free blogs.
Juliana
These cookies look great Balvinder, and I love that they are crisp on the outside and chewy inside…they are so festive…thanks for the recipe!
Have a wonderful week ahead 🙂
Nicoletta @sugarlovespices
Congratulations on your award! And those cookies are awesome. I’ve had many of those and made many myself, they are super yummy! Great idea to make them also for other dietary restrictions!
Dawn @ Words Of Deliciousness
Congratulation on the reward! These cookies look wonderful. I bet they taste as good as they look!
Alida @My Little Italian Kitchen
Oh wonderful recipe! I am pleased to know you enjoyed your trip. This recipe looks delicious!
Congratulations on your award, well deserved!
Treat and Trick
Congratulations on your award! These look so pretty, one cam’t really tell that they are gluten free..
Easyfoodsmith
They look pretty and sound amazing. I would love to try them. Thanks for sharing
Katerina
We have some similar in Greece too! I love their flavor!
GiGi Eats
LOVE the sugar-free and egg-free options!!
Balvinder
Aww, thank you Gigi. We loved it too.
IR
Congrats! Thank YOU for your blog!
Amu
Can we use gluten free flour instead of almond meal?
Balvinder
Some recipes are perfect just the way they are. These are traditional Sicilian cookies that are made with almond flour. Of course you can test with whatever flour you want to.
Judee
These cookies look great and I really appreciate the egg free and sugar free version. Thanks
Hasin
Balwinder
This is such a fabulous gluten free recipe. Loved how you have used the almond meal in this and those edgy shapes look lovely.
Balvinder
Thank you Hasina! I tried some other gluten free cookies too but these I liked the best.
Pattie
I just spotted this recipe. Cookies are my weakness. I am trying these for sure. I’m really happy to have found this recipe because I don’t have any eggs at the moment. They look so good!