Biscotti morbidi alle mandorle. These are an eggless take on the famous Italian almond cookies amaretti morbidi, also known as an Italian Macaroon. In Italian, morbidi means ‘soft’, and like their traditional cousin (the French Macaroon), they are soft and chewy on the inside and a touch crispy on the outside. It really satisfies my need for a sweet cookie every once in a while.
2 ½cupsblanched almond flour/meal250 g (See notes)
¾cupcaster/superfine or powdered sugar120 g
1teaspoonalmond extract(See notes)
½cupflaked almonds or powdered sugar (50 g) more if necessary (optional)
Instructions
Preheat your oven to 180 degrees C (350F) and line a baking tray with non-stick baking paper.
In a small bowl, and with a fork, whisk the aquafaba until it is light, frothy and foamy, about 2 minutes.
In a medium size bowl, combine the almond flour and caster sugar.
Add the whisked aquafaba to the almond flour and sugar mixture, along with the almond extract. Mix well, being sure to scrape the bottom of the bowl to ensure all the ingredients are thoroughly incorporated.
Add the almond flakes to a wide, shallow bowl.
Roll the mixture into balls about 3 cm (1 ¼ inches) in diameter and toss in the flaked almonds. You will need to gently press the almond flakes to get them to adhere.
Place them on the prepared baking tray and slightly flatten with your fingertips. Allow a little room between each one for the heat to circulate. Bake for 13-15 minutes until the cookies are lightly browned.
Remove the tray from the oven and set aside for about 5 minutes. Then transfer the cookies to a rack to finish cooling.
Store in an airtight container. The Vegan Almond Cookies are best consumed within 5 days.
Notes
I have used the liquid from canned chickpeas. I have also tried the liquid from cannellini beans. The cookies are still delicious, however, my preference is for those made with chickpea liquid. Store the leftover aquafaba in the fridge in a sealed container for up to 5 days.
Almond meal and almond flour are similar ingredients, both are made from finely ground almonds. We have used blanched almond meal/flour in this recipe. Whole almond meal/flour can also be used but will produce a darker-colored cookie.
Use good quality, naturally produced almond extract. Avoid synthetically flavored essence. Extracts can vary in their intensity so add the extract cautiously until you are aware of its strength. All ovens vary in temperature slightly, and as such we have provided a time range for doneness on this recipe.