Ricciarelli are dense, chewy Italian almond cookies from Siena. A type of almond macaroon, these are low-fuss cookies with a big payoff. Perfect with tea or coffee, these naturally gluten-free and dairy-free cookies are especially popular during the Christmas season.To view measurements by weight, select "Metric" under the ingredients list.Recipe and post was updated 11/14/2025 to reflect a more standard order of operations, include measurements by weight, and freezing instructions.
Prep time: PT30M
Cook time: PT20M
Total time: PT110M
Rating
4.75 stars (370 reviews)
Keywords
cookies
Ingredients
2 1/4 cups almond flour
1 3/4 cups powdered sugar (plus ½ cup for coating cookies)
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon baking powder
2 egg whites
1 tablespoon almond extract ((this is not a typo))
1 teaspoon orange zest (about half a large orange)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ teaspoon lemon juice
Categories
baked goods
Dessert
Cuisine
Italian
Steps
In a medium bowl, combine almond flour, powdered sugar, salt, and baking powder.
Add egg whites and lemon juice to the bowl of a stand mixer. Beat at medium low speed until frothy (about a minute), then at medium high until stiff peaks form. Add almond extract, vanilla extract, and orange zest, and fold in until well combined.
Using a fine mesh sieve, sift almond flour mixture into the beaten egg white mixture. Add it in in about 2-3 batches, folding in each batch. Try to keep some air in the egg whites, but at this point it will form a pretty sticky dough rather than a fluffy meringue (see step by step photos in blog post or how-to video for texture)
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Using clean hands, roll dough into balls about 1" to 1.5" in diameter (or 23-25g each), then roll in powdered sugar until well coated. Shape into an oval, then arrange on baking sheet with some space between them for spreading.
Leave at room temperature for about half an hour to an hour, or until the tops have dried to the touch and formed almost a little shell. (This may take longer in humid areas.) Flatten the cookies slightly and lightly squeeze or stretch opposite corners, trying to form little cracks in the top of the dried shell to pre-crack it before baking. (Not doing this won't affect the taste, but pre-cracking them makes them much prettier if you want that beautiful white-gold contrast!)
While cookies are drying, preheat oven to 300℉ (150℃). When the cookies are ready, bake for about 20 minutes. Cool and store in an airtight container. These are even better the next day and are great with coffee or tea!
Nutitrion
Serving Size: 1 serving
Calories: 129 kcal
Carbohydrates: 15 g
Protein: 3 g
Fat: 7 g
Saturated Fat: 0.5 g
Sodium: 44 mg
Sugar: 12 g
Reviews
Trish Fellows on 2025-11-07 (5 stars): I bake and then freeze in snap lock bags - and then defrost on wire rack. Perfect!
Sema. on 2025-10-28 (5 stars): These were a HUGE hit, I followed your recipe exactly and they were perfect! Have you ever frozen them?
Rose on 2025-09-21 (3 stars): I saw and tried your recipe today. To ensure every bite tastes the same the almond flour, sugar, orange zest, baking powder and vanilla should be mixed well together before adding them to egg whites.
Beating egg whites seems meaningless since you fold a very sticky dough at the end. If several ingredients like orange zest are mixed in sequence as in your recipe instead of adding them together there is more chance whatever air created from beating the eggs have already gone. It is the baking powder that does the job here.
I only beat egg whites enough to loosen their texture. My cookies are good regardless. Simple snd Saving time.
Caren Nuich on 2025-07-12 (5 stars): Thanks for sharing this recipe. Hosting an Italian themed party. I would like to make these ahead of time Do these cookies freeze well?
Bernadette Medina on 2025-06-13 (5 stars): This cookie recipe is awesome. Though found it a bit sweet but it is a keeper. I will definitely do it again. Planning to serve on Father’s day lunch with some invited friends. Thanks for sharing the recipe.
