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These Italian Almond-Orange Cookies are light and chewy with an intense orange flavor. Coated in powdered sugar, the crinkled orange insides show through after the cookies bake.
Hi everyone – it’s Jack here, sharing the recipe for my new, favorite cookie – these Italian Almond-Orange cookies. They are truly out of this world!
Martha and I both belong to an Italian recipe Facebook group where someone recently asked for an orange cookie recipe they remembered enjoying in Italy. It was light and chewy with a soft interior like a macaron, and had a crinkled appearance under a coating of powdered sugar.
Several group members chimed in. Some called this cookie by the name Ricciarelli – known as a Tuscan biscuit recipe from the city of Siena, while others referred to them as Acetani.
I honestly don’t know which is correct – and perhaps the name varies based on the region of Italy your family comes from. By either name, they looked identical – and all I knew is that I wanted to try making them.
How do you make Italian Almond-Orange Cookies?
If my earlier mention of macaroons has scared you off – please don’t worry. These cookies were very easy to make.
You’ll start by measuring out 1/3 cup egg whites from eggs that have been separated. This could take anywhere from two to four eggs, depending on the size of the eggs you have on hand. (Don’t throw those egg yolks out – make crème brulee or this vanilla ice cream.)
Whisk the egg whites together with granulated sugar, orange zest, and honey. Add almond flour and baking powder – mixing with a wooden spoon or a spatula until all of the dry ingredients are absorbed into the wet. At this point, cover the dough and refrigerate for anywhere between one and 24 hours.
Once you are ready to bake, preheat the oven and line two cookie sheets with parchment paper.
Place powdered sugar in a bowl. Then start working with the chilled dough – rolling it into a log and cutting it in half. Roll each half into a log – then portion each half into 12 pieces. (After portioning both logs, you will have 24 pieces of dough – yielding two dozen Italian Almond-Orange Cookies once baked.)
Roll each piece of dough into a ball, then roll the ball in the powdered sugar. Place on the cookie sheets and bake.
Your Italian Almond-Orange Cookies will spread a bit as they bake and the tops will crinkle – showing a glimpse of the orange inside. Don’t over bake – the centers of the cookie will be very soft when they come out of the oven.
Allow your Italian Almond-Orange Cookies to cool on the cookie sheet – the outside will become crispy as it cools and the inside will stay nice and chewy.
According to Wikipedia, Ricciarelli are traditionally served Christmas Eve with a sweet dessert wine called Vin Santo. But why wait until then? These Italian Almond-Orange Cookies are so good they should be enjoyed all year round.
See some of my other favorite Italian cookies here:
- Italian Anisette Cookies
- Italian Sesame Seed Cookies
- Italian Toto Cookies
- Crispy Zaletti Cookies
- Pasta Frolla Christmas Jam Cookies
We love seeing what you made! Tag us on Instagram at @afamilyfeast or hashtag #afamilyfeast so we can see your creations!
Italian Almond-Orange Cookies
Ingredients
1/3 cup egg whites (we separated two jumbo eggs and got exactly 1/3 cup of egg whites, but you may need more than two eggs to measure out exactly 1/3 cup)
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
Zest of one orange
2 tablespoons honey
2 1/2 cups almond flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 cup powdered sugar
Instructions
In a medium bowl, mix egg whites, sugar, orange zest and honey with a whisk until smooth.
Add the almond flour and baking powder and mix with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula until moist and all of the dry ingredients are absorbed into the wet and combined.
Cover and refrigerate for one hour and as long as 24 hours. I made my dough the night before then baked the next morning.
When ready to bake, preheat oven to 325 degrees F with two racks in top two positions.
Cover two cookie sheets with parchment paper.
Place the powdered sugar in a small bowl.
Roll the dough on your counter with your hands into a fat log and cut it into two equal pieces.
Roll each piece out into logs and cut in half then each piece in half again. Then cut each piece into three. This will give you 24 pieces.
Roll each piece into a ball then roll in the powdered sugar then onto the cookie sheets, 12 per tray.
Bake both together for 15-17 minutes, rotating the pans half way through.
The cookies are done when they start to crackle and flatten out and are slightly browned on the bottom. The centers will be very soft so don’t go by the feel of the cookie and don’t lift off the cookie sheet yet.
As they cool on the cookie sheet, they stiffen up and have a crisp outside and a chewy center.
Store at room temperature in an air-tight container.
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Lorraine says
I just made this and they are absolutely amazing. Followed the recipe & perfect. Thank you for a great recipe
Martha says
You’re welcome Lorraine! Glad you enjoyed the cookies.
Barbarella says
Hi Jack, I will certainly try this recipe. The professional that you are I would like to ask your opinion, please. I was given some honey and honeycomb from a friend from a private farm. I am hesitant in using it. Do you think it is safe?
Jack says
Hi Barbarella
From what little I know on this subject, honey and honeycomb from newer hives are usually safe. However, older hives (more that three years old) sometimes pick up mold and toxins that settle into the honeycomb over time. If you bought them from a rebuttable farm, I would think they are safe. But to be sure, I just sent a text to a buddy of mine that has hives, is part of a bee keepers organization, and demonstrates honey production at country fairs in his spare time. Let’s see what he says. Stay tuned.
Jack
Jack says
Barbarella
He just responded with this…
“The honey should be safe. Anyone raising bees knows about keeping honey pure. I wouldn’t put honeycomb into a recipe though, not sure what the wax will do to the recipe. It’s not hazardous, but could change the texture of the recipe. Honey can be substituted for sugar, and some recipes actually call for honey”.
Hope this helps.
Cool name by the way,
Jack
Toba friedman says
Hello, love, love these cookies, but I just read it’s better to beat the eggs to soft peaks and then add honey ect….i just put everything together the last time, but I need exact clarification on the eggs, thank you, thank you
Martha says
Hi Toba – We made our cookies as the recipe is written and have always had good results as you can see in the photos – but if you’d prefer to follow a different recipe or the advice from another website, that’s totally your decision! I’m sure there are many ways to make this recipe.
Lin Doak says
Can these cookies be frozen?
Martha says
Yes, you can freeze these.
Lin Doak says
Thank you so much for your reply, Martha. Happy Holidays!
Marcus says
These came out great. the only edit I would suggest in the recipe is on how long to whisk the egg/sugar/orange zest. it says “until smooth” does that mean until the sugar is dissolved? And would caster sugar (superfine) make that process easier? I whisked for about 5 mins with hand mixer but dough too wet so had to had a bit more almond flour. They turned out great though, I was very happy.
Martha says
Hi Marcus – Just until there are no lumps – so less than 5 minutes, but whisking for that long won’t hurt the cookie dough. I’d stick with regular granulated sugar – the finer caster sugar would probably change the finished texture.
Marian Laureta says
Excellent, very delicious! Also tried a lime zest with coconut added, version!
Martha says
Love that idea Marian – thank you for the suggestion!
Julieta says
Thanks for sharing this amazing recipe. My family and friends love them. Instructions are very clear and easy to follow. I will make them again and again
Martha says
So glad you enjoyed the cookies Julieta!
Janet Allan says
So good, such a delicious cookie. Thanks
Martha says
You’re welcome Janet – glad you enjoyed the cookies!
Stephanie says
A 5 for flavor! But I must have done something wrong because mine flattened like a pancake.
Martha says
Hi Stephanie – When cookies flatten while baking, sometimes it can point to oven temperature running too hot or, check the freshness of your baking powder. Also make sure your egg whites measurement was exactly 1/3 cup.