Amaretti Cookies 

Italian Grandma Gina’s Recipe

I love these cookies and enjoy the way Italian Grandma’ Gina explains the way she makes them. My mouth is watering right now so I’ll leave you to Gina and her recipe. YUM!

Early records indicate that Amaretti Cookies or Biscotti originated in Venice during the Renaissance period  and was the creation of Francesco Moriondo, pastry chef of Savoy. There is no doubting that Amaretti biscuits have been a part of Italian patisserie for hundreds of years.

The romantic version of how ‘Amaretti’ originated, involved two lovers in Saronno who owned a baker’s shop’. In 1719 a cardinal from Milan came to visit the local church and the bakers wanted to make a special biscuit to commemorate the occasion, but had only ground apricot kernels, sugar and egg whites available. After baking at a certain temperature (to remove the poisonous cyanide in the Apricot kernels – yes, cyanide!), the little biscuits were ‘gift wrapped’ in thin, beautifully decorated paper.

The Italian word “amaro” means “bitter,” and as these little biscuits are flavoured with bitter almonds, they were called “amaretti” – literal translation “the little bitter ones.”

Made from either ground almonds or almond paste, along with sugar and egg whites, they can take on slight variations in form and flavour, often flavoured with chocolate or liqueurs. Traditionally served with dessert wines, liqueur or coffee, but also a delicious addition or ingredient in many desserts.

However, they are not to be confused with Amaretto – a sweet, almond flavoured Italian liqueur associated with Saronno, Italy and made from apricot pits, almonds or both, but can sometimes be found as an ingredient in a one of many different recipes for amaretti biscuits.