Name: Chocolate Amaretti Cookie
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 16 Cookies
Ingredients: ⅔ cup monkfruit sweetener or powdered monkfruit sweetener; 2 cups almond flour; 2 large egg whites, room temperature; ¼ cup cocoa powder (NOT Dutch processed); 1 teaspoon baking powder; 1 teaspoon almond extract; ½ teaspoon Mary’s Cognac Barrel-Aged Vanilla Extract; Pinch of salt

Sweets

Chocolate Amaretti Cookie

Author: Mary DiSomma

Who says a good cookie can’t be sugar-free? My version of a classic Italian amaretti cookie makes a terrific treat for low-carb eaters. These cake-like cookies are gluten-free and dairy-free too! It’s a super easy keto cookie recipe and I promise you will not miss the refined sugar. I grew up eatingclassic Italian amaretti cookies—here’s my recipe—but this version is just as good. The rich chocolate is especially satisfying when a craving hits. Read on to learn about substituting monkfruit sweetener for sugar, different kinds of cocoa powder, and so much more.

Chocolate Amaretti Cookie

These easy keto-friendly chocolate amaretti cookies make a wonderful treat for sugar-free and carb-conscious eaters!

Yield: 16 Cookies
Prep Time: 15 minutes 15 min
Cook Time: 15 minutes 15 min
Total Time: 30 minutes 30 min

Ingredients

⅔ cup monkfruit sweetener or powdered monkfruit sweetener
2 cups almond flour
2 large egg whites, room temperature
¼ cup cocoa powder (NOT Dutch processed)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon almond extract
½ teaspoon Mary’s Cognac Barrel-Aged Vanilla Extract
Pinch of salt

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 350 °F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silpat baking mat.
Sift the monkfruit sweetener to eliminate any lumps. In a mixing bowl, combine the ⅔ cup of monkfruit sweetener with the almond flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and pinch of salt.
In a second bowl, use an electric hand mixer to whip the egg whites to stiff peaks. Add the two extracts and whip briefly to combine.
Using a spatula, gently fold the dry ingredients into the egg whites. Be careful not to overmix. You want to incorporate all of the dry ingredients, but not deflate the egg whites too much.
Using a small cookie scoop, form the dough into balls. Use the palms of your hands to roll the balls so they are uniformly round. Place them on the prepared pan and gently press the tops down, flattening them slightly.
Bake for 13 to 15 minutes or until cracks appear on top.
Remove your cookies from the oven and let them cool slightly.
Roll each cookie in the remaining ½ cup monkfruit sweetener or powdered monkfruit sweetener. If you like your cookies heavily coated, by all means use more. Enjoy!

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Ingredient Tips

Amaretti cookies are always a hit in my house! These chocolatey Italian cookies are soft, chewy, and rich—almost like brownies. Made with almond flour, they’re sometimes called the Italian macaron (but in my opinion, they’re not nearly as fussy). That’s amaretti cookies in a nutshell (ha, ha)!

Actually, amaretti cookies ONLY use almond flour, which makes them naturally gluten-free. My recipe has an interesting twist, too—I use monkfruit sweetener instead of sugar! If you’re looking for a low-carb sweet treat or trying to avoid refined sugar, this recipe is for you. This gluten-free cookie recipe is also keto and dairy-free.

Preparation + Preservation Tips

Substituting monkfruit sweetener for sugar in baking is actually pretty simple. When you want to make a recipe sugar-free, you can use regular monkfruit sweetener or powdered monkfruit sweetener as a sugar substitute. The regular version has grains similar in size to sugar. The powdered version is fine like powdered sugar. Either type works great.

Regular monkfruit sweetener will give you more of a sparkly finish on the cookies while the powdered version will look like confectioners’ sugar. It’s easy to find in most large grocery stores or online. Most monkfruit sweeteners are meant to be used at a 1:1 substitution ratio, but make sure to read the package before you start baking just in case—ratios can vary a bit!

Extra Tips

Dutch cocoa goes through a specific treatment that gives it its signature color and flavor. It also results in a smoother finish and decreases its acidity compared to natural cocoa. Most baked goods will use leaveners like baking soda or baking powder, which are more basic than acidic. Using natural cocoa powder, which is more acidic than Dutch, helps control how the final product turns out.

Depending on the various combinations of cocoa and leavener, your baked goods will have different rises and intensity in flavor. Dutch cocoa creates a denser product with a more mellow flavor. If a recipe calls for Dutch-processed cocoa, it will say it in the ingredients. Otherwise, always use natural cocoa powder. For Amaretti, we want natural cocoa!

If you’re looking for new recipes to add to your weekly rotation, I have many gluten-free and keto recipes for you to choose from.

Terri’s Gluten-free Vegan Apricot Almond Granola Bars➝

Gluten-free Dairy-free Vegan Chickpea Chocolate Chip Cookie➝

Dairy-free Vegan White Chocolate Matcha with Coconut Milk➝

Gluten-Free Chicken Alfredo Stuffed Spaghetti Squash➝

Vegan, Gluten-Free Cauliflower Tabbouleh Salad with Homemade Cauliflower Rice➝

Gluten-Free Fall Vegetable Casserole Recipe with Vegan Variation➝

Baked Ratatouille in a Cast Iron Skillet➝

Tuscan Low Carb Spaghetti Squash with Artichokes and Sun-Dried Tomatoes➝