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Feature image of soft Italian almond cookies made with almond flour and no oil.

Italian Almond Cookies (Soft, 5 Ingredients, 30 Minutes)

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 12 minutes
Total Time: 27 minutes
Servings: 15 cookies
Author: Nico Pallotta

  • 3 cups (300 g) almond flour
  • ⅔ cup (90 g) powdered sugar + 3 tablespoons for coating the cookies
  • 1 large (35 g) egg white
  • 1 tablespoon (20 g) honey
  • 1 orange the grated zest

  • Combine Ingredients: Preheat your oven to 340°F (170°C). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper so the cookies don’t stick.
    Put 3 cups almond flour, ⅔ cup powdered sugar, 1 large egg white, 1 tablespoon honey and the grated zest of 1 orange into a bowl.
    Step 1 Combining almond flour powdered sugar egg white honey and orange zest in one bowl.
  • Mix the Dough: Stir with a spoon, then use your hand to gently squeeze and pinch the mixture. It will look dry at first—this is normal! Keep squeezing until it comes together into one ball.
    If it still won’t stick after about a minute, add a tiny bit more egg white.
    Step 2 Mixing the ingredients by hands to get a compact dough ball.
  • Shape: Sprinkle 3 tablespoons powdered sugar onto a plate.
    Break off pieces of dough and roll them into small balls (you should get 15 balls—about 1 ounce or 30 g each). Roll each ball in the powdered sugar.
    Step 3 Shaping Italian almond cookie dough into small balls rolled in powdered sugar.
  • Press and Bake: Place balls on the baking sheet, then gently press your thumb into the center so the edges crack a little.
    Bake at 340°F (170°C) for 12 minutes. The cookies should stay pale and soft and will not spread. Let them cool before eating—this helps them set and taste their best.
    Step 4 Pressing almond cookie dough balls with thumb to create classic crackled edges and baking for 12 minutes.
Substitutions
  • Almond flour → Hazelnut flour, finely ground cashews, or very finely ground blanched almonds (do not use almond meal or regular flour)
  • Powdered sugar → Superfine (caster) sugar blended into powder, or store-bought icing sugar
  • Honey → Maple syrup or agave syrup
  • Orange zest → Lemon zest, lime zest, or a small splash of vanilla extract
 
Tips
  • Don’t rush the dough → Almond flour soaks up moisture slowly, so keep squeezing and pinching before changing anything
  • Hold back on extra liquid → A dry-looking dough at first is normal and helps keep the cookies soft, not dense
  • Use fine almond flour → Blanched, finely ground almond flour gives the smoothest texture
  • Roll well in powdered sugar → A generous coating creates that classic crackled look and tender outside
  • Press gently → A light thumb press helps them spread just enough without flattening
  • Don’t overbake → Pale cookies are soft cookies; browning means dryness
  • Cool completely → They firm up as they cool, so give them time before eating
  • Store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days, or freeze them fully cooled for up to 2 months and thaw at room temperature before serving.
     
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