We discovered these Sicilian almond cookies while on holiday in Italy last fall. They are delightfully chewy, nutty, and not overly sweet—perfect with coffee, hot chocolate, or whenever you need a little break. (Skip to recipe.)
Make yourself a cup of coffee or a thick, creamy Italian-style hot chocolate, take a couple of these soft, nutty cookies, and find a comfortable seat for some people-watching. That’s my favourite holiday pastime—sitting at a café terrace, sipping and observing the little dramas and delights of daily life.
Italy’s streets are alive with characters. In Naples, scooters weave through traffic carrying whole families. In small towns, shopkeepers and market sellers engage in animated banter. These cookies felt like the perfect companion for those moments—simple, satisfying, and full of warmth.
On our trip we stopped in Cefalù, Sorrento, Positano, and Catania, sampling local pastries and mingling with locals. Bakers’ windows were filled with variations of these almond cookies—some studded with cherries, others rolled in different nuts or seeds. On a rooftop in Cefalù we enjoyed a few with a glass of wine and a sweeping sea view.
The people-watching moments were a highlight: a sharp-eyed elderly woman insisting on a euro before posing; a charismatic vendor offering a taste of fresh shrimp at the fish market; fishermen taking calls between customers; and men gathered on benches, arguing good-naturedly over local news. Each scene felt like a slice of everyday life, richer for the small gestures, sounds, and aromas.
These almond cookies are easy to bring home in spirit: they’re naturally gluten-free and dairy-free, pleasantly chewy inside with a crisp exterior, lightly sweetened, and scented with lemon and almond. They keep well in a sealed container and also freeze beautifully, so you can enjoy a small taste of that Italian pause anytime.
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Kitchen notes: Traditional versions use granulated or powdered sugar, but adding a little honey increases chewiness and depth of flavour. Lemon zest brightens the almond base. The batter will be soft; wetting your hands slightly makes rolling the balls easy. Optionally, roll the cookies in icing sugar and press a nut or candied cherry into the top before baking.
Sicilian Almond Cookies (Pasticcini di mandorle)
gluten free, dairy free
- 2 large egg whites
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup (110 g) sugar
- 1/4 cup (85 g) honey
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest (from about one small lemon)
- 2 1/2 cups (250 g) ground blanched almonds or almond flour
- About 1 1/2 cups pine nuts, slivered almonds, chopped pistachios, whole pistachios, hazelnuts, or almonds for rolling
Whip the egg whites with salt until foamy. Add the sugar and beat until the whites are stiff and glossy. Beat in the honey, vanilla, and lemon zest. Stir in the ground almonds; the whites will deflate—that’s normal since the initial whipping helps dissolve the sugar.
Let the batter rest for 30 minutes. Preheat the oven to 300°F (150°C).
Form the dough into 1¼-inch (3 cm) balls. The batter will be soft and slightly sticky; keep a small bowl of water nearby and dip a finger in it, then wipe your palm with the wet finger between each cookie to prevent sticking.
Roll each ball in your choice of nuts, pressing them in so they adhere. Arrange the cookies on parchment-lined baking sheets and bake for 30 minutes. Yields about 24 cookies.
Storage: These cookies freeze well and will keep for several weeks at room temperature in a sealed container, or longer refrigerated.
Buon Appetito!
If you enjoyed this recipe, consider trying it with a warm drink and a quiet chair by a window—perfect for watching the world go by while you nibble a cookie or two.
You might also like: Italian Hot Chocolate and Photos from Italy; Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Cookies; Chocolate Bark (Mendiants); Hello Dolly Squares.
