Sicilian Almond Cookies

Finally a gluten-free Christmas cookie that is absolutely delicious! With a soft and chewy center, these Sicilian Almond Cookies have crispy edges and hold their shape very well! If you’re looking for something more festive, top the cookies with sprinkles or a maraschino cherry before baking!

These Sicilian Almond Cookies remind me of two of my favourite Italians – Nadia and Emidio. I’m sure they would love these cookies! But, in true Italian fashion, Emidio would ask for an espresso to go with his cookie. And, Nadia would call my attention to that fact that I didn’t put out enough platters of cookies to fill an entire buffet table! I went to her home for brunch and there were eight people present, but there was enough food for twenty or thirty. She always jokes that when I invite someone for coffee, I only serve coffee! Ha!

These cookies are perfect for sharing. They pack well and will keep fresh for a few days in a cookie bag or box. Not only should these cookies be a part of your 2025 holiday baking, but make them a part of your annual cookie giveaway. Every year, we make up boxes or bags of cookies to share with neighbours. It’s so much work, but I love doing it. Nobody will get any of these though, because we ate them already!

When you get to the ingredients list below, I want you to pay really close attention to the amounts listed. I know there are some people who try to bake like they cook – a little bit of this, some of that, etc. – but, baking is an exact science. Unless you are really well versed with baking, stick to the recipe as is, and more importantly, measure everything precisely!

SUBSCRIBE NOW AND NEVER MISS ANOTHER RECIPE!

So, welcome, Dear Reader, to my annual holiday-themed recipes. Traditionally, every year I share a series of recipes that you might already be familiar with. For example, I’ve previously shared 12 Holiday Trifles, 12 Holiday Bars & Squares, and even these 12 Edible Holiday Wreath recipes! Also, some of my favourite recipe collections from previous years are my 75 Homemade Gifts from Your Kitchen, my 50 Make Ahead Freezer Friendly Christmas Recipes, and my 30 No-Bake Christmas Recipes post.

This year I’m doing it differently. Rather than sharing multiple back to back series, I’m sharing a new holiday-themed recipe almost every day from now until Christmas Eve. For those of you who have followed my annual Lord Byron’s 24 Cookies of Christmas series, don’t worry, you will still get lots of new cookie recipes this year too. I will not, however, be publishing the cookies back to back in a 24-day series. This would have been my 8th year running the series and it becomes very exhausting, so this year, I’m spreading the recipes out so that I’m not sharing the same type of recipe every day.

You really don’t want to miss one of these recipes, so if you have not yet subscribed to Lord Byron’s Kitchen, I encourage you to do so. That way, a new recipe will be emailed to you every day. You won’t have to bother to come looking for it! And, just in case you’re curious, you can see previous annual posts for my 24 Cookies of Christmas Series here!

INGREDIENTS NEEDED TO PREPARE THIS RECIPE

The following is a list of the ingredients needed to prepare this recipe. For exact amounts and measurements, refer to the printable recipe card located near the bottom of this post.

• Almond Flour – Please read the section below!
• Confectioner’s Sugar
• Eggs – You will only use the egg whites. The eggs MUST be at room temperature!
• Orange Zest
• Lemon Zest
• Vanilla Extract – You might think that an almond cookie could use almond extract, but almond extract can sometimes taste like sweet cherries and it throws off the flavour of these cookies. Stick to vanilla extract for the best flavour!

HOW TO MAKE SICILIAN ALMOND COOKIES

Measure the almond flour and confectioner’s sugar into the bowl of a stand mixer with a paddle attachment. Beat on low for 30 seconds to blend the two ingredients together. Add the orange and lemon zest. Beat on low to incorporate. Add the egg whites and vanilla extract. Beat on low until fully incorporated.

Transfer the cookie dough to a large piping bag fitted with a star piping tip. Pipe the dough into 1 1/2 inch rosettes onto a parchment-lined baking sheet leaving two inches of space between each cookie. Bake for 14 minutes. Remove the cookies from the oven and allow them to rest for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire cooling rack to finish cooling.

Once fully cooled, pack the cookies in a food-safe container. Cookies can be frozen for up to 3 months or refrigerated for 7-10 days. Do not store at room temperature for more than 5 days.

GROUND ALMONDS OR ALMOND FLOUR

Ground almonds will not work well in this recipe. Almond flour is extremely fine in comparison to ground almonds. The fine texture of the almond flour is what makes this cookie hold together well. Using ground almonds instead will most certainly make the dough much harder to work with. In addition, you’ll lose that texture. You can read more about the two here.

Be wary of defatted almond flour! Some almond flour products are made from defatted ground almonds. Defatting is a process where nuts are pressed to squeeze out the oil, which is most likely sold as a separate product. The end product is drier which allows a much finer degree of grinding. The texture of defatted almond flour is very fine – pretty much the same as that of traditional grain-based flour. We don’t want that here!

Differences in texture and fat content can greatly affect your baking. If you use defatted almond flour instead of “real” almond flour in a recipe, it will produce drastically different results. The amount of moisture in the batter is one of the key factors that affect baking results. Due to defatting, there is a lot less moisture in the almond flour.

Drying out is another point to consider. Unlike traditional grain flour, nut flour like almond flour can dry out quite easily. Age, exposure to air, storage conditions and temperature all play a part. So, all of this just to say, use a trusted almond flour – one that has not been defatted!

STORING, PACKAGING, & FREEZING

When it comes to most cookies, they taste best at room temperature, but they don’t hold up well to being left out on your countertop for a long time. Cookies will stay fresh in a cookie jar or food-safe container with a lid for 3-5 days if left to sit on your kitchen countertop. You can store them in a food-safe container in your fridge. When you want one, two, or half a dozen, take them out of the container and place them in a single layer on a plate. Let them sit at room temperature for 5 minutes and they’re ready!

If you plan to freeze your Sicilian Almond Cookies, you certainly can! Pile them into a clean, food-safe container. The container must be freezer-friendly! You’ll want to ensure a very tight-fitting lid too. I use these quite often when freezing baked goods. I like to place a sheet of plastic wrap over the top of the container before pushing the lid on. This helps to create a better seal. The goal is to keep all of that freshness locked in!  

You can freeze these cookies for up to three months. If you plan to give previously frozen cookies as a gift, I would lay them out on a wire cooling rack to thaw completely. Once thawed, pile into cellophane bags and tie with a ribbon, or stack in a cookie tin/box.

QUESTIONS?

If I have not answered all of your questions in the text above, don’t hesitate to reach out to me! You can contact me by sending me a message in the comments section further down the page. I will try my best to answer as soon as possible! You might reach me even faster by following me on Facebook and sending me a private message. Scroll down below the recipe card to find my Follow Me on Social Media box and never miss another recipe!