Authentic Pizzicotti alle Mandorle Recipe: Soft Almond Cookies + Win the Mediterraneo Cookbook

Pizzicotti alle mandorle are delightful soft butter cookies packed with almond flavor. As seasoned bakers familiar with Mediterranean treats, we're excited to share this authentic recipe from a trusted cookbook.

This recipe is featured in Mediterraneo: The Sun-Drenched Kitchen by Pulpo, Maxence Sys, and Laurent Willems (€25.99, Lannoo). Santé is giving away 3 copies—simply fill out the form at the bottom of the page to enter.

Dessert for 4 persons
Preparation time: 30 minutes
Waiting time: 2 to 5 hours
Oven time: 12 to 15 minutes

Ingredients

• Zest of 1 lemon
• 250 g almond powder
• 250 g granulated sugar
• 2 egg whites (70 g)
• 1 tsp almond aroma
• 100 g icing sugar
• 18 white almonds

Preparation Method

Grate the lemon zest using a microplane, avoiding the bitter white pith.
Combine the almond powder, sugar, lemon zest, egg whites, and almond aroma to form a smooth dough. Mix by hand with a spatula, using the cutter attachment on a food processor, or a stand mixer with dough hook.
Lightly wet your hands and roll into 18 balls of about 30 g each.
Roll each ball in icing sugar. Gently press with three fingers and top with one white almond. Place on a parchment-lined baking tray. Refrigerate for 2 to 5 hours.
Preheat oven to 180°C. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes until golden. Cool completely—they taste even better after 2 days. Store in an airtight cookie jar.

Enter to Win?

To win a copy of Mediterraneo, complete the form below.