If you’ve ever had traditional amaretti cookies, you understand the appeal of making a low carb version. They may look rather plain, but don’t be fooled! They have a chewy but slightly crisp texture and a rich almond flavor, and they take only 5 basic ingredients.
Italian cookies are among of my favorites to adapt to a keto lifestyle. I have multiple kinds of keto biscotti and my Keto Ricotta Cookies are extremely popular. It was only a matter of time before I tackled amaretti!
Given that these Italian treats are already gluten-free, it was an easy recipe to makeover. I used keto-friendly sweeteners and adjusted the baking time to accommodate for the lack of sugar. They are remarkably simple to make and taste just like the original.
Whether you serve them with espresso after dinner, or add them to your list of holiday cookies, these Keto Amaretti Cookies are sure to please.
Why You’ll Love Keto Amaretti Cookies
- So easy: 5 ingredients and simple method results in a delicious Italian-style treat.
- Perfect texture: Slightly crisp edges with a chewy center, just like conventional amaretti.
- Classic flavor: Almond extract gives these cookies the traditional flavor, but you can use vanilla extract instead.
- Make ahead recipe: They store well in the fridge or freezer so feel free to make a big batch!
- Naturally gluten-free: Amaretti use almond flour so no gluten or wheat at all.
- Perfect for all occasions: Delicious for the holidays but easy enough to make any time of year. And they are wonderful served with coffee!
- Sugar-free and keto friendly: This version uses low carb sweeteners for an easy keto treat.
Ingredient Notes
- Almond flour: Even conventional amaretti take almond flour, so they are naturally gluten-free. Blanched almond flour (without the skins) makes a finer cookie.
- Sweetener: To get that crisp but chewy texture, erythritol-based sweeteners work best.
- Egg whites: Amaretti use beaten egg whites for structure.
- Salt: A little salt helps the egg whites beat more easily.
- Almond extract: This gives the cookies a distinct almond flavor, but you can use vanilla extract instead.
- Garnishes: Sliced almonds and powdered sweetener for dusting
How to Make Keto Amaretti Cookies
- Whip the egg whites: Beat the egg whites with the salt until frothy. Add the sweetener and almond extract, and continue to beat until they hold soft peaks.
- Add almond flour: Gently fold in the almond flour with a rubber spatula, until just combined.
- Form the cookies. Roll the dough into balls and place a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Press them down with the palm of your hand.
- Garnish: Press an almond slice into the top of each cookie.
- Bake: Bake until the edges start to turn golden brown then remove and let cool completely on the pan. Dust the cookies lightly with powdered sweetener.
Tips for Success
For the best consistency, make sure not to over-beat the egg whites. You want them to hold very soft peaks, so that the tips fall over when you lift the beaters. This allows them to spread and rise a little during baking.
The dough can be quite sticky when you are rolling it into balls. Wetting your hands between every few cookies can help.
Conventional amaretti are rolled in powdered sweetener before baking. Unfortunately, keto powdered sweeteners tend to disappear during the baking process. So it works best to dust them lightly with sweetener after cooking.
Don’t overbake! Amaretti should feel slightly soft when the come out of the oven. They will firm up as the cool.
Sweetener Options: To achieve slightly crisp edges with a chewy center, erythritol based sweeteners work best. However, you can try using allulose for a softer cookie, if you prefer. Neither sweetener is better, but you need to expect a different outcome in the results.
More Popular Keto Cookie Recipes
Keto Amaretti Cookies
Ingredients
- 4 large egg whites, room temperature
- 1/8 tsp salt
- 3/4 cup (142.5 g) granular sweetener, see notes on sweetener options
- 1 to 2 tsp almond extract
- 2 1/2 cups (280 g) almond flour
- sliced almonds for decoration
- powdered sweetener for dusting
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, beat the egg whites with the salt frothy. Add the sweetener and almond extract, and continue to beat until they hold soft peaks. Do not over-beat.
- Gently fold in the almond flour with a rubber spatula, until just combined. The dough should be quite sticky.
- Roll the mixture into balls about 1 1/2 inches in diameter – you should get about 20 balls. If the dough is very sticky, you can wet your hands slightly to roll the balls. Place on the prepared baking sheet a few inches apart.
- Press them down to about 1 inch thick with the palm of your hand. Then press an almond slice into the top of each cookie.
- Bake 15 to 20 minutes, or until just turning golden brown on the edges. Remove and let cool completely on the pan.
- Dust the cookies lightly with powdered sweetener.
Notes
Nutrition
Frequently Asked Questions
Traditionally, amaretti can be either crisp or soft. These keto amaretti are the soft, chewy kind, with lightly crisp edges.
Yes you can easily freeze these keto cookies. They will keep in the freezer for up to 4 months.
This keto Amaretti cookie recipe has 6.1g of carbs and 3.0g of fiber per serving. That comes to 3.1g net carbs for 2 cookies.
Nutritional Disclaimer
Please note that I am not a medical or nutritional professional. I am simply recounting and sharing my own experiences on this blog. Nothing I express here should be taken as medical advice and you should consult with your doctor before starting any diet or exercise program. I provide nutritional information for my recipes simply as a courtesy to my readers. It is calculated using MacGourmet software and I remove erythritol from the final carb count and net carb count, as it does not affect my own blood glucose levels. I do my best to be as accurate as possible but you should independently calculate nutritional information on your own before relying on them. I expressly disclaim any and all liability of any kind with respect to any act or omission wholly or in part in reliance on anything contained in this website.
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I made a double batch of these a couple of weeks ago and my husband and I both loved them! They’ll be going into my regular rotation, along with your Butter Pecan cookies and the chocolate chip/cranberry cookies. Thanks for so many great recipes, Carolyn!
Hey, Carolyn, I love your recipes and am a big fan of your YouTube posts, but I just tried this recipe and I am wondering if there is a misprint…. The FOUR egg whites seems wrong, even after whipping to fairly strong peaks; and instead of a soft dough, it was more like a thick batter- like Macarons. I had to scoop them onto the pan. I checked some nonKeto Italian cookies, and there was a different ratio for the egg whites to almond flour. Can you check it? Thanks. They still tasted good, but were like cake.
No it’s definitely not wrong. And in fact, I had trouble with my dough being a bit too thick the first time around (I had 3 cups of almond flour), so I cut back to 2 1/2. I consulted various non-keto recipes and they all had differing amounts! But this is one that matches mine closely: https://themodernnonna.com/4-ingredient-amaretti-cookies/#recipe
How can I add more protein to these Ameretti cookies?
This is not a good recipe for adding protein, it would ruin them.
I’m Sicilian, and we make a very similar cookie covered in pine nuts – Pignoli. Well, I can’t eat pine nuts – I get a phenomenon called “pine mouth,” nor does my pocketbook allow me to purchase them! Anyway, I made the “sugar-full” version before I saw these, and my gosh – I couldn’t tell the difference! This recipe is a keeper! You did it again, Carolyn! The only thing I did different was to roll them in crushed sliced almonds! Chef’s Kiss!