A while back I stumbled across a recipe for Amygdalota (aka “Greek Almond Cookies”) and I decided that I would have to try them. Not only do they look delicious, they taste delicious, they are really simple to bake, and who can pass up a gluten free cookie these days?
I only changed one thing from the original recipe, I used almond flour or “meal,” which was much easier than grinding blanched almonds. The results were amazing! I would have never thought that such a simple recipe could create such a yummy cookie. The texture and flavor is similar to an almond macaroon but a little thicker, and it is without the hefty price tag.
Creative Clue
We decorated these three different ways. The first, we pushed a whole roasted and salted almond into the top before baking (as recommended by the original recipe), this resulted in a pleasant crunch. The second, we grabbed a bunch of slivered almonds and pushed them into the center before baking, this gave a little bit of a crunch and an interesting texture to the tops of the cookies. The third, we took some cocoa nibs and pushed a pinch full into the top of each cookie in a similar manner to the slivered almonds, this offered a nice color contrast and a slight cocoa flavor.
We think we might try these next time with an almond glaze over top. The possibilities are endless!
- ½ pound (approximately 2 cups) almond meal or almond flour
- ⅔ cup granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons almond extract
- 2 large egg whites
- 18-24 whole almonds (optional)
- Preheat oven to 350°F and prepare 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats.
- In a small bowl combine the egg whites and extract with a fork or whisk until slightly foamy.
- Combine almond flour, sugar, and egg white mixture with a wooden spoon until it forms a thick dough.
- Roll dough in 1-inch (or smaller) balls onto prepared cookie sheets and press a whole almond into the top of each.
- Bake for 12-15 minutes or until the edges are firm and slightly golden in color.
- Allow to cool on wire racks before serving.
I have made these cookies a dozen times already and I am so happy. I don’t like to bake but this easy recipe makes me look like a master baker !!!
I also used sliced almonds on top and sprinkled a little powdered sugar!!!
Thanks for sharing
Thanks for sharing your experience Anna! This is still one of our favorites for holidays or bringing to neighbors houses. Yum and so easy!
Ari
I lived in Greece 🇬🇷 for 2 years and have made this from a Greek recipe book 📙 I have which uses ground almonds instead of flour and whole eggs