Biscotti di Mandorla
- Suzanne Uttaro Samuels
- Oct 9
- 2 min read
(Sicilian Almond Cookies)
About This Recipe
In Seeds of the Pomegranate, Mimi might have found these Biscotti di Mandorla (Sicilian Almond Cookies) waiting for her at breakfast at Binvinutu or displayed in a Palermo pasticceria. She learned to make them at her Nonna’s side — a recipe Nonna once carried home from the convent kitchen in Agrigento. Soft and chewy inside, lightly crisp outside, and crowned with a cherry or almond, these cookies remain a Sicilian favorite. Best of all, they’re easy: just 20 minutes from start to oven, and they stay chewy for days (or can be frozen for longer).
Prep time: 15 minutes
Bake time: 12–15 minutes
Total time: About 20 minutes from start to oven
Serves: ~24 cookies
Special equipment: Baking sheet, parchment paper
Ingredients:
2 cups almond flour
1 cup sugar
2 egg whites, lightly beaten
Zest of 1 lemon or orange
½ teaspoon almond extract (optional)
Whole almonds, candied cherries, or pine nuts for topping
Powdered sugar, for rolling
Instructions:
Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a bowl, mix together almond flour, sugar, zest, and almond extract (if using).
Add the egg whites and stir until the dough is sticky but holds together.
Scoop small portions of dough, roll into balls, and coat lightly in powdered sugar. Place on a baking sheet.
Press a whole almond, candied cherry, or a few pine nuts into the center of each cookie.
Bake for 12–15 minutes, until lightly golden at the edges but still soft inside.
Cool on the baking sheet — they will firm up as they sit.
Notes & Serving
These cookies stay chewy for several days in an airtight container.
They also freeze beautifully — a batch made today can be enjoyed weeks later.
In Sicily, Biscotti di Mandorla are a beloved treat for feast days, weddings, and Sunday tables alike — as likely to appear in convent kitchens as in elegant pasticcerie.
These cookies were such a hit when I first shared them with readers of Seeds of the Pomegranate, vanishing from the platter almost instantly.
Perfect with morning espresso, afternoon tea, or a late-night glass of vin santo.
