Baci di Dama: An Italian Almond Cookie Recipe
These are the most charming Italian almond cookie recipe, consisting of two pieces of almond shortbread, encasing a sliver of chocolate.
Equipment
- stand mixer
- baking sheet
- parchment paper
- silicone baking mat
- small cookie scoop
- offset spatula
Ingredients
- 2 cups hazelnut or almond meal
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 2/3 cup granulated sugar
- 4 tbsp cornstarch
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 10 tbsp unsalted butter cubed
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
Instructions
- Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or a silicone cookie mat.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer using a paddle attachment, or in a large bowl using a hand mixer, beat the dry ingredients (nut meal, flour, sugar, cornstarch, and salt) until well combined.
- Combine almond flour mixture with the cubed butter and vanilla extract. Mix until a dough forms with no visible streaks of butter.
- Using a small cookie scoop or small ice cream scoop (2 tsp), portion the cookie dough out onto the cookie sheet. Flatten the bottom of each ball of dough against the baking sheet, so that each cookie is shaped like a semi circle. Set the cookies on the sheet about 1 1/2 inches apart - they will not spread much as they bake. Lightly tap on the top of each cookie to flatten slightly.
- Place baking trays in the fridge and chill cookies at least 1 hour and up to overnight.
- About 15 minutes before you are ready to start baking, preheat the oven to 325 F with the oven rack positioned in the middle of the oven.
- Bake cookies 17 to 18 minutes, until just starting to brown on the top.Remove from oven and cool completely on a wire rack
- While the cookies cool, melt the chocolate chips in a microwave-safe bowl. Heat in 10-15 second intervals, stirring between flashes of heat, until the chocolate chips are about half melted. Continue stirring until the chocolate chips are fully melted.
- Use a piping bag with a 1/8-inch tip, or an offset spatula to spread 1 1/2 tsp of chocolate on the flat portion of half of the cookies. Top with the over half of the cookies and press to adhere.
- Allow to sit until the chocolate has fully set, about 30 minutes.
Notes
If you can keep your hands off them, these cookies keep well at room temperature for several days in an airtight container. These cookies received rave reviews from our families.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!