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Black Sesame Amaretti Cookies scattered messily on a gray background with a bowl of black sesame seeds.

Black Sesame Amaretti Cookies

With a nutty, roasted black sesame flavor, this Asian-inspired twist on a classic Italian cookie is both surprising and satisfying, not to mention visually stunning with dark gray crackles peeking through a powdered sugar coating. Even better, they're naturally gluten-free AND dairy-free.
Yield: 24-26 cookies
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour

Ingredients

  • 1 ⅔ cups / 150 g almond flour, sifted
  • ½ cup / 50 g finely ground roasted* black sesame seeds, sifted
  • ⅞ cup / 175 g granulated sugar, plus more for rolling
  • scant ¼ teaspoon baking soda
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 2 large / 60-65 g egg whites
  • ¼ teaspoon almond extract, optional
  • confectioners’ sugar, as needed for rolling

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 300 °F.
  • Stack two matching, heavyweight, light to medium colored cookie sheets one inside the other (stacking two cookie sheets together keeps the bottoms of the cookies from getting too brown). Line with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
  • In a food processor or clean spice/coffee grinder, pulse black sesame seeds until finely ground. Sift out the fine flour into a bowl; return larger bits to the food processor to pulse a few more times, then sift again. I had to grind about 75 grams of seeds to get 50 grams of fine flour.
  • Sift almond flour into bowl with black sesame, then whisk in sugar, baking soda, and salt until evenly incorporated.
  • In a mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whisk egg whites until they hold soft peaks.
  • Add dry ingredients to mixing bowl with whipped egg whites; fold a few times to incorporate, then add almond extract and stir until mixture forms a soft, sticky dough. No need to be gentle, we're not making macarons here after all!
  • Use a small cookie scoop to portion dough into 1-inch balls (about 18-20 grams per ball). Roll between your palms, then coat in granulated sugar first, followed by powdered sugar. Dust of any excess by gently rolling it once more between your palms, then arrange on prepared baking sheet, leaving 1 inch of space between cookies. I was able to fit all 2 dozen cookies on one baking sheet, they don't spread very much.
  • Bake for 25 to 30 minutes until tops are crackly and bottoms are just barely golden (if you are NOT using doubled cookie sheets, check after 20 minutes). Remove from oven; let cool a few minutes, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely.
  • Cookies will keep at room temperature in an airtight bag or container, for up to 4 days.

Notes

  • To toast black sesame seeds, spread out sesame seeds in a single layer on a small baking sheet. Bake at 350 degrees F for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring once half way through. Seeds are done when fragrant and a single seed should crumble easily when crushed between your fingers.