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Vegan Chocolate Amaretti Cookies

Updated: March 6, 2022

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Christmas is coming and who doesn't enjoy a delicious cookie? These Vegan Christmas cookies are easy to bake and are the perfect homemade Christmas gift. #christmascookies #vegan #glutenfree #veganrecipes #christmasrecipes #cookierecipes #homemadechristmasgifts

These irresistible gluten-free, vegan chocolate amaretti cookies are incredibly easy to make. Crunchy on the outside, soft and crumbly on the inside, they are the perfect homemade cookies for Christmas!

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Top view of vegan chocolate amaretti

Vegan Amaretti Cookies: Made With Chocolate And Delicious!

The other day I was thinking about what homemade Christmas gifts I could make this year, and a batch of delicious homemade cookies came to mind!

There is nothing more irresistible than the smell of a warm batch of cookies coming out of the oven on these cold days!

As I have been experimenting with vegan baking lately, I wanted to make a cookie that was:

  • Super easy to make
  • It looked amazing to add to any Christmas cookie box
  • Delicious to eat

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close up of vegan amaretti

And I remembered my old chewy amaretti recipe!

Every time I brought these amaretti over to a friend’s house for dinner, they would ask me for the recipe.

But I had a couple of challenges:

  • This recipe typically uses 2 egg whites.
  • I wanted to make it a bit more special for Christmas!
top view of vegan amaretti with chocolate

I decided to use flax eggs as a substitute for egg whites to make it vegan!

What is a flax egg?

A flax egg is a vegan egg substitute that is made up of ground flax seeds and water. It’s 100% natural, vegan, and gluten-free.

Flax seeds are very nutritious seeds with some exceptional properties:

  • They are very high in fiber
  • They aid with digestion
  • Rich in omega-3

How Do I make a Flax Egg?

To make a flax egg, mix one tablespoon of ground flaxseeds with three tablespoons of water. Mix and let sit for 10 minutes to thicken. It’s that simple!

The mixture will thicken and get jelly-like (like an egg) – and you have your flax egg!

This egg substitute is excellent to bind ingredients, but it will not help as a rising agent as eggs do.

So make sure your recipe uses another rising agent, like baking powder.

vegan chocolate amaretti

And what about some chocolate?

And to make these more memorable for Christmas, there is nothing better than transforming them into chocolate amaretti! A bit of chocolate makes everything unique.

Plus, a touch of powder sugar coating just makes these cookies look like they are covered in snow!

Perfect for the festive season!

A pile of chocolate amaretti on a table

Ingredients you’ll need

  • Almond flour: This is the base of the amaretti. Make sure to use fine flour (see notes below for extra info).
  • Coconut sugar: I updated this recipe and made a batch with coconut sugar, and they came out delicious. But I’ve been successful with raw cane sugar too. And if you only happen to have cater sugar, yes, that’s good as well! 
  • Cocoa powder: For that extra chocolaty flavor.
  • Ground flax seeds: To make out flax eggs!
  • Icing sugar: Also known as powdered sugar or confectioners sugar. You’ll just need a tiny bit!
  • Baking powder: To give a bit of rising power to the cookies.

A couple of extra notes

Should I use almond flour or almond meal?

Both almond flour and almond meal are made from ground almonds, though they have two subtle differences that set them apart.

– Almond flour is typically made from blanched almonds, which have had the skins removed, while almond meal still has the skins.
– Almond flour is ground more finely than almond meal, which typically has a more coarse grind.

For this recipe, I used almond flour. You can also get great results using almond meal (made from whole ground almonds), although the amaretti texture might be a bit rougher.  
Do not attempt this recipe with any other type of flour, or it won’t work!

What sugar is best?

I used coconut sugar for this recipe as it has a caramel-like flavor that works incredibly well with the chocolate, and it’s slightly healthier than refined white sugar. You can also use raw cane sugar. But in the past, I used caster sugar, and that works well too! 

Top view of vegan amaretti on a serving board

Why I love these vegan chocolate amaretti cookies

  • They are soft, fudgy, and delicious
  • So easy to make!
  • Made with wholesome, natural ingredients
  • Naturally vegan and gluten-free

Other Christmas cookie ideas you’ll love

  • Chocolate Hazelnut Cookies
  • Hazelnut Gingerbread Man Sandwich Cookies
  • Almond Crescent Cookies
  • Almond Thumbprint Cookies
  • Bounty Balls

And for more vegan Christmas recipes, check out my irresistible Christmas recipe collection , or check out these 21 Healthy Christmas Cookies!

If you make this vegan amaretti cookies recipe, please leave a comment and a rating and let me know how much you liked it!

Side view of a stack of vegan chocolate amaretti
5 from 12 votes
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Vegan Chocolate Amaretti

The perfect homemade cookies for Christmas! These irresistible vegan, gluten-free chocolate amaretti are super easy to make and taste delicious! 
Prep Time15 mins
Cook Time10 mins
Total Time25 mins
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: Gluten-Free, Vegan
Servings: 15 cookies
Calories: 118kcal
Author: Sara @ Gathering Dreams

Ingredients

  • 2 cups almond flour - (note 1)
  • 1/2 cup coconut sugar - (note 3)
  • 3 tablespoons cocoa powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 4 tablespoons icing sugar - for coating

2 flax eggs

  • 2 tablespoons ground flax seeds - (note 5 and 6)
  • 6 tablespoons water

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 320F (160C) and line a baking tray with greaseproof paper.
  • Make the flax eggs: add the ground flax seeds and water to a small bowl and stir. Let it rest for 5-10 minutes to thicken (see notes 5 and 6).
  • In a bowl, mix all the dry ingredients: ground almond flour, baking powder, sugar, and cocoa powder, then add the flax eggs.
  • Stir together until combined. It might look like you need to add more water but keep mixing, and if necessary, use your hands. The mixture needs to become like a thick paste that you can roll into sticky balls in your hands.
  • Using a tablespoon, scoop out a bit of a mixture and roll into a ball. Toss each ball into the icing sugar, coating entirely.
  • Place each ball onto the baking tray and gently press it with the palm of your hand to squash it down slightly. Repeat with the remaining dough (you should be able to make 15 cookies).
  • Bake for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven (note 4) and let them cool down before serving.

Notes

Note 1: I used almond flour for this recipe, made with grounded blanched almonds (without skin). You can also get great results using almond meal (made from whole ground almonds), although the texture might be a bit rougher (but still incredibly delicious!).  
Note 2: Do not attempt this recipe with standard flour or any other flour, or it won’t work.
Note 3: I used coconut sugar, but I tested this recipe with raw cane sugar, brown sugar, and caster sugar, and it’s always delicious.
Note 4: When you remove the cookies from the oven, they will be pretty soft. Don’t be tempted to cook them for longer! They will harden while they cool down.
Note 5: If you don’t have flax seeds handy, you can also use chia seeds as a substitute. Remember to grind the chia seeds before adding water.
Note 6: If you don’t want to make this recipe vegan but only gluten-free, you can use 2 eggs white instead of flax eggs.
How to store: You can store these cookies in an air-tight container at room temperature for up to 1 week!
*Nutrition information is a rough estimate per cookie.

Nutrition

Calories: 118kcal | Carbohydrates: 11g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 8g | Sugar: 6g

Did you make this recipe? Tag @gatheringdreams on Instagram. I want to see it!

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  1. KatL says

    January 8, 2023

    5 stars
    Made these tonight with a stevia sugar substitute and they are incredible. Thank you for the recipe!

    Reply
    • Sara @ Gathering Dreams says

      January 9, 2023

      So happy you liked them, Kat 🙂

      Reply
  2. Ines Asher says

    July 16, 2022

    5 stars
    I made them and i looooove them.
    I used dried dates “sugar” instead icing sugar.

    Reply
    • Sara @ Gathering Dreams says

      July 17, 2022

      Using dried date sugar is such a good idea! 🙂
      Thanks, Ines!

      Reply
  3. Tamy says

    December 21, 2021

    Hi. I would like to try this recipe, and was wandering if you tried something else instead of flax seed? Like applesauce or banana? Does it work? Thank you.

    Reply
    • Sara @ Gathering Dreams says

      January 2, 2022

      Hey Tamy,
      Both will work well, but banana will give them a strong flavor. Applesauce will be more subtle and complement the amaretti flavor better.

      Reply
  4. Dina says

    December 11, 2021

    Would it work to add peppermint extract to these to make them chocolate-peppermint? Would be a fun Christmas flavor but would they bake differently?

    Reply
    • Sara @ Gathering Dreams says

      December 12, 2021

      Hey Dina,
      I think it’ll work very well if you like the chocolate-peppermint combination. I don’t think it’ll cause any issue as you’ll need a tiny amount of extracr.

      Reply
  5. Laurens Meijer says

    November 29, 2021

    5 stars
    The cookies are great!
    I made a second batch right after the first, but ran out of almond flour, but replaced it with earth almond (also called ‘yellow nutsedge’ or ‘tiger nut’) flour, wich worked great and actually improved the cookies I’d say.

    Reply
    • Sara @ Gathering Dreams says

      November 29, 2021

      Oh good to know, Laurens! I must try that then 🙂

      Reply
  6. Nicole says

    July 21, 2021

    5 stars
    So good!!

    Reply
    • Sara @ Gathering Dreams says

      August 10, 2021

      Thanks so much, Nicole 😁

      Reply
  7. Kat says

    December 25, 2020

    5 stars
    Just made them for Christmas, they are so pretty and insanely delicious. Thank you, this goes to my favourites and will make them again!

    Reply
    • Sara @ Gathering Dreams says

      December 31, 2020

      Thank you, Kat! So happy you liked them 🙂

      Reply
  8. Madhura Deshpande says

    December 23, 2020

    5 stars
    Hi there, I made these and they were just delicious! Such a simple recipe but such a stunning outcome! Thank you very much for posting and sharing.

    I’m curious: have you ever tried making a snickerdoodle version of these? I’d like to try but would love any tips/best practices if you have already made some.

    Thanks again, and Merry Christmas!

    Best.

    Reply
    • Sara @ Gathering Dreams says

      December 31, 2020

      I am so glad you liked these, Madhura. They are my favorite too!
      I have not tried to make a snickerdoodle version yet, but it’s such a nice idea!
      I hope you had a great Christmas 🙂

      Reply
  9. Cheryl says

    December 15, 2020

    Made this with regular flour, and almond essence. Came out flat, chewy and tasted raw. Not sure what went wrong. Had to throw it away.

    Reply
    • Sara @ Gathering Dreams says

      December 16, 2020

      Hey Cheryl,
      Only almond flour or almond meal will work for this recipe as I mention in both the post and recipe!
      Any other flour will make them either dry and hard or chewy and uncooked. You should try them and follow the recipe! they are incredibly delicious!

      Reply
  10. Rachel Occomore says

    November 25, 2020

    Hello
    Is there any way of freezing these cookies?
    Many thanks

    Reply
    • Sara @ Gathering Dreams says

      November 25, 2020

      Hey Rachel,
      Yes, you can freeze them. Just make sure you freeze them in a single layer (on a tray for example). Once they’re frozen, you can transfer them to a bag or an airtight container. Defrost them overnight, ideally covered up or they will dry out too much.

      Reply
      • Lucy says

        November 29, 2020

        Would you dust them and freeze them? Or thaw them and dust them then?

        Reply
        • Sara @ Gathering Dreams says

          November 29, 2020

          I would dust them first!

          Reply
  11. Emma C says

    November 10, 2020

    5 stars
    I was looking for something to make for Christmas goodie bags and came across these! Tried out a batch and not only are these quick and easy to make, they are a perfect fluffy texture and totally addicting. They’re tasty and not too sweet, I may add a little almond extract or amaretto in the future for special treat, I’m definitely planning on making more of these this holiday season!

    Do you know if they would still turn out perfectly moist and fluffy if I multiplied the recipe to make a larger batch? Not sure how the flax seed/baking power reaction would factor into that.

    Thanks for sharing your delicious gf/v recipe! 🙂

    Reply
    • Sara @ Gathering Dreams says

      November 10, 2020

      Hey Emma,

      So glad you like these cookies! I love them too 🙂
      There should be no problem to multiply the recipe. They don’t raise much and most of the fluffiness is down to the almond meal. I made a double batch in the past and they turned out perfect!

      Let me know how it goes!

      Reply
  12. James Percival Treloar says

    June 14, 2020

    5 stars
    We really enjoy these cookies. We omit the icing sugar and they’re perfectly sweet enough. I really love the texture, slight crunch and chewiness inside. The only problem with them is that they get eaten too quickly.

    Thanks for sharing this recipe.

    Reply
    • Sara @ Gathering Dreams says

      June 16, 2020

      Thanks so much James!
      They are some of my favorite cookies too! I agree they are sweet enough without icing sugar, but the icing sugar makes them very pretty 🙂
      And yes, I don’t make them too often because they don’t last long in this house lol!

      Reply
  13. Debra Myers says

    December 18, 2019

    5 stars
    Delicious cookies, like “chocolate crinkles” – the texture was wonderful. I used almond flour (not meal) and Valrhona powdered chocolate. I baked a batch according to instructions 300F for 10 minutes but the cookie was still grainy from the sugar not melting. It went back in for 5 additional minutes and turned out perfect, soft in the middle. I may add a tsp of vanilla or a combo of vanilla & almond extract next time.

    Reply
    • Sara @ Gathering Dreams says

      December 18, 2019

      Thank you Debra for the comments. I am so glad you loved the cookies. I used caster sugar for the recipe which melts faster in the oven and that probably made a difference. I updated the recipe to mention that! Thanks for pointing that out 🙂
      Glad it turned out delicious anyway! Have a wonderful holiday!

      Reply
  14. Nicole Moss Underwood says

    December 15, 2019

    5 stars
    Fantastic! The best vegan cookie recipe I’ve tried so far. Delicious tasting, tender, just the right amount of sweetness. Really happy with these!

    Reply
    • Sara @ Gathering Dreams says

      December 18, 2019

      I am so glad you liked them, Nicole! 🙂 It makes me so happy!

      Reply
  15. Paige Smith says

    December 14, 2019

    One problem I had with this recipe. You call for almond meal, but they in the instructions state almond flour. From my understanding they are different ingredients, and maybe are the reason my cookies are so flat and not plump like in the picture?

    Reply
    • Sara @ Gathering Dreams says

      December 14, 2019

      Hey Page,
      Almond meal and almond flour are almost identical. Almond meal is made from whole almonds, skin included. Whereas almond flour is made from blanched almonds (almonds with the skin removed). For this recipe you can use both and it shouldn’t make any difference.
      The ones in the pictures are made with almond flour but I used both successfully. If they were flatter than the pictures they were probably a bit too wet. Different types of flour can absorb water more or less. Try adding a bit more flour next time if you use the same brand!

      Reply
  16. Kay says

    September 7, 2019

    Hi I was just wondering if when the cookies cool down does the icing sugar casting still dry on the biscuits or do you vita them when still little warm, how long before Xmas could you make and store please
    Thanks in advance

    Reply
    • Sara @ Gathering Dreams says

      September 9, 2019

      Hi Kay, yes the icing sugar will dry on the cookies. You can make these cookies up to one week before Christmas but you need to keep them in an airtight container or they will dry out.

      Reply
  17. Lorraine says

    July 16, 2019

    I made this recipe today but did not use the icing sugar coating.
    It was easy and delicious and will make it again. Thank you so much for this recipe it will become a favorite I am sure.

    Reply
    • Sara @ Gathering Dreams says

      July 18, 2019

      Glad you liked it, Lorraine! It’s one of my favorite recipes too…and now that you’ve reminded me…I haven’t made it in a while! (Off she goes to buy the ingredients…! lol)

      Reply
  18. Jen says

    December 15, 2018

    5 stars
    These are delicious. i just made a batch to take to church tomorrow to offer a gluten free, egg free, dairy free cookie. A word of caution however. Your blog opens with reference to giving cookies as a gift. For non-vegan readers looking to make a vegan treat for a gift, they will need to purchase vegan sugars. Traditionally, sugar is processed with bone ash and thus is not vegan.

    Reply
    • Sara @ Gathering Dreams says

      December 17, 2018

      Thank you, Jen!
      And thanks for pointing out the comment about sugar! I didn’t know bone char can be used to bleach cane sugar! Thanks for making look into it! Now I know to look for brands that use alternative methods to do that!

      Reply
  19. Heather says

    November 19, 2018

    Can you make these with something OTHEr than almonds? I am allergic!

    Reply
    • Sara @ Gathering Dreams says

      November 19, 2018

      Hi Heather,
      You can try to use coconut flour, if you like the flavor!

      Reply
      • A.R says

        August 11, 2019

        I tried making this recipe and was wondering why mine wasnt matching the description of yours. But then I read the notes and realized I only needed the whites of the eggs.

        Reply
        • Sara @ Gathering Dreams says

          August 12, 2019

          You should try it again A.R.! It’s really delicious!

          Reply
      • Christina says

        December 6, 2020

        I tried coconut flour and it doesn’t work! It just stays dry. FYI.

        Reply
        • Sara @ Gathering Dreams says

          December 10, 2020

          Yes, coconut flour isn’t as moist as almond flour. Thanks for letting us know 🙂

          Reply
    • laurel says

      December 17, 2018

      5 stars
      you might try oat flour it should keep the cookies just as moist and also has the nice texture almond flour does.

      Reply
      • Sara @ Gathering Dreams says

        December 18, 2018

        That’s a great idea, Laurel 🙂

        Reply

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