This vegan version of the classic amaretti cookie makes a perfect holiday gift for vegans and non-vegans alike.
The non-vegan version of these cookies is made with egg whites. Here, I use aquafaba instead. Aquafaba, or simply known as chickpea water, is the water left behind from cooking chickpeas and is the latest ingredient gaining popularity within the vegan world as an egg replacement. If you don’t want to cook chickpeas, then you may use the water from a can of canned chickpeas but be sure to use a sodium-free version.
Don’t worry, the chickpea flavour will not carry into the cookies. I promise these will taste very much like the classic egg-white version. Even non-vegans will switch over to this recipe… no more needing to find a good use for left-over egg yolks.
Vegan Amaretti Cookies
(yields 24 cookies)
- 150 g (about 1 1/2 cups) almond meal (I used whole almond meal for the rustic look, you may certainly use white almond meal)
- 94 g (about 1/2 cup) white sugar (raw, unrefined sugar works too)
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 56 g (about 1/4 cup) aquafaba or chickpea water (minus 1 tbsp if using Amaretto liquor)
- 1 tbsp Amaretto liquor (optional)
- icing sugar for decoration (optional, as you can see in the photos, I chose not to use)
- Grease cookie sheet or line with parchment paper.
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Mix all the dry ingredients together.
- Add chickpea water and liquor |(if using) to the dry mixture and mix until you have a homogeneous mixture (manually using a spoon, no blender required here and no need to whip up the aquafaba beforehand). The final mixture will be slightly sticky (or mostly sticky depending on your tolerance for handling such things).
- Roll mixture between palms of hands into balls (3/4 inch or 2 cm). (Yes, it is normal that the mixture will stick to your hands… halfway, you may want to use a spoon to spoon off mixture stuck to your hands or simply just wash your hands and continue. You can also try greasing palms with oil to see if that helps.)
- If using icing sugar, roll each ball in icing sugar. Place each ball on the cookie sheet and slightly flatten by pressing down gently with two fingers.
- Bake for 12-15 minutes or until set at the edges.
- Transfer to cooling rack and cool completely before storing in an airtight container for up to one week.
You may also like the hazelnut version of these cookies.
Hazelnut Vegan Cookies (Brutti ma Buoni) using Aquafaba
conifères & feuillus 
They look yummy. Now I’m hungry.
Thank you so much! They are easy to make!
Sound and looks like something I need right now. 😊🙏 Your photography is absolutely amazing. ❤
The pictures and the content its just lovely, such a cool blog!
sooo yum definetly going to try this recipe for our blog. Loving all your posts!
Thank you!
Oh my gosh these look so delicious! 😊 I hope to make them at some pont!
Thanks… they are so easy to make!
Beautiful Photos!!
Thank you so much!
aaaand now I’m hungry >.<
This looks amazing! I will have to test this recipe out!
I’m totally with you – I’m not a vegan (or even a vegetarian), but that doesn’t mean that I don’t like to embrace vegan cooking! While I respect those who are going full-on vegan as a lifestyle, almost anybody can benefit from bringing more plant-based food into their repertoire. I’m a big fan of using aquafaba, and I’ve had some wonderful fun experimenting with it so far, and I think it’s brilliant here. I also really like the rustic/coarse almonds and the texture they create. Great work!
Thank you! You always give the most encouraging comments! I look forward to seeing your aquafaba recipes… I know how creative you are!
I do have one up already, though it’s actually a meat one! If you search for chicken tsukune on Diversivore you’ll see it! I had to make a good meatball while avoiding bread and eggs (a friend’s allergies). It was a smashing success!
Oh sounds great… I will check it out!
These look delicious ! The photos make everything feel so cozy
Thank you!
What a beautiful holiday recipe! I’ve never tried aquafaba but this post has inspired me. I’ve just pinned this for future reference — I’ll report back with the results! 🙂
Thank you Justine! Do give them a try!
As a vegan, these make me incredibly excited!! Your photos are gorgeous too. I love stacking my baked goods for photos 😉
Thank you and hats off to you my vegan friend! Aquafaba must not be new to you? I would love to see more recipes with it… I’m almost always cooking chickpeas and so I almost always have the water readily available.
Beautiful cookies and presentation. I love giving home made gifts for Christmas and these are lovely!
Thank you! I’m glad that there are others who enjoy the same joy as I do! Cheers!
Beautiful pictures Annika. And amaretti cookies? Yummy!
Thanks Rini!
It’s so wonderful that you’ve taken the time to learn how to accommodate all those you care for. This truffle would be a great addition to a holiday sweets tray.
That’s so lovely that you take the time to learn how to accommodate everyone you care about, no matter what their diet. Your truffle would be a wonderful addition to a holiday sweets tray.
Thank you so much Teresa! When my son was diagnosed with a few food allergies over ten years ago, I found it tough at the beginning but with time, I realized that it’s fairly easy to work with different dietary requirements. This will be my first year giving them out so I do hope they will be well received!
Another recipe I can use chickpea water in! I have until now only used it to make vegan meringues at work..can’t wait to try these out!
Oh I would love to see your meringues! I have never had any luck with them using aquafaba. Cheers!
What a great idea to use the chickpea water! Wow. Great recipe.
Thanks! The use of chickpea water as an egg replacement is quite popular within the vegan world. But vegan or not, it works so well, why not use it instead.
This looks great. I just tried aquafaba for the first time in a salad dressing but this looks great! Thanks for sharing 🙂
Thank you… Hope you get a chance to try out this recipe!
great post
Thank you!
Me too, I’m not vegan but I bake quite often vegan treats and cook vegan meals. At least once a week. But do you now that in my vegan baking I have never tried aquafaba? This is my time to try, plus, i love amaretti cookies, they’re Italian, how couldn’t I? 😉 Beautiful gift idea!
Aquafaba was new to me too until earlier this year.. now that I know about it, I keep experimenting with it. I love amaretti cookies as well!
These look so pretty and such a thoughtful gift idea, I’m all for the DIY gifts 🙂
and I really like the warmth and coziness your photos convey 🙂
Thank you dear!
Such a clever idea – and a beautiful gift.
Thank you. If you ever have some chickpea water left behind after cooking…. you know what you can make!