If you're looking for a sophisticated cookie for a wedding shower or baby shower, an amaretto cookies recipe is a good choice. These amaretto cookies are also great for cookie exchanges and gifts for the new neighbor on your street. Of course, you can always keep them for yourself and enjoy amaretto cookies with a hot cup of coffee

This amaretto cookie recipe does call for the raisins to be soaked overnight in the almond liqueur so plan accordingly. Alternatively, you could prepare them for soaking in the morning and bake the cookies late evening.

Amaretto Cookie Recipe Ingredients

• 1 cup sweet cream butter
• 4 egg yolks
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup almond liqueur
• 1 and 1/2 cup white cornmeal
• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 tsp orange zest
• 1 tsp lemon zest
• 1 cup seedless white raisins
• 1/4 cup finely chopped pine nuts
• powdered sugar for dusting
• Almond slivers, toasted, for garnish

Amaretto Cookies Directions

Place the almond liqueur in a bowl with the raisins. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Melt butter.

Sift together cornmeal, flour, and salt.

In a large mixing bowl, beat together sugar and egg yolk until smooth. Add the cornmeal mixture a small amount at a time making sure to fully incorporate each time.

Add vanilla, butter, lemon zest and orange zest. Mix thoroughly then knead dough until smooth. The dough should not be sticky once you finish kneading.

Drain raisins, reserving 1 tsp of almond liqueur. Knead raisins, pine nuts and 1 tsp of almond liqueur into the dough until evenly mixed.

Roll dough onto a floured surface until 1/4 inch thick. Using cookie cutters or a sharp knife, cut the dough into desired shapes. Place amaretto cookies onto buttered baking sheets.

Bake approximately 20 minutes or until the cookies are golden brown.

While still warm, dust the cookies with powdered sugar and sprinkle with the toasted almond slivers.