Almendrados (Almond-Lemon Macaroons) Recipe (2024)

By Joan Nathan

Almendrados (Almond-Lemon Macaroons) Recipe (1)

Total Time
35 minutes, plus 12 hours’ refrigeration
Rating
5(1,465)
Notes
Read community notes

Almendrados, which date from the 15th century or earlier, are cookies made of ground blanched almonds, lemon zest, egg and sugar. They are left out to dry for a day before baking. (In the recipe given here, I’ve called for 12 hours in the refrigerator.) I have tasted this type of cookie in many guises, and often the dough spreads out too thinly. But with the cookbook author Ana Benarroch de Bensadón’s method it kept its shape perfectly.

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Ingredients

Yield:About 30 cookies

  • 2cups whole blanched almonds, plus about 30 almonds for decoration
  • 1cup granulated sugar
  • 1large egg
  • Finely grated zest of 1 lemon

Ingredient Substitution Guide

Nutritional analysis per serving (30 servings)

91 calories; 6 grams fat; 0 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 3 grams monounsaturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 9 grams carbohydrates; 1 gram dietary fiber; 7 grams sugars; 3 grams protein; 3 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Almendrados (Almond-Lemon Macaroons) Recipe (2)

Preparation

  1. Step

    1

    Using a food processor equipped with a metal blade, grind 2 cups almonds very finely. Add ¾ cup sugar, the egg and lemon zest, and pulse to make a cohesive dough. Transfer to a medium bowl, cover and refrigerate for at least 12 hours.

  2. Step

    2

    Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a nonstick liner. Place remaining ¼ cup sugar in a small bowl.

  3. Step

    3

    Pinching off pieces of dough about the size of a walnut, roll them first into balls, then into sugar. Gently press an almond point first into top of each cookie, so that half the almond can be seen. Arrange cookies one inch apart on baking sheet.

  4. Step

    4

    Bake until cookies have barest hint of color but still remain soft, 8 to 10 minutes. (Cookies must be soft when removed from oven to avoid excess hardening when they cool.) Cool completely, and store in an airtight container.

Ratings

5

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1,465

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Private Notes

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Cooking Notes

KSG

I used Trader Joe's ground almond meal, 1 1/3 cups equals 2 cups blanched almonds no need to grind. This saved time and was still delicious. I doubled the recipe & added grated orange peel and vanilla powder.
I had to bake them for about 12-13 minutes, so keep an eye on them according to your oven. Many of my guests had recipe requests for these treats. Chewy texture like a macaroon & freezes real well. I made the batter two days before I baked them to save time, were perfect!

Donna in CT

1 cup of whole almonds equals approximately 1 1/3 cups of ground almonds (almond meal). 1 cup of ground almonds weighs approximately 5 ounces.

I ground 1 cup of whole almonds to a fine meal in a Cuisinart spice grinder, which took seconds. I then measured the ground almonds by dry cup measure to come to 1 1/3 cups of meal. I then weighed the ground almonds, and they came to a scant 5 ounces. (I think small variations in measures are fine besides inevitable given the antiquity of this recipe)

Cathy

Absolutely delicious. I had to make some changes, and they're still perfect. I used almond meal instead of ground almonds, added a bit of lemon juice in addition to the zest (I might add more next time - I like them a bit more lemony), and only had about 30 minutes to chill the dough (which made them messy to form but they came out perfectly).

They taste almost exactly like pignoli, so I may also try them coated in pine nuts.

Easy and delicious.

SEP

How much almond meal did you use? There isn't a one to one correlation between whole and ground. My rule of thumb has been 2/3 meal to 1 cup almonds, but my cookies came out flat so I don't think it was enough meal.

CurlzNJ

I've been making these for years and just looked at the recipe this morning, as it's one of my go-to desserts for Passover. In the last few years I know I've used almond meal (Trader Joe's sells it) but this time I'm going to do a mix of meal and slivered blanched almonds so I get the nutty pieces in the cookie as well. I also tend to add more lemon zest because I love lemon...

Clk

I know this was asked, but I didn't see an answer, how much almond meal should be used?
Also how far in advance can these be made? Can they be frozen?

Beverly

Have made these several times. Delicious. Added more grated lemon and some lemon juice. I use Almond Meal and used 2 cups. I also rolled them in sanding sugar (as I see in the Times picture).

Sarah

I made these with a bag of raw pistachios from trader Joe's and they were divine - the most gorgeous shade of dusky green. I did not have time to chill for at least 12 hours as the recipe stated - just 6 hours. They were totally fine. A perfect recipe

Carina

One note about the lemon, for those who may not have lemons growing in the yard. Grated lemon rind yields a fine, oily substance that adds perfume to the cookie and a decided lemon flavor. Lemon juice, on the other hand, being a liquid without the oily lemon essence, adds liquid where it's not called for, sourness where it's not wanted, and just a little flavor. Never substitute juice for fresh lemon zest. A good substitute would be lemon oil (different than lemon extract), 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon.

Yolanda

1 cup almonds equals 145 grams2 cups blanched almonds equals 1 1/3 cup

Alicia

I think you've got that turned around ... 1 1/3 cups of whole almonds equal about a cup of ground.

lulu

Substituted 1 and 1/3 cups super-fine almond flour, as someone suggested, and doubled the amount of lemon zest. Baked them for the full 10 minutes. They came out perfectly domed and completely delicious.

susan

Replace: 1 1/3 almond meal equals 2 cups blanched almonds add lemon juice in addition to the peel

Peggy Mason

Baked this at 5,000+ ft in Northern Colorado. Used 2 full C almond flour and baked at 355 for 12 minutes. 10 wasn't quite enough in my oven. They kept their shape and did not spread at all, which is typically a real problem at this altitude. I thought they were too sweet and I do have a sweet tooth - next time will try 1/2 C sugar.

Paul

Cooked a few times. The first batch spread out too much, so after some experimentation, it's best for met to add an extra egg yolk to a double batch (2 eggs plus one yolk), cover the dough with a towel and not plastic wrap while it sits overnight in the fridge, and cook them for 18 minutes in pre-heated oven on insulated baking sheets. Cook times might be shorter if I cooked them a batch at a time, but I just swap racks half-way through, and am done in one set.

Nancy

I've been making these delicious cookies for several years, can't keep ‘em in the jar! Have used the 2 cups blanched whole almonds = 1 1/3 almond flour ratio recommended in many of these Comments with total success. Stumbled across one online site today, then several (!) that swear by 1 cup almonds = 1 1/4 cups flour (so 2 cups = 2 1/2 cups)…. This is a HUGE difference! What is one to think? What am I to do?Advice would be most welcome/reassuring… (of course if it ain't broke, why “fix” it?)

CS

Ok but nothing to write home about in flavor. Almond pistachio one much better

Deborah VC

These are so easy and are fabulous. I reduced the sugar to 1/2 c plus 2 T, used 1 1/3 cups almond flour and added about 1/8 t lemon extract. I used what I had and put a raw pistachio on top. I didn’t roll in sugar but did dust them with powered sugar when done. Baked for about 9 minutes. Chewy and lemony.

Molly H.

Subtle. Delicious. Slowly addictive. Roll in turbinado sugar for a richer flavor.

barbara

1 and 1/3 cup almond meal Double lemon zest

jenevra

These spread out in a way that looks pretty different from the picture and taste very plain. I will not be making them again.

RHB

I fear that everyone using almond meal or flour is missing out on the texture of the processed almond. Time is time though, so I get it.These are excellent. Picked up some bulk organic almonds at Whole Foods and they really brought out the best in this cookie. Made exactly as described.

Gyöngyi

A simple and delicious recipe. I added almond extract.

Lady Glitter Sparkle

2 lemons worth of zest per recipe, definitely use almond flour 1 1/3 c

Sue

Delicious and so easy. I used Bob's almond meal - 1-1/3 cups - and it came out great. I only got 18 cookies, not 30! Baked for about 14 minutes. Next time I will double the lemon zest.

Joy M

Instead of refrigerating for 12 hours, just pop in the freezer for 30 minutes!

lisa

Meh. Don’t make again. Or add more lemon?

jude

250g almond meal200g sugar

almond mom

I made this for a kosher Seder dinner and it came out great! It is easy, especially prepping everything and throwing it in the fridge until baking time. This might be my go to dessert anywhere I can serve nutty desserts!(I used almond flour from Costco and based on the weight of whole almonds, I used 294 grams for 2 cups of almonds. Worked great!)

almond mom

I made this for a kosher Seder dinner and it came out great! It is easy, especially prepping everything and throwing it in the fridge until baking time. This might be my go to dessert anywhere I can serve nutty desserts!I used almond flour from Costco and based on the weight of whole almonds, I used 294 grams for 2 cups of almonds. Worked great! I was generous with lemon zest and squeezed some juice as well.

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Almendrados (Almond-Lemon Macaroons) Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What kind of almond flour is best for macarons? ›

Blanched almond flour is usually preferred over unblanched flour because the skin has been removed and so it does not have the the speckles in the color. It creates a smoother batter texture and a brighter color for the macarons.

Can I use ground almonds instead of almond flour for macarons? ›

Almond Flour Vs.

Almond flour is one of the main ingredients in macarons. Anytime you read a macaron recipe, you will see that almond flour or almond meal will be required. The two are commonly used interchangeably.

Is almond flour the same as ground almonds? ›

As mentioned above, almond flour is made from blanched, peeled almonds that have had their skins removed. It's fairly fine in texture and light in colour, lacking the darker specks from the skins. Ground almonds, on the other hand, are the same thing as almond meal – they're just ground, skin-on, unpeeled almonds.

Which sugar is best for macarons? ›

If you can get your hands on superfine or caster sugar, that's great and will work here wonderfully, but if not regular granulated sugar will work. This sweetens the macarons and is essential for stabilizing our egg whites (meringue).

What to do if you don't have enough almond flour for macarons? ›

Sunflower seed flour is an exceptional substitute for almond flour in macaron recipes. It has a similar consistency, making it an excellent alternative for those with nut allergies or nut-free preferences.

Do I have to sift almond flour for macarons? ›

Sifting your almond flour and confectioners' sugar mixture before adding it to the meringue is especially important to ensure that you do not have lumps in your batter. It is also recommended that you use a fine-mesh sieve and sift more than one time to get rid of those tiny clumps.

How long should macarons sit before eating? ›

Macarons are best served at room temperature, as they will be soft and chewy. If they have been refrigerated or frozen, let them come to room temperature for 10-15 minutes before serving.

Is it cheaper to make your own almond flour? ›

Not only is it simple to make, but homemade almond flour tastes fresher and is usually more cost-effective than storebought.

Why is almond flour so expensive? ›

Why is almond flour so expensive? There are two main reasons buying flour from almonds at the store is so expensive: 1) Because it's made entirely from almonds, it tracks closely to the price of almonds, and 2) Because of lower demand than wheat flour, almond nut flour is more expensive than other flour.

What is another name for almond flour? ›

Other names for almond flour are powdered almonds, almond meal, and almond powder. (Some say that only blanched almonds are used for what is called almond flour, but I've seen unblanched almond “flour” listed as such, so that's not always the case.)

How to make almond flour for macarons? ›

Instructions
  1. Add one cup of the blanched almonds to your food processor.
  2. Process for about 1 minute, then check how coarse the flour is.
  3. Pulse for another 30-seconds, if needed so that the majority of the flour is fine.
  4. Put the almond flour through a fine mesh strainer.
Aug 28, 2020

How many almonds make 1 cup of almond flour? ›

Almonds to Almond Flour conversion

1.5 cups almonds yield 2 cups plus one tablespoon of almond flour. To make 1 cup of flour , use 3/4 cup almonds.

Do you have to peel almonds for almond flour? ›

Almond meal is made by processing (pulverizing) raw and unsalted almonds with their skins on, whereas almond flour is made by processing blanched almonds (almonds with their skins removed). Based on my years of experience of baking with almond flour, I found out that most of the time they can be used interchangeably.

Which is healthier, blanched or unblanched almond flour? ›

Blanched almond flour is lighter and is much better for creating pastries. Because the almonds are white in color (having had the skin removed), the ground up flour will not make a difference to the appearance of your dish. Blanched almond flour also carries the same nutritional benefits as unblanched almond flour.

What does oily almond flour do to macarons? ›

The quality of almond flour directly affects the quality of your macarons. And oily almond flour is the main culprit for soft, fragile macaron shells with thin wrinkly tops. To prevent this issue, be sure to use nice and fluffy almond flour that is not heavy and oily.

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