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1
Preheat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit.
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2
Cover two cookie sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
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3
Place almonds into the bowl of a food processor and process until roughly chopped.
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4
Add the sugar and continue to process until the almonds are finely ground.
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5
Crumble in the almond paste (if using) and continue to process until the paste is pulverized and you have a fairly uniform mixture.
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6
If you are not using almond paste, process until the almonds are fine and crumbly but not powdery, about 1 minute to 90 second.
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7
Add the egg whites, extract, and Amaretto and continue to process until the dough is smooth and begins to form into a ball at the edge of the processor blades.
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8
Remove from the food processor and allow mixture to stand for 20 minutes.
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9
Dropped or piped the paste onto a parchment-lined sheet leaving about 1 1/2 inches of space between each cookie.
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10
For an even prettier cookie, gently roll the dough into a ball.
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11
Bake for 20-25 minute, rotating the cookie sheets top to bottom and side to side during the baking process.
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12
The cookies should be golden on top but should not be over baked as they will have a tendency to harden.
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13
Remove cookies from the oven and allow to cool completely on the parchment paper.
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14
To make removal easier, scrape the cookie off with a table knife or thin spatula to reduce the chance of tearing.
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15
Once cooled the cookies can be stored air tight for up to 4 days or frozen for 1-3 months.
