Amygdalota are almond cookies of Greek origin. With almond, egg white, and sugar as the main ingredients, these chewy treats are quick and easy to put together, not to mention packed with protein. My daughter Lyra loves these and requested me to make them. This particular version that I made especially for Lyra is small, round, bite-size for a child, and contain pumpkin seeds that are easier to eat for a child than the whole almond in my other amygdalota recipe. I also used less sugar because, you know, daddy wants to make sure these treats are healthy.
Recipe
- The three main ingredients are: 1 cup almond flour, 1/6 cup sugar, 1 egg white whipped. I also add 1 tsp Chinese almond powder to give it extra fragrant taste. Chinese “almonds” (杏仁) are actually apricot kernels and is used in almond tofu, almond tea, and herbal soups, and other Chinese dishes. The taste is similar to almond but much stronger. Like a lot of other nuts, apricot kernels are poisonous when eaten raw, so do not use raw apricot kernels unless you know how to prepare them for safe consumption! You can find the ready-to-eat powder form at the Asian grocery store. A small amount will go a long way, thus 1 tsp is all you need for our recipe. If you do not have Chinese almond powder, the closest alternative would be 1/4 tsp almond extract. I also like to add a dash of salt for slight savoriness.
- Mix all the above.
- Shape into a small marble-sized ball. Press 3 shelled pumpkin seeds into it. Bake at 350F for no more than 15 minutes. Texture should be soft and chewy.