Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F and line two rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper. Set aside.
Transfer the almonds to the work bowl of a food processor and process until finely ground, about 1 minute. Add the salt and sugar and process for an additional 30 seconds. Add the egg whites and almond extract and process until a soft dough forms, scraping down the sides of the work bowl as necessary. If the dough seems dry add a teaspoon of water and process again. Repeat until you have a workable dough.
Using damp hands, roll the dough into 1 inch balls and place on one of the prepared baking sheets leaving about an inch of space between the balls of dough (you should get about 12 cookies on each sheet).
Bake one sheet of cookies at a time until they are just beginning to brown, about 21 to 23 minutes. Using a metal spatula, transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely before serving. Repeat with the remaining dough. If you want to bake two sheets at the same time, be sure to rotate the baking sheets halfway through.
Be sure to line your baking sheets with parchment paper or the cookies will stick to the pan.
Using damp hands to roll the dough will create a smooth and shiny surface on the baked cookies.
Variations:
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- Lemon: Omit the almond extract and add ½ teaspoon of lemon extract and 1 teaspoon of lemon zest instead. Proceed with the recipe a directed.
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- Chocolate: Add a ¼ cup of unsweetened cocoa powder (preferably Dutch process) to the ground almonds along with the sugar and salt. Proceed with the recipe as directed.
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- Coconut: Add a ½ cup of sweetened shredded to the ground almonds along with the sugar and salt. Proceed with the recipe as directed.
Calories: 129kcal | Carbohydrates: 15g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 0.003g | Sodium: 55mg | Potassium: 106mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 13g | Vitamin A: 0.1IU | Calcium: 37mg | Iron: 1mg