Cocoa and Almond Diamonds
- Vegetarian
- Difficulty: Easy
- Prep time: 15 min
- Cook time: 20 min
- Makes: 60 pieces
- Cost: Low
- Note + 2 and a half hours of resting time
PRESENTATION
Cocoa and almond diamonds. They’re the kind of treat that makes any day feel a little more special. Really. These classic cocoa almond cookies come straight out of Italian pastry traditions—where folks know how to turn simple ingredients into something tender and just a tad crispy around the edges. Each bite? A nice mix of chocolate almond cookies flavor with a touch of cinnamon and sugar. So... So cozy.
Using almond flour in the dough does wonders. It not only brings out a deep nutty taste but also creates that friable texture Italians just love in their best cookies. Across Italy, bakers use this dough technique to get that contrast between a soft bite and a golden finish. And look, these little cookies are perfect with morning coffee or afternoon tea—shared with friends and family around the table. Which is great.
What sets these almond cocoa bars apart from other almond flour cookies? It's the attention to detail. The dough is shaped into diamonds—a style you’ll see in pastry shops all over Italy. Sometimes in different flavors or with powdered sugar dusting instead of cinnamon. Really, what makes these special is how the homemade chocolate almond cookies keep that gentle almond taste while still giving you a moist, chocolatey finish. It’s easy to see why people love this kind of easy almond cookie recipe. It’s just the right mix of simple and fancy, without being too heavy or too sweet.
Plus, the way the cinnamon sugar on top melts into the surface? Seriously good. It makes each bite a bit sweet and a bit crunchy. Whether you’re after gluten-free almond cookies or just a fresh idea for cocoa powder desserts, these cookies bring out that Italian knack for making food that’s all about sharing, comfort, and those little moments of indulgence. So, next time you want something special but not too fussy, these almond chocolate treats are perfect. They offer a taste of Italy’s love for simple yet flavorful creations. Pretty much.
INGREDIENTS
- Ingredients for 60 cookies
- Butter 0.9 cup (200 g) - cold
- Type 00 flour 2 cups (250 g)
- Almond flour 1 ¾ cup (170 g)
- Unsweetened cocoa powder 4 tbsp (20 g)
- Powdered sugar 1 ½ cup (180 g)
- Eggs 2 oz (55 g) - (1 whole)
- for dusting
- Sugar 0.35 cup (70 g)
- Cinnamon powder ½ tsp
How to prepare Cocoa and Almond Diamonds
To prepare the cocoa and almond diamonds, start by adding the cold butter cut into pieces and 1 ¾ cups of all-purpose flour into a mixer 1. Blend until you get a sandy dough 2 and set it aside in a large bowl. Take another small bowl to mix the powdered sugar and almond flour 3,
then sift them together into the bowl where you collected the sandy mixture of butter and flour 4, mixing the ingredients quickly with your hands 5. Then add the eggs 6 and continue kneading quickly with your hands to obtain a smooth and homogeneous dough.
Divide the dough into two different small bowls 7: in one add the cocoa powder 8 and start kneading with your hands 9 until you get a homogeneous dough ball.
In the other, add the remaining 2 tbsps of all-purpose flour 10 and knead it into the dough with your hands 11 until you obtain a smooth and homogeneous dough ball 12.
At this point, you will have two dough balls: wrap each in transparent food wrap 13 and refrigerate for at least 2.5 hours. After the resting time, divide each dough ball into two equal parts and start creating a long roll using your hands 14, until forming a cylinder of about 1 ¼ inches in diameter. Repeat the operation with all 3 remaining dough balls 15.
Now take a cocoa cylinder and a plain flour cylinder and place them next to each other: intertwine them by overlapping one roll on the other 16 until you reach the end of the rolls 17: roll the two-color roll obtained, pressing and stretching it slightly with your hands to obtain a new roll about 1 ¼ inches in diameter 18. Repeat the operation with the other two rolls.
Brush the obtained rolls with a little room temperature water 19. Then in a small bowl, combine the cinnamon with the sugar 20 and mix the ingredients 21.
Sprinkle the rolls with the sugar and cinnamon mix obtained 22 and cut the cylinders into slices of ¼ inch thick 23 which you will place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake in a preheated static oven at 320°F for 20 minutes (for these cookies, we do not recommend using a convection oven or at most suggest trying the baking of a few pieces as a first batch to check the time and temperature for subsequent ones). Once baked, remove your cocoa and almond diamonds from the oven 24, let them cool slightly, and enjoy!