These soft, chewy amaretti are my go-to edible gift at Christmas — beautifully festive, naturally gluten-free, and incredibly simple to make. With chocolate, orange zest, and cranberries, they offer all the flavours of the season without the heaviness of traditional Christmas baking. If you’re looking for something thoughtful and homemade (especially for those who aren’t fans of Christmas mince pies), these will be a hit.
I first came across the original amaretti recipe in a book I bought from Bluebells Cakery — a beautiful little bakery I discovered near my childhood home during a challenging time in our family’s life. When Dad was unwell, I would fly up from Dunedin, and those quiet moments in that tiny shop — coffee in hand, a sweet treat on a plate — felt like a pause when everything else was shifting. It quickly became my favourite place in town.
Ironically, this recipe never stood out on the page. It wasn’t until a few year later, while working in an Italian restaurant in Dunedin, that I was asked to make a festive gift for clients. The response was overwhelming — they were loved for their texture, their subtle Christmas flavours, and for being something a little different.
Since then, these amaretti have become part of my own Christmas rhythm — a batch for friends, a bag for neighbours, a tin for family gatherings. And now, my daughter has begun making them too. There’s something special about a recipe that moves through the generations not because it was planned, but because it was shared, enjoyed, gifted — and asked for again.
These amaretti are simple, elegant, and make a thoughtful gift — especially for those who prefer something sweet that isn’t a Christmas mince pie. They’re proof that tradition doesn’t always have to be old — sometimes it begins with a single bake and the people we share it with.
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