These days social feeds are full of Easter dessert recipes and I couldn’t not share at least one with you, so I thought of something simple and easy to make: Colombine in the Air Fryer.
Scented with citrus and with a delicate almond aroma, these colombine are perfect to enjoy with a cup of tea or to bring to the table during the Easter days.
These colombine remain soft, fluffy and slightly golden and you can bake them in the Air Fryer, as I did, or in a conventional oven; in any case the result will always be golden and fragrant.
You can decide the size of the cookies yourself — I made 20 using pieces of dough of about 1 oz (30 g) each, but you can make colombine smaller or larger according to your preferences.
As for flavors, you can personalize them to your taste: in addition to the grated lemon zest you can also use orange zest instead of the extract, or use orange blossom water, vanilla or any other flavor you prefer. That way you can create a new and always delicious variant every time ✨
I used finely chopped amaretti, but you can use almond flour and for a more intense almond flavor I added a few drops of almond extract.
For decorating the Colombine Cookies, baked in the Air Fryer, you can choose to dust them with powdered sugar for a delicate and elegant effect or decorate them with coarse sugar to create a slightly crunchy surface.
Come on, let’s make them together 😉
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- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Budget-friendly
- Rest time: 30 Minutes
- Preparation time: 10 Minutes
- Cooking time: 12 Minutes
- Portions: 20 colombine
- Cooking methods: Air frying, Electric oven
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Easter, Lent
Ingredients
Ingredients for 20 Colombine Cookies
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup amaretti, crushed (or almond flour)
- 2/3 cup granulated sugar
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 1 lemon (zest from an unwaxed lemon)
- 2 teaspoons orange extract (coffee-style extract)
- A few drops almond extract
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 packet baking powder
- as needed powdered sugar
- as needed coarse sugar
- 2 eggs (at room temperature)
Tools
Recommended tools
- 1 Air Fryer
- 1 Mixing bowl
- 1 Kitchen scale
- 1 Saucepan
- 1 Hand blender
Steps
Preparing the Colombine Cookies
First melt the butter in a small saucepan or in the microwave and let it cool slightly. If you are using amaretti like I did, put them in the mixer and grind them finely.
In a bowl add the flour, the crushed amaretti or almond flour, the sugar, the grated lemon zest, 2 teaspoons of orange extract, a few drops of almond extract, the eggs, the baking powder, a pinch of salt and finally the melted butter.
Mix the dough well with your hands until you obtain a smooth, compact ball that is not too sticky. Wrap it in cling film and let it rest in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
After resting time, remove the cling film and divide the dough into pieces — I used portions of about 1 oz (30 g) each. On a work surface, roll out two ropes of the same thickness and press a groove into one of them with your finger.
Take the second rope and form an arch, pressing it into the groove you created. As you shape them, place the colombine on a non-stick tray.
Dust generously with powdered sugar or, if using coarse sugar, press it lightly so it adheres to the dough.
Preheat the air fryer for 2–3 minutes and bake for 12 minutes. The cookies should be lightly golden.
When just baked, the cookies will be soft; wait a couple of minutes before transferring them. Once cool they will firm up.
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Baking in the Oven
Preheat the oven and bake at 356°F for 15–20 minutes at most; the cookies should be just lightly golden.
Storage and Tips
Storage
Colombine Cookies keep for several days if stored in an airtight container or a tin box.
Tips
Use eggs at room temperature — leaving them out of the fridge for 20–30 minutes before starting is enough.
Avoid overbaking as they would lose their soft texture: they should be just lightly golden. Freshly baked cookies will be soft — this is completely normal. As they cool they will reach the perfect consistency. If you choose to use coarse sugar, press it lightly into the dough before baking so it adheres better.
