12 Sweet Uses For Amaretto Beyond Drinks

There are few things more satisfying than ending your dinner with a sweet digestif like amaretto. It feels sophisticated, indulgent, and like you're on a romantic evening out in Florence or Rome. Serving it is one of the easiest ways to make a dinner party feel fancy. If you haven't tried amaretto, you're in for a treat. This Italian liqueur is made from apricot kernels. It strikes the perfect balance of sweet and bitter and a lovely almond flavor. It also carries notes of warm spices and caramel, making it a delicious boozy addition in a classic amaretto sour or to desserts. 

As a culinary-trained professional with a major sweet tooth, amaretto is one of my go-to liqueurs for adding a little extra flavor and surprise to sweets. It can elevate anything from cake and ice cream to coffee and milkshakes. When I add it to desserts, it elicits "wows" and prompts people to ask what the secret ingredient is. It brings a complex flavor, especially when used to lift and balance creamier recipes. And although a nice bottle is a bit pricy, it's truly worth every penny. Here are some of the best sweet uses for amaretto that aren't drinks.

If you want to infuse amaretto into a dessert, it's always a good idea to start with recipes that already use alcohol in some way. Plus, if it's Italian, it just feels extra right to use an Italian liqueur like amaretto. So, adding amaretto to tiramisu is an obvious choice. 

It's hard not to love tiramisu, and rare to come across someone who isn't a fan of it. Perhaps they just haven't had a well-made one. Tiramisu is incredible when it's balanced and has the right proportions of sweetness, fluffiness, booziness, and creaminess. So you don't want to overdo any one element, even the amaretto.

Amaretto is an easy substitute for marsala wine. Marsala wine is sweet and bold, yet buttery — all ways you can describe amaretto, except with some added nuttiness. You could also try substituting amaretto for coffee liqueur. You can still use actual coffee to give the dessert its signature flavor, but the amaretto adds a complementary almond flavor. Simply prepare your espresso and mix in a splash of amaretto, then dunk your biscuits into it. People will certainly ask for seconds of your amaretto-infused tiramisu.

Panna cotta seems like the type of dessert you only order at a restaurant, but it's deceptively simple to make at home. This jiggly, creamy dessert actually only requires a few ingredients, and in my experience, is a pretty forgiving recipe, even for novice bakers. As long as you have a mixture of cream, sugar, and gelatin, you're starting on the right foot. Now the trick is to give it a yummy flavor. This is where I like to use amaretto. Amaretto gives panna cotta heaps of flavor, and you won't need much else. The almond aroma adds depth, elegance, and a boozy flair. It balances the creaminess beautifully and actually makes the panna cotta taste quite light.

To incorporate your amaretto into the panna cotta, make your cream base as you usually would, but take it off the heat before adding in the liqueur. Just like with any boozy addition, heating it up will cause the alcohol content to evaporate or "cook out." While it likely won't completely get rid of the booze, you don't want to stifle any of that flavor. Once your cream is off the heat, stir in a splash of amaretto and give it a taste. The flavor should be distinct, but not overpower the cream. Always start with less, perhaps even just a tablespoon, and taste as you go. Remember, you can always add more, but you can't take it out once it's in the cream.

Amaretto can also be baked into cake. It's nutty, sweet, and gives the cake a depth of flavor that makes it quite special. In fact, it might give your cake a more pleasant and mild almond flavor than using something like almond essence, which can be quite strong — and even artificial — if you don't get a high-quality one. All you need to do is mix a tablespoon or two of the spirit into your recipe, making it a seamless addition for both pro bakers and novices alike.

While most of the alcohol will cook off, you can reinforce the amaretto flavor with a simple cake glaze. I like to make my usual cake glaze with powdered sugar and some lemon juice, and I'll spike it from amaretto from time to time. The lemon and amaretto make it reminiscent of an amaretto sour. It balances the sweetness beautifully and can take your amaretto cake to new heights.

No matter how old-school pudding can feel, it's still a delicious dessert and probably gives you a sense of nostalgia. Many of us loved it as children, but now that we're adults, we can give it a little extra flair with something like amaretto. Enter Italian budino. Budino is a creamy Italian dessert that makes a great alternative to pudding. It can be made with any classic pudding flavor, like chocolate, caramel, or even amaretto. It's similar to American pudding, but a little thicker and with more egg. It has a flan-like texture and is incredibly decadent.

It's not unusual to make a liqueur budino, and it's fairly common to add a little rum, amaretto, or Kahlúa. Amaretto budino is delicious and a perfect ending to a meal. Similar to making panna cotta, you should add amaretto to your custard after taking it off the heat. Budino is sometimes topped with some crushed nuts, biscotti, or fruit compote. If you're making an amaretto budino, then it might be clever to top it with some crushed almonds, or even amaretti biscuits to double up on the almond flavor.

Just like you can make amaretto cake, you can make amaretto cupcakes. Amaretto cupcakes are a fun yet luxurious sweet treat to serve at almost any occasion — except, of course, at a kids' birthday party. Amaretto liqueur can be added to your cake batter, but it's especially good in the frosting. It doesn't matter if you're making a buttercream, cream cheese, whipped cream, or a ganache frosting, a tablespoon or two of amaretto will not only work, but take it to the next level. Remember to taste as you mix it into your frosting, so that you don't end up adding too much and making the frosting too strong.

If, like me, you sometimes like a shortcut, you can even add amaretto to store-bought frosting. You actually might not be able to detect that the frosting is ready-made with this tasty addition. It instantly makes it taste more sophisticated and refined. The best part is that amaretto pairs well with both vanilla and chocolate frosting, so you're not limited in your choice of flavors. I like to use an electric mixer or beater to incorporate the liquer into the frosting so that it's evenly combined and smooth.

There are so many types of pie, from fruity to creamy ones, to help you satisfy your sweet cravings. Its versatility is one reason why it's a great dessert to serve at a party or gathering, especially when you can customize it by adding amaretto. While adding liqueur to pie isn't common, it gives the filling a bright, boozy kick that's absolutely delicious.

Amaretto can suit a fruity pie filling, like cherry or blueberry pie, just fine, but I find it goes best in a cream pie. It balances the texture really well and makes it feel quite light. Plus, cream pie can be on the plainer side and often needs something extra — like amaretto — to make it more unique. Add a splash or two of the spirit to your filling and bake as usual. The aromas of buttery crust and amaretto baking will make you salivate as you wait. 

For custard-based pies like (but not limited to) custard pie, chess pie, banana cream pie, and vanilla cream pie, you'll want to make your custard on the stovetop first, then mix the amaretto in once you've taken it off the heat. The same goes for pies that don't need to be baked, like  a chocolate cream pie. Add the pie filling to your crust, but instead of baking, chill it in the fridge until it's set and ready to eat.

Trifle can be a bit of a polarizing dessert — you either love it or hate it. I know plenty of people who detest it, yet I can't get enough of this retro treat. It's creamy, sometimes fruity, and just plain moreish. It's wonderful around Christmas, but it's even better during the summer when you want a cold and creamy fridge dessert. Adding amaretto to trifle is a no-brainer, since it lends a boozy edge and deep almond flavor that elevates a simple recipe.

I find that amaretto pairs really well with cocoa, making it a wonderful addition to any chocolate trifle. There are many components of the dessert where you can incorporate amaretto. You can mix it into your chocolate mousse layer, soak your cake or brownies in it, or even whip it into the cream topping. You can even soak ladyfinger biscuits in it for a tiramisu-meets-trifle kind of dessert. There are really no rules. However, in my opinion, only one layer of your trifle needs it, so that it's playful enough without letting its flavor overwhelm everything else. 

An affogato is a really simple dessert that hits year-round. The mix of coffee and ice cream is unbeatable and a way to get a little buzz while enjoying a sweet treat. Plus, it's just two ingredients, with a high payoff. However, as tasty as it is, I must admit that it's not very exciting. I don't feel a flutter when I see it on a menu. A very easy way to take your affogato from boring to tantalizing is by adding in some amaretto. It instantly elevates the dessert to another dimension.

The blend of the coffee, almond and caramel notes from the amaretto, and the ice cream create a harmonious dessert with the perfect play between sweet, creamy, and bitter. The best part is that it couldn't be easier to do. Simply drizzle in some amaretto over your affogato, right after you've poured the espresso.

Cheesecake is another sweet treat that can be made even better with amaretto. The creamy, cheesy filling is a welcoming base for this nutty liqueur, as it offers a delightful brightness and makes every bite feel really fancy. In my experience, amaretto goes really nicely with a no-bake cheesecake. Just mix some liqueur into the cheese filling before adding it to the crust. Then, practice being patient because you'll have to refrigerate it for a couple of hours or overnight for it to set properly. Don't worry, the wait will be so worth it.

Amaretto is also a great addition to baked cheesecake. In my experience, it will be a little less pronounced than in a no-bake cheesecake, but it's still super tasty and luxurious. I find that the only thing to keep in mind is that you want to avoid overbeating the eggs when you're making the filling. I like to mix the amaretto into the cream mixture just before adding the eggs.

If you've been lucky enough to visit Italy, you may come across a delightful Italian walnut cake. Called torta di noci, it's typically made with just three ingredients: walnuts, eggs, and sugar. This cake is a decadent treat and one you won't forget anytime soon. The short ingredient list makes it easy to replicate at home. Add amaretto for a boozy, nutty, and yummy twist.

Italian walnut cake is completely gluten-free, as it's made with a base of walnuts only — no wheat flour. I've found that to successfully blend your amaretto into this cake, you're going to add it to the egg yolk mixture. Once the yolks have been mixed, stir in the amaretto, bake the cake, and prepare to be wowed.

One of the most rewarding sweet uses for amaretto is in ice cream. Once you try it, you'll wonder why you never thought of it before. Boozy ice creams are so delicious, perfect for a hangout with friends, or as a dessert at a dinner party. If you're too intimidated to make your own ice cream, you can just pour some amaretto over some store-bought ice cream for a similar effect. In fact, this easy trick is one I use often at home, and it's as delicious as it sounds. It goes great with vanilla or chocolate ice cream. It's also surprisingly spectacular with some lemon sorbet.

If you do, however, enjoy making your own ice cream, you should try adding amaretto to it. There's no risk of cooking off the alcohol, since all you'll be doing is splashing in some amaretto into your cold cream mixture, then freezing it. And if you need any more convincing, alcohol can actually make the ice cream softer and more scoopable. I find that less is more when it comes to adding anything alcoholic to ice cream. It could be made too strong if you're not careful, and it may even affect how well it freezes. Start with just a tablespoon or two. 

Since we're using an Italian liqueur, it makes sense to think of Italian desserts to use it in. One that comes to mind immediately is zabaglione. This creamy, foamy dessert that already uses alcohol — usually sweet wine like marsala — and is often served warm. It's also pretty neutral-tasting, so adding some flair with amaretto is a way to make it even better. Zabaglione is an easy last-minute dessert and a nifty one to have in your repertoire. The only tricky part is whisking the eggs over a bain-marie on the stove. Once you've mastered that, the rest is simple.

This classic Italian zabaglione recipe, paired with fresh figs and amaretti biscuits, is the perfect sweet and elegant treat. Just swap out the marsala wine for some amaretto, and you've got an amaretto zabaglione.