Can Amaretto be used in cooking?

What can you cook with amaretto?

Amaretto is a sweet almond-flavored liqueur, and it works best in desserts. Typical amounts in one recipe are one to two tablespoons, and a stronger splash can overpower. These ideas come from a Tasting Table roundup of dessert uses:

• Tiramisu and zabaglione: use it in place of Marsala, or add a splash to the espresso that soaks the biscuits.
• Cake: mix one or two tablespoons into the batter, or into a powdered sugar and lemon glaze.
• Panna cotta and budino: stir it in after taking the cream or custard off the heat so the flavor stays.
• Frosting: mix one or two tablespoons into frosting and taste as you go.
• Cheesecake and cream pie: mix into the filling; for baked cheesecake, add it to the cream mixture before the eggs.
• Ice cream and affogato: drizzle over ice cream or espresso-soaked ice cream. In ice cream, start with a tablespoon or two.

Can you use it in savory food?

Sometimes. Home cooks use it in sweet-savory glazes for pork or chicken, usually with maple, brown sugar or fruit. Keep it modest, because it is sweet.

Does the alcohol cook out?

Not completely. Some alcohol remains after cooking, more so in dishes that are not heated for long, such as frosting or ice cream. If you are serving children or people who avoid alcohol, use almond extract instead.

What can you substitute?

Almond extract is far more concentrated, so use only a small drop or a fraction of a teaspoon and add water or syrup for volume. Amaretto syrup also works.

How long does amaretto last once opened?

There is no official date. With its sugar and alcohol it keeps for a long time in a tightly closed bottle kept cool and out of sunlight, but flavor slowly fades. If it smells off, looks cloudy or has crystals that will not dissolve, replace it. It does not need the fridge.

General guidance. Drink responsibly.