Pignoli Cookies

These gorgeous Pignoli Cookies are a tradition in every Italian household. Made from a few simple ingredients, they are even naturally gluten-free. So let’s take a journey to Italy with our straightforward and Pignoli Cookies recipe! These traditional Italian almond cookies are coated in crunchy pine nuts and they strike the balance between chewy and crispy.

What stands out

You’re going to fall in love with our Pignoli Cookies for their minimal ingredients and effortless prep. These beautiful cookies have the blend of richness from the almond paste and crunch from the pine nuts. You’ll enjoy a hassle-free baking experience, that will give you a chewy inside and crispy outside. Whether you’re making these for a special occasion or a simple treat, these cookies bring the joy of authentic Italian flavor to your fingertips. Buon appetito!

How to Prepare

Preheat the oven to 325F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Open the almond paste tube cut it into pieces or break it apart, and then process it in a food processor until it’s fully broken apart.

Take the food processor lid off and add the sugars (granulated and powdered) and process until combined.

Finally, add the egg whites, salt, and almond extract and process until a sticky cookie-like batter forms (it will be a lot like a paste). Add almond flour a little at a time if it’s too thin.

Take a mini ice cream scoop or a measuring spoon and roll the dough into balls and then dip each ball into the pine nuts.

Place them on the baking sheet and gently press down with the flat side of a measuring cup or the bottom of a mug.

Bake for about 16-20 minutes, depending on the oven, until the bottoms of the cookies are golden.

Let the cookies cool and sprinkle with icing sugar. Enjoy!

Kitchen tip

If the almond cookie batter is too loose you can add 1/4 cup of almond flour at a time until a tacky dough forms. Sometimes the consistency of the batter depends on how big/small the egg white is.

Swaps

You can certainly mix and match these variations based on your preferences, dietary needs, or the occasion. Enjoy the creative process of making these Pignoli Cookies your own!

1. Feel free to add a bit of ground cinnamon or nutmeg to the dough.
2. Swap out the pine nuts for other nuts such as chopped almonds, hazelnuts, or pistachios.
3. You could drizzle the cookies with melted dark or white chocolate after baking.
4. If you’re looking for added flavor, you could include some finely grated orange or lemon zest in the cookie dough.
5. Add some festive sprinkles to your cookies for Christmas or other holidays.

Questions

What if the batter isn’t thick enough?

Depending on the size of your egg, the cookie batter may be too loose, so you can add 1/4 cup of almond flour at a time until a tacky dough forms.

strong How do we store Pignoli Cookies?

Store Pignoli Cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week. For longer storage, you can freeze them for about 2-3 months.

Where can we get almond paste?

You can get almond paste at your local grocery store. It is also sold on Amazon or other online retailers.

How do we ensure the Texture?

Baking the cookies for an extended period will yield a crispier texture, and they will continue to firm up further as time passes post-baking. To achieve soft and chewy Pignoli Cookies, we recommend baking them until the pine nuts just begin to take on a golden hue or the cookies have lightly golden bottoms.

Why are the metric weights of your ingredients different than the results of Google and our kitchen scale?

While 1 cup of flour weighs 160g in our kitchen, it might weigh anywhere from 120 to 180g in your kitchen and there’s a few reasons for that. The weight of ingredients may vary due to the brand of ingredients, the brand and style (wet vs dry) of measuring cups and spoons, and the technique for measuring into cups: scooping and leveling versus spooning the ingredients into the cup measure. For best results, go by the weight listed in the recipe.

Ingredients

Makes 13 Cookies

• 7 ounces almond paste
• ⅓ cup granulated white sugar
• ⅓ cup powdered sugar
• 1 egg-white, medium
• 1 pinch salt
• ½ teaspoon pure almond extract, optional
• 1 cup pine nuts, for rolling

Equipment

• Baking Sheet
• Parchment Paper
• Mixing Bowls
• Large Food Processor
• Almond Paste

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 325F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Open the almond paste tube, cut it into pieces or break it apart, and then process it in a food processor until it’s fully broken apart.
3. NOTE: we purchased ours at the grocery store but the one we linked is the exact same brand we used. Be careful when purchasing on Amazon though as the quality is not always the same. We would recommend getting almond paste at the grocery store.
4. Take the food processor lid off and add the sugars (granulated and powdered) and process until combined.
5. Finally, add the egg whites, salt, and almond extract and process until a sticky, cookie-like batter forms (it will be a lot like a paste). You should be able to roll it into a ball.
6. NOTE: If the batter is too thin (this can happen depending on the size of the egg) add a little bit of almond flour at a time to the food processor until you have the right consistency.
7. Take a mini ice cream scoop or a measuring spoon and roll the dough into balls and then dip each ball into the pine nuts. We make sure our palms are wet so that the cookies don't stick and roll easily.
8. Place the cookies on the baking sheet and gently press down with the flat side of a measuring cup or our hand. We make sure that our palm or measuring cup is a bit wet so that the cookies don't stick to you as you press.
9. Bake for about 16-20 minutes, depending on the oven, until the bottoms of the cookies are lightly golden.
10. Let the cookies cool and sprinkle with icing sugar. Enjoy!

Kitchen notes

• Flavor swaps: Feel free to add a bit of ground cinnamon or nutmeg to the dough. You could also include some finely grated orange or lemon zest in the cookie dough.
• Go nuts: Swap out the pine nuts for other nuts such as chopped almonds, hazelnuts, or pistachios.
• Add chocolate: You could drizzle the cookies with melted dark or white chocolate after baking.
• Holiday themes: Use any kind of seasonal sprinkles to match the time of year – Easter, Christmas, Thanksgiving, Halloween, etc.