Christmas

Italian Pignoli (Pine Nut) Cookies

by:
March 19, 2010
4
4 Ratings
Italian Pignoli (Pine Nut) Cookies
  • Makes about 30 cookies
Author Notes

Biscotti may be the stars of Italian cookies but pignoli cookies are the talented understudies just waiting to be discovered. Pignoli cookies are mildly sweet yet have a full-bodied nutty flavor from almond paste that lingers pleasantly on your palate. The crispy exterior reveals a chewy interior that gently pulls away as you bite it. Once you taste a pignoli cookie, you may just think it's a star. —Food Blogga

What You'll Need
Ingredients
  • 2 1/2 cups pine nuts
  • 1 (7-ounce) tube of almond paste
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 2 egg whites
  • 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • Powered sugar for garnish, optional
Directions
  1. Heat oven to 325 degrees. Pulse 1/4 cup of the pine nuts in a food processor until coarsely ground. Break the almond paste with your hands; add to the processor; process until just mixed. Add the sugar; process until mixture is crumbly. Add the egg whites and vanilla; process until the dough begins to come together. Add the flour and salt; process until fully blended and smooth.
  2. Pour the remaining pinenuts into a small bowl. Using a teaspoon and slightly moistened hands, take about 1 teaspoon of batter and roll it into a ball. Gently drop the ball in the pine nuts and turn until completely coated. Place the cookies 2 inches apart on parchment-lined baking sheets. Bake for 20 minutes, until lightly browned.
  3. Cool on racks. Dust with powdered sugar before serving, if desired. Stored in an airtight container, cookies should last for 7-10 days.
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21 Reviews

Cheryl
Cheryl December 15, 2022
Again, pignoli cookies never ever have wheat flour in them. I ought to know as I grew up in an Italian family. Ground almonds (or almond paste or almond flour), egg whites, sugar and pignoli. That’s all that goes into these traditional Italian cookies. This is definitely not a traditional Italian biscotti recipe for Pignoli. By the way, Biscotto is Italian for cookie (singular) and biscotti is plural for cookies.
 
doris T.
doris T. December 15, 2022
Cheryl they are adding flour to make up for the structure that a beaten to stiff peak egg white adds, agreed this is not traditional. I am also Italian. Overall recipe does not work!
 
doris T.
doris T. January 23, 2021
Found these to be not what a real pignoli cookie should be. Not beating the egg whites makes for not a proper cookie. My daughter wanted to try this recipe and I had the gut feeling it would not be great but I wanted to let her lead. She is 19. Very disappointed and a waste a very expensive ingredients. By the way. so annoyed this is my first review ever!!! I never do this.
 
helen
helen November 24, 2019
Love the recipe but it would be helpful to include the weight of the pine nuts. How many ounces is 2.5 cups?
 
ellent124
ellent124 November 4, 2019
Made this weekend for my mom's 95th birthday celebration. They are fabulous! Love almond macaroons and the pine nuts got toasty and delicious. Will definitely make again...I only WISH they lasted 7-10 days...not one left for me today :( ;)
 
FrugalCat
FrugalCat May 3, 2018
I made pine nut cookies years ago. I just used the Toll House recipe, subbing the pine nuts for the chocolate chips and walnuts.
 
Bill P.
Bill P. January 5, 2018
Just made these today! I see the comments go back 8 years! They came out great! I cut the amount of sugar in half. The almond paste I bought was sweet enough. :)
 
Lynne
Lynne February 12, 2018
By cutting the sugar in half, they were still ok? I was concerned about the amount of sugar and wanted to use less. The taste and consistency was ok?
 
Dj
Dj December 26, 2017
So glad I found this recipe! I made another recipe before trying this one, but it was too sweet. These are perfect!!
 
Patty K.
Patty K. December 8, 2015
I make a version every year but never tried these with the pine nuts ground into the almond paste before. Amps up the pine nut flavor!! Great recipe. This will be my go-to from now on. Btw, I like a cheesier cookie so I recommend rolling these into balls and leaving them uncovered in the fridge overnight before baking. They still get all caramel iced and crispy on the outside but stay chewalicious on the inside. Yummmm!
 
Patty K.
Patty K. December 8, 2015
That's "chewier" not cheesier. ;-)
 
AE
AE December 27, 2013
I was apprehensive about making these because I did a bit of reading about almond paste and thought if I didn't get the type in a can, I would have a disaster on my hands. Well, that was not the case. A tube of almond paste was fine and the cookies, which I have now made a few times, are superb.
 
hennef7
hennef7 December 29, 2010
Made them this morning with my home-made almond paste.and they are yummy! Thanks for the recipe!
 
ZiggyPiecrust
ZiggyPiecrust June 20, 2010
Pignoli cookies have always been my favorite but I have never made them until today! These are just too good to only eat at Christmas time - Thank you for this recipe.
BTW - no icing sugar for me, they are perfect without it.
 
aargersi
aargersi May 7, 2010
I finally made these last night - yum! Who needs biscotti when you can have pignoli? Double thumbs up!
 
AntoniaJames
AntoniaJames April 1, 2010
Hmmm, I'm thinking perhaps these would be interesting -- and tasty -- using my Savory Toasted Pine Nuts (recipe on this site) and maybe just a bit less sugar. Great recipe. Thanks for posting it!! ;o)
 
MaMaZu
MaMaZu April 1, 2010
Such a great cookie!
 
aargersi
aargersi March 29, 2010
I just noticed this recipe - and I am so glad because these are my favorite cookies on the planet OK well these and molasses ginger snaps. But THESE I have never made before and now I can so THANK YOU for the recipe!
 
Food B.
Food B. March 31, 2010
Well, I'm so happy to hear it! They are beyond simple to make and taste better than store bought version I have ever had.
 
Food B.
Food B. March 19, 2010
You're so welcome! I love this recipe. It's so easy.
 
mrslarkin
mrslarkin March 19, 2010
Love pignoli cookies! Thanks for the recipe.