Easy Italian Pignoli Cookies (Pine Nut Cookies)
Easy Italian Pignoli Cookies (Pine Nut Cookies) are chewy and slightly crunchy Sicilian cookies. Made with almond paste, fluffy egg whites, a touch of flour, and coated with pine nuts, and baked until they are lightly golden. So easy to make and just as good as you'll find in the best bakery!
Servings: 24 cookies
Calories: 82kcal
Equipment
- 1 Stand Mixer use stand mixer if you don't have a food processor
Ingredients
- 7 oz. package of almond paste NOT marzipan
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ teaspoon almond extract use more or less to your taste (you can even omit, as the almond paste does have a strong almond flavor)
- 2 large eggs whites room temperature
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- ½ cup all purpose flour or 1:1 GF flour (see notes below)
- 1 ½ cups pine nuts
- Powdered sugar optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F: Prep baking sheet with parchment paper and baking spray.
- Whisk egg whites: In a large bowl, whisk the egg whites and the salt until soft peaks form. You could use an electric mixer, a hand whisk or a fork. Set aside the egg whites.
- Cut almond paste into chunks: Use a sharp knife to cut the polenta into chunks. If you have a food processor, place in the bowl with the sugar and almond extract. If you have a stand mixer, place in the bowl and use a paddle attachment. Pulse in the food processor until it looks like wet sand.
- Bread up the almond paste with the sugar: If you have a food processor, place in the bowl with the sugar and almond extract. If you have a stand mixer, place in the bowl and use a paddle attachment. Pulse in the food processor until it looks like wet sand.
- Add flour: Pulse the flour into the almond mixture a few times to combine. If using a mixer, add the flour and combine with the almond paste.
- Combine egg whites: Add the almond mixture to a mixing bowl. Begin to add some of the whipped egg whites in portions, stirring with a wooden spoon or spatula after each addition. The dough will be slightly sticky, soft, and should not feel too wet. If it seems too wet and sticky, add a little bit more flour and stir to combine.
- Roll out cookie balls: Place the pine nuts in a casserole or a bowl. Using a tablespoon, a spoon, or a small scoop, take out portions of the dough and use your hands to form the dough into 1-inch balls. You'll be rolling them like meatballs, so your hands need to be clean without any sticky dough on them. Wipe off your hands after rolling each cookie ball and slightly wet your hands to make it easier.
- Roll in the pine nuts: Start to roll the cookie balls in the pine nuts, coating the top bottom and sides. Place the cookie balls on your prepped baking sheet 2 inches apart.
- Bake: Place the tray in your heated oven and set the timer for 15 minutes. It could take 15-18 minutes to bake. Bake until the pine nuts are lightly golden brown, and the cookie pale and soft in the center. Do not overbake and make sure you do not brown the pine nuts. The cookies at 15 minutes should be soft and chewy. Every oven is different, and you may need to bake another 2-3 minutes. They will continue to firm up as they cool down.
- Transfer to wire rack: If you have a wire rack, when they're cool enough to touch, transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Dust with confectioner's sugar (optional)before serving. ENJOY!
Notes
- Food processor: A standard-sized food processor with blade attachment is ideal way to break up the almond paste for the pignoli cookies.
- Hand mixer: If you have a stand or hand mixer, place the almond paste chunks in the bowl. If you have. stand mixer, use the paddle attachment to break up the almond paste until it is like wet sand.
- Almond paste: Make SURE you use almond paste and NOT marzipan.
- Flour: A little bit of all-purpose flour is used. Make it gluten-free using your favorite 1-1 gluten-free flour blend. King Arthur's or Bob's Red Mill works great.
- Egg whites: I used grade A large eggs and you only need the egg whites. It should be a total of ¼ cup of egg whites.
- Dough texture: The cookie dough is wet and sticky, but tacky. If you feel it's too wet, add a little bit more flour.
- Cookie texture: Set the timer for 15 minutes. Every oven is different, so set a timer and it make take a few more minutes. The pine nuts need to be lightly golden and the cookies will be soft and pale. They are chewy. They will firm up more as they cool down. DO NOT BROWN the pine nuts.
- Store cookies: Keep the cookies in an airtight container for up to a week. Freeze them in an airtight container (or large zipped lock bag) for up to a month.
- To thaw the pignoli cookies: Allow them to thaw at room temp on the counter.
Nutrition
Calories: 82kcal | Carbohydrates: 7g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 0.4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Sodium: 24mg | Potassium: 53mg | Fiber: 0.4g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 2IU | Vitamin C: 0.1mg | Calcium: 2mg | Iron: 1mg