Pignoli Cookies {a.k.a. Pine Nut or Pinon Cookies}

Seven or eight years ago, I was given one of the most delicious cookies I had ever tasted. The Pignoli Cookie was unique in flavor and texture; completely unlike anything I had tasted before.

The restaurant where I tried the cookie does not share their recipe; they simply called them Pinon (pine nut) Cookies. Crunchy, chewy, sweet and nutty, these cookies are a perfect match for any almond-lover.

Pine Nut Cookies

I spent three years thinking about those cookies and wondering how on earth they were made. Many of the pine nut cookie recipes I found were merely sugar cookies or shortbread topped with or rolled in pine nuts.

I’m sure those cookies are delicious, but that was not what I was searching for this time. As you can guess, I was beyond excited to share the recipe with you all after I finally found this recipe for Italian Pignoli Cookies!

I followed the recipe, tasted one of these cookies and nearly shrieked out loud with joy. The hunt was over and Pine Nut Cookies were every bit as delicious as I’d remembered.

Italian Pine Nut Cookies

Over the past few years, I have shared these cookies with friends and family countless times and every single person that tastes them comments on how unique and irresistible they are. They always bring people back for “just one more” and I’ve received many requests for the recipe.

Pignoli Cookies are an unexpected and absolutely perfect addition to the traditional line-up of holiday or any day cookies. I love the expected traditional holiday treats like Peppermint Bark and fudge but sometimes it’s nice to add something different to the rotation.

If you like Itialian Pine Nut Cookies, you’re also likely to enjoy Mexican Wedding Cookies and Pfeffernusse  (German Pepper Nut Cookies). For more familiar cookie recipes to include on your holiday list, check out 3 Ingredient Peanut Butter Cookies and my Favorite Chocolate Chip Cookies.

Pignoli Cookies Recipe

Pine Nut Cookies made this way are entirely gluten free, as it turns out. I always love when a treat I love can be served to my friends and family who avoid gluten. While I’ve had great success using gluten free substitutes for wheat flour, it’s nice when a recipe is already wheat and gluten free.

This recipe doesn’t use any flour at all. The pignoli cookies get their light airy texture thanks to a combination of egg whites and almond paste. 

If you’ve never baked with almond paste before, you can find it in the baking aisle of most well stocked grocery stores. It comes in a can and will be very stiff when you open it.

In order to work with the almond paste and incorporate it into a dough, you first have to break it into a granular texture using a food processor. The process takes a few minutes and then the almond paste is ready to be mixed with sugar and folded in with beaten egg whites.

(Just a note: make sure to use actual almond paste and not marzipan or almond flour! It’s different than both of those and is required to give the dough the right texture.)

After chilling the pignoli dough, toasted pine nuts are pressed on top of each cookie. The pine nuts not only look pretty but give these cookies their primary flavor.

Looking for more gluten free desserts? Check out all of the Gluten Free Dessert Recipes on this website!

Almond Desserts

I love desserts made with all things almond. From almond extract to almond flour, this versatile nut plays a key role in so many delicious treats.

These Scandinavian Almond Bars with a shortbread texture and nutty flavor have been a favorite for a while. Buttery Almond Pound Cake is another almond dessert that’s perfect for enjoying with a cup of tea.

You should also check out these Almond Pillow Cookies by The Noshery and Almond Lace Wafers by The View from Great Island if you’re after almond cookies.

If you’re a fan of nutty cookies, you might like Toffee Coconut Pecan Chocolate Chip Cookies too.

Have you had Pignoli Cookies before?

I spent so many years thinking about those first pinon cookies I tried and I couldn’t be more thrilled to have finally found a recipe that exceeds my expectations. I can’t wait to hear how you like them!

Print

Pignoli Cookies {a.k.a. Pine Nut or Pinon Cookies}

Recipe and method slightly adapted from and with thanks to Shockingly Delicious

Servings: 30 cookies

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup pine nuts
• 8 ounces almond paste
• 2/3 cup sugar divided
• 2 egg whites

Instructions

1. In a small dry skillet, toast the pine nuts over low heat until they are fragrant. Set aside.
2. In the bowl of a food processor, break up the almond paste. Use the pulse feature on the food processor a few seconds at a time, scraping the sides as needed. It should take just a few minutes to turn the hard paste into fine sand-like pieces. Add the sugar in two stages, processing for a few seconds each time to combine.
3. In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form. Fold the almond mixture into the egg whites, making sure the mixture is well-combined. Place the dough in the refrigerator to chill for at least one hour.
4. Preheat the oven to 325°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper (This is required for these cookies. They will stick to the baking sheet without it.)
5. Drop the dough by teaspoonfuls onto the baking sheet. Press 8-10 pine nuts into the top of each cookie, pressing down slightly to flatten each ball of dough. Bake for 14-15 minutes, remove from the oven before the cookies begin to brown. Cool 2-3 minutes on the baking sheet before transferring to a wire rack. Store in an airtight container. Enjoy!

Notes

This recipe calls for almond paste, NOT marzipan or almond cake filling. Almond Paste can be found in the baking aisle in most grocery stores. It is typically sold in an 8 ounce can. The paste will be very firm and a food processor is required in order to work with it. The paste will not blend with the other ingredients until it has been broken into a granular mixture.

{originally published 11/13/12 – recipe notes and photos updated 5/19/16}