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.

I spent 3 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!

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. Pignoli Cookies are an unexpected and absolutely perfect addition to the traditional line-up of holiday or any day cookies.

Check out all of the Gluten Free Dessert Recipes on this website!

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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}


Here are a few more almond desserts you might like:
Chinese Almond Cookies by Simply Recipes
Scandinavian Almond Bars by Barefeet In The Kitchen

Almond Pillow Cookies by The Noshery
Buttery Almond Pound Cake by Barefeet In The Kitchen
Almond Lace Wafers by The View from Great Island