Why We Love This Pignoli Cookie Recipe
These pine nut cookies are a holiday staple at my house. The pine nuts have a subtle buttery flavor that’s unlike anything else, and the nutty almond cookies are the perfect base.
Simple. You only need about 5 ingredients (plus a little bit of salt), and you’re ready to bake! Gooey. These cookies have a gooey, almost truffle-like texture inside from the almond paste. Flavorful. Pine nuts have a unique richness and buttery taste that’s unlike other nuts. They’re just the perfect crunchy topping for these cookies.
Variations on Pine Nut Cookies
You could use almond flour or ground almonds instead of almond paste. But you will need to add more egg whites and sugar to get the right texture and make sure everything binds together so that your dough still comes out thick and tacky.
How to Store
In an airtight container at room temperature, pignoli nut cookies will stay fresh for up to 1 week.
How to Freeze
You can freeze Italian pignoli cookies for up to 6 months! Let them fully cool to room temperature before transferring them to a freezer-safe container. A frozen pignoli cookie will only need an hour (or less) to thaw at room temperature.
Serving Suggestions
Pignoli cookies are the perfect addition to your holiday cookie box. Serve them with other classics, like avalanche cookies, M&M cookies, snickerdoodles, gooey butter cookies, or white chocolate cranberry cookies.
More Christmas Cookie Recipes We Love
Hershey Kiss Cookies Gingerbread Cookies Linzer Cookies Gingerbread Kiss Cookies Spritz Cookies Christmas Cowboy Cookies
How to Make Pignoli Cookies Step by Step
Prep: Preheat your oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or spray it with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside for now. Make the Dough: To the bowl of a food processor, add 7 ounces of almond paste, ⅓ cup of granulated sugar, ¼ cup of powdered sugar, 1 large egg white, and ¼ teaspoon of kosher salt. Blend until smooth. The dough should be thick and tacky but not runny. Roll the Cookies: Place 4 ounces of pine nuts in a medium bowl. Scoop about 1 tablespoon of dough per cookie and form into 1-inch balls. Roll each cookie dough ball into the pine nuts, coating the top and sides. Space the Cookies: Place cookie dough balls about 1-2 inches apart onto the prepared baking sheet. Bake the Cookies: Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until golden brown. Let cookies cool and firm up on the baking sheet for at least 10 minutes. Dust with powdered sugar and serve.
