Pignoli Cookies

Pignoli cookies originated in Southern Italy, especially Sicily, where almond paste and pine nuts are traditional ingredients in holiday baking. They’ve become a beloved treat in Italian-American bakeries, known for their rich almond flavor and distinctive pine nut coating. These pignoli cookies are crisp around the edges and have a delicious crunch from the toasted pine nuts, with a soft, chewy center. They’re rich with almond flavor and perfectly sweet.

Ingredients

• 200g (7 oz) almond paste

• ⅓ cup (70g) granulated sugar

• ⅓ cup (50g) powdered sugar

• 1 medium egg white

• 1 pinch salt

• ½ tsp almond extract

• 1 cup (160g) pine nuts, for rolling

  
  

Instructions

1. Prep the Oven: Preheat your oven to 325°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

2. Make the Dough: Break up the almond paste and add it to a food processor. Pulse until it's fully broken apart. Add both sugars and blend until combined. Add the egg white, salt, and almond extract. Process until a thick, sticky dough forms. You should be able to roll it into a ball. Note: If the dough is too runny (depending on your egg size), add almond flour a little at a time until it firms up.

3. Shape and Roll: Use a small 1oz scoop or measure 2 Tb per portion of dough, then roll each piece into a ball. Press the balls into the pine nuts to coat.

4. Flatten and Bake: Place the dough balls on the baking sheet. Gently flatten them with your palm or the bottom of a measuring cup.Bake for 16–20 minutes (I like 17 minutes), or until the bottoms are lightly golden.

5. Cool and Finish: Let the cookies cool, then dust with powdered sugar. Enjoy!

8 cookies