Description
Pignoli Cookies are delicate Italian almond cookies made from almond paste and coated in pine nuts, offering a sweet, nutty flavor with a crisp golden exterior and a soft, chewy center. These traditional treats are perfect for festive occasions or a delightful snack.
Ingredients
Scale
Cookie Dough
- 7 ounces almond paste
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg white
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
Coating
- 1 cup pine nuts
Instructions
- Preheat the oven. Arrange a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper to prevent sticking and for easy cleanup.
- Prepare the dough. Break the almond paste into small pieces and place them in the food processor bowl. Add the granulated sugar, egg white, and kosher salt. Process for about 1 minute until the mixture forms a thick, smooth paste, stopping halfway to scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl to ensure an even texture.
- Shape the cookies. Using a tablespoon, scoop 12 rounded mounds of dough (about 25g each). Roll each mound gently between your palms to form smooth balls. If the dough feels too sticky to handle, chill it covered in the refrigerator for 10 to 15 minutes to firm up.
- Coat with pine nuts. Pour the pine nuts into a wide, shallow bowl. Roll each dough ball in the pine nuts, pressing gently to ensure the nuts adhere well to the entire surface of the cookie.
- Bake the cookies. Arrange the pine nut-coated dough balls on the prepared baking sheet, spacing them about 2 inches apart to allow for slight spreading. Bake at 350°F for 18 minutes, or until the pine nuts and edges of the cookies begin to turn a golden brown color.
- Cool and serve. Remove the cookies from the oven and allow them to cool completely on the baking sheet. Handling warm cookies may cause them to break due to their delicate texture. Once cooled, serve and enjoy.
Notes
- Use almond paste rather than marzipan, as marzipan contains more sugar and has a gummier texture which is less suitable for these cookies.
- If you don’t have a food processor, a stand mixer with a paddle attachment can be used to combine ingredients; it may take a little longer to achieve a smooth dough.
- If dough stickiness is an issue, you can scoop the dough directly into the pine nuts bowl to coat without handling excessively with hands. Chilling dough also helps reduce stickiness.
- For best results, allow the cookies to cool fully on the baking sheet before removing to avoid breaking.
- These cookies store well in an airtight container for up to a week, making them great for gifting or advance preparation.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 110 kcal
- Sugar: 8 g
- Sodium: 40 mg
- Fat: 7 g
- Saturated Fat: 0.5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 10 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Cholesterol: 10 mg
