Description
These classic Italian Pignoli Cookies are soft, chewy, and delightfully nutty with pine nuts and almond paste. Made with just six simple ingredients, they are easy to prepare and perfect for enjoying a traditional Sicilian treat that balances sweetness with a tender texture. Ideal for almond lovers, these cookies bake to a golden edge while remaining pale and soft inside.
Ingredients
Scale
Cookie Dough
- 200 g (7 oz) almond paste (preferably Odense)
- 120 g (1/2 cup) granulated sugar
- 1/4 tsp almond extract
- 1 large egg white (about 33 g, cracked weight, without shell)
- 45-65 g (~1/3 to 1/2 cup) all-purpose flour, almond flour, or 1:1 gluten-free flour (King Arthur Measure for Measure GF flour recommended for GF option)
Topping
- 227 g (~1 1/2 cups) pine nuts
- Powdered sugar, optional for dusting
Instructions
- Preheat oven and prepare baking sheet: Preheat your oven to 325°F (160°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper to prevent sticking.
- Blend almond paste mixture: Cut the almond paste into chunks and place them in a food processor along with the granulated sugar and almond extract. Blend until the mixture has the texture of wet sand, indicating all ingredients are combined.
- Whisk egg white: In a small separate bowl, whisk the egg white until very frothy to help incorporate air and give the dough a light texture.
- Combine dough ingredients: Add the frothy egg white and your choice of flour to the food processor. Pulse briefly until a smooth dough forms. Let the dough rest up to 5 minutes to allow the flour to absorb moisture. The dough should feel soft, tacky, and slightly sticky but workable. If it is too wet or loose, add a small sprinkle of flour and pulse briefly again.
- Prepare pine nuts: Pour the pine nuts into a wide shallow bowl so they are ready for coating the cookie dough balls.
- Form and coat cookies: Using a tablespoon-sized scoop (about 15–16 g), portion the dough. Roll each portion into a ball and then roll it thoroughly in the pine nuts, covering all sides. Place each coated dough ball on the parchment-lined baking sheet. Optionally, chill the dough balls covered with plastic wrap overnight before baking.
- Bake cookies: Place the baking sheet on the center rack of the oven and bake for approximately 20 minutes for soft and chewy cookies, starting to check at 18 minutes. The cookies should be light golden around the edges and soft and pale in the center, possibly slightly underdone. For crispier cookies, extend baking to 23–25 minutes.
- Cool cookies: Remove the baking sheet from the oven and let the cookies cool on it for 10 minutes. Then transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely and firm up.
- Optional finishing touch: Once cooled, dust cookies lightly with powdered sugar if desired for a delicate sweetness and presentation.
Notes
- These Italian Pignoli Cookies are less sweet than many traditional versions, highlighting almond and pine nut flavors.
- Using almond paste, not marzipan, is essential for the proper texture and flavor.
- Resting the dough allows flour absorption, making shaping easier.
- You can substitute all-purpose flour with almond flour or gluten-free flour for dietary preferences.
- Chilling the dough balls overnight helps with handling and can enhance flavor development.
- Adjust baking time according to your texture preference: shorter for soft cookies and longer for crispier ones.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie (approx. 20 g)
- Calories: 90
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 15 mg
- Fat: 5 g
- Saturated Fat: 0.5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 10 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
