Description
Pignoli Cookies are delicate Italian almond cookies made with almond paste, sugar, and egg whites, coated generously with pine nuts for a crunchy exterior and soft interior. These gluten-free treats are perfect for dessert or a sweet snack, showcasing the classic flavors of Mediterranean baking.
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.
- Make the dough. Slice or break apart the almond paste into small pieces. Add to the bowl of a food processor with the sugar, egg white, and salt. Process until it forms a thick, smooth paste, about 1 minute. Pause halfway through to scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl to ensure there are no lumps.
- Shape the cookies. Scoop 12 rounded tablespoons of the dough (about 25g each) and roll each mound into a ball in the palms of your hand. If the dough is too sticky to work with, you can chill the dough, covered, for 10 to 15 minutes.
- Coat with pine nuts. Add the pine nuts to a wide, shallow bowl. Roll each ball of dough in the pine nuts, coating the entire surface. Gently press the nuts into the dough to encourage them to stick.
- Bake. Place the cookies on the prepared baking sheet, spacing them about 2 inches apart. Bake for 18 minutes, or until the pine nuts and edges of the cookies begin to turn golden.
- Cool and enjoy. Remove the cookies from the oven. They'll be rather fragile, so let them cool completely on the pan before serving.
Notes
- Visit our shop to browse quality Mediterranean ingredients including olive oils, honey, jams, and spices.
- Make sure to source almond paste, not marzipan. Marzipan tends to be much higher in sugar with a gummier texture, so it doesn’t make for a good substitute here.
- If you don’t have a food processor, use a stand mixer with the paddle attachment. It will take a few minutes longer as you wait for the almond paste to form a smooth dough. Crumble the almond paste into small pieces and beat it with the sugar and salt until broken into small pieces. Add the egg white and mix until smooth.
- If your dough is too sticky, you can scoop the dough directly into the bowl of pine nuts, using the pine nuts as you would flour to prevent sticking. Chilling the dough in the fridge or freezer for a few minutes also helps.
- To avoid breaking, let the cookies cool completely on the baking sheet after baking. They’re delicate while warm and may break apart if not fully set.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 140 kcal
- Sugar: 10 g
- Sodium: 40 mg
- Fat: 8 g
- Saturated Fat: 1 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 14 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 3 g
- Cholesterol: 10 mg
