Makes 4 dozen
Pignoli have eyes for you…
This cookie is very special to my heart and my heritage. I’d go as far to say that the Pignoli cookie is the ONE. An Italian delicacy, she’s the one cookie that is on EVERY Maria’s holiday cookie tray. Encrusted in gorgeous, toasty pine nuts featuring next-level chewiness on the inside, this cookie offers an experience unlike any other. If you plan to make these cookies, you’ll notice right away that Pignoli (“pine nuts” for the unacquainted) and almond paste are not the cheapest ingredients, but trust me—they are worth it. You are worth it. We all are worth it!
Watch me make this recipe on Instagram!
Print
Pignoli Cookies
What You’ll Need
- 1 1/2 lbs almond paste
- 1 1/2 cups sugar
- 1 cup confectioner’s sugar
- 4 egg whites
- 1 lb pignoli (pine nuts)
What You’ll Do
- Preheat your oven to 350º.
- Add 1 ½ lb almond paste, 1 ½ cups sugar, 1 cup confectioner’s sugar, and 4 egg whites to the bowl of a stand mixer or just your favorite bowl if you are mixing by hand. Mix until combined into a sticky dough.
- Scoop enough dough to form an approximately 1″ ball of dough. Add ball to bowl of pine nuts, and use your hands to crush pine nuts into the ball of dough. Be careful not to overwork dough or the pine nuts won’t stick. Continue this process until you’ve used up all your dough and each ball is perfectly covered in pignoli!
- Place your pignoli-encrusted dough balls on a parchment-lined baking tray and bake for 15-20 minute until golden brown.
- Let your cookies cool and enjoy!
Dough can be made ahead and frozen. Do not freeze in balls. Defrost dough, form balls, add pignoli and bake.
For information on how to store your cookies, head to Grossy’s Guide to Holiday Cookies.
Make It Step By Step With Me:
1. Finally got our acts together to take a family portrait. Please meet my beautiful children: 1 ½ lbs almond paste, 1 ½ cups sugar, 1 cup confectioner’s sugar, 4 egg whites, 1 lb pine nuts
This was just before I took them on a tropical vacation to a preheated 350º oven. It was so fun!
2. Add 1 ½ lbs almond paste, 1 ½ cups sugar, 1 cup confectioner’s sugar, and 4 egg whites to the bowl of a stand mixer or just your favorite bowl if you are mixing by hand.
3. Mix until combined.
4. Scoop enough dough to form an approximately 1″ ball of dough.
5. Add ball to bowl of pine nuts.
6. Use your hands to crush pine nuts into the ball of dough. Be careful not to overwork doughs or the pine nuts won’t stick!
7. Continue until all of your dough is finished and covered perfectly in pignoli.
8. Place your pignoli-encrusted dough balls on a parchment-lined baking tray and bake for 15-20 minutes until golden brown.
9. Holy pignoli! They are gorgeous.
10. Let your cookies cool and enjoy!
