Print This Post
Crunchy, chewy, sweet and nutty, these are an almond-lover’s dream.
That would be me — the almond lover. I believe most things can be improved with the judicious application of almond extract. Pine nuts are close behind. Need to dress something up? Fling some toasted pine nuts at it, for crunch and flavor.
So Pignoli Cookies featuring a half pound of pungent almond paste AND pine nuts? My idea of heaven!
Karen making steamed clams and linguine for her Christmas Eve Italian menu a few years ago. She’s wearing her “utterly embarrassing but beloved yucky green smock with pink elephants on it. I have no idea where my mother got it but I’m sure it was hers at some point. When I put that on, everyone knows I’m doing some serious cooking!”
This recipe comes from business writer Karen E. Klein, a former work colleague from my early newspaper era, who married a newspaperman I later worked with at a different paper.
But never mind how I know her, though…the important thing is she’s a great cook!
She found the recipe online after sifting through a bunch of recipes. She makes them for Christmas cookie platters, and because they are her husband’s favorite type of cookie.
“He likes the ones you can get at Italian bakeries, but I never liked those because I find them very dry. When his relatives brought a whole suitcase full of home-baked Italian cookies (probably 12 or 14 different kinds) to a family wedding, I was hooked and wanted to try making my own. Those cookies were to die for! Of course those ladies never share their family-secret recipes so I just looked online.
“I loved them because I adore almond flavor and I found these sweet and chewy, not at all dry like the bakery kind. I got the almond paste at Claro’s Italian market in San Gabriel (Calif.).”
Ah yes, Claro’s. I know it well. There’s a Claro’s outpost in Upland (Calif.) that I frequent when I am visiting my mother; it’s a chain of Italian markets throughout the San GabrielValley.
Karen’s advises that although these cookies are yummy, they can be temperamental. To wit, she has advice you must heed:
- Chill the batter
- Use quick-release foil or else they are very hard to work with and they stick badly when you try to get them off after baking.
Recipe: Pignoli Cookies (Pine Nut Cookies)
Summary: Crunchy, chewy, sweet and nutty, these Pine Nut Cookies are an almond-lover’s dream, and a great companion on a Christmas cookie plate.
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup pine nuts
- 1/2 pound almond paste (NOT marzipan or almond cake filling)
- 2/3 cup granulated sugar
- 2 egg whites
Instructions
- Toast pine nuts briefly to bring out flavor. You can do this easily in a dry small skillet, stirring frequently over low heat.
- Break up almond paste in a food processor until granular. Gradually add sugar while processing.
- In another bowl, beat egg whites until stiff peaks form. Fold egg whites gently into almond/sugar mixture.
- Chill dough to make it easier to handle.
- While dough is chilling, prepare a no-sided cookie sheet by lining it with quick-release foil. If you don’t have that, you may use regular foil or parchment paper, lightly misted with nonstick spray.
- Drop dough by teaspoonfuls onto prepared cookie sheet. Press pine nuts into tops of cookies.
- Bake at 325 degrees 12-15 minutes, until lightly browned. Cool 10 minutes before removing from foil and placing on a rack to cool completely. They will keep several days in an air-tight container. That’s if you can stay away from them.
- Makes 30 cookies.
Quick notes
Be sure to use almond paste, not marzipan or almond filling.
Use all the pine nuts, distributed among all 30 cookies.
Preparation time: 20 minute(s)
Cooking time: 15 minute(s)
Number of servings (yield): 30
Culinary tradition: Italian
My rating
Welcome to my kitchen!
At ShockD, you’ll find scrumptious, tried & true, "scary good" recipes, tips and coaching to make YOU a fabulous home cook! Don't blame me if you need a 12-step program to wean yourself away!
E-mail me: Dorothy.Reinhold@gmail.com
{ 16 comments… read them below or add one }
First recipe I tried for this type of cookie, I rarely bake. The directions were easy, I found parchment paper worked much better than silpat. It also took a few extra minutes in the oven than specified, but they came out perfect and tasted great!
March,
I am so glad they worked for you and you like them!
Thanks for letting me know!
Loving the flavors here! And the simple ingredient list.
Those sound amazing! I was so surprised looking at them and then reading the ingredient list that there was no flour in them.
Delicious. So crisp looking. I am an avid cookie lover (but not maker) and I love chew and soft, to cracker-like crispy. I have never heard of this type of cookie before, but now I must try it.
Michelle,
I adored them! But I am a big almond fan, and big pine nut fan.
These look great! I too dislike the bakery versions because they can be so drying and lacking in flavor. I can’t wait to try out this recipe!
I have a slight obsession with pine nuts. But truth is, I rarely eat them, and I have never made cookies with them! This must change now, these look delicious!
Fabiola,
Oh yeah, you MUST MUST!
What a great cookie!! Love the use of pine nuts!
Pine nuts are so rich and buttery. I’m going to try this recipe ASAP.
Thanks for sharing.
Awesome cookies! Easy, taste like they took more time than they did! Served w vanilla gelato, for the richest bday desert. Thank you!
Elizabeth,
Mmmmm…with vanilla gelato. PERFECT! Thanks for coming back and telling me your results!
I also LOVE almonds and pine nuts! I am SO looking forward to trying this recipe. I am wondering though, do you think I could use almond meal for this recipe? Can’t find almond paste anywhere. Thanks for the recipe!
Peas,
No, it wouldn’t be a straight substitution. I looked on the Mandelin Almond paste container that I have, and it also has sugar, water and oil of bitter almond. I have seen make-your-own almond paste recipes that have almonds, powdered sugar, egg whites and almond extract. Another recipe has no eggs, and uses a boiled sugar method. Wikipedia notes that almond paste is made from ground almonds, sugar, cooking oil, eggs, heavy cream or corn syrup. Why don’t you try making it yourself if you can’t buy it? Good luck, and let me know how it turns out for you!
Yes I thought the two must be different, I thought maybe if the almonds were ground fine enough they would form a paste with their own oils, but it’s good to know they are different things. I will try making my own! Thanks so much for that!
{ 3 trackbacks }