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Freshly baked Italian pignoli cookies topped with golden pine nuts, cooling on parchment paper over a white kitchen counter, captured from above in natural light.

Pignoli Cookies

Authentic Italian pignoli cookies made with almond paste and pine nuts — soft, chewy, and bakery-quality.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Chill Time 10 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings: 24 cookies
Course: Cookies, Dessert
Cuisine: Italian, Sicilian
Calories: 120
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 8 oz almond paste
  • ½ cup granulated sugar
  • 2 large egg whites
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 cup pine nuts
  • ¼ cup powdered sugar
  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch
  • 1 pinch salt

Equipment

  • 1 Stand mixer or hand mixer
  • - Baking sheets
  • 1 Cookie scoop
  • 1 Oven thermometer
  • - Cooling rack

Method
 

  1. Combine almond paste and sugar.
  2. Add egg whites gradually and fold in.
  3. Mix in vanilla and salt.
  4. Form dough balls.
  5. Roll balls in powdered sugar and cornstarch mixture.
  6. Press pine nuts into the top of each ball.
  7. Bake at 325°F (160°C) for 18–20 minutes.
  8. Cool on a wire rack.
  9. Store in an airtight container.

Notes

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.