Classic pignoli cookies made with almond paste and pine nuts: crisp edges, chewy centers, and a snowy sugar dusting. Easy tips included!
Why You’ll Love Them
These pignoli cookies are a staple in many Italian households, and here’s why they’ll become a staple in your house too.
- Classic Sicilian style – If you’re from an Italian family, you’ll recognize this almond-paste dough rolled in pine nuts.
- Chewy inside, lightly crisp outside – With just 7 simple ingredients, these cookies have the perfect texture.
- Food-processor method – Making this cookie dough in the food processor makes things fast, consistent, bakery-quality.
Gather This
You only need a handful of simple ingredients for these classic cookies.
- Almond paste – The classic flavor of these pignoli cookies, you can find almond paste down the baking aisle of most grocery stores.
Test Kitchen Notes
I’ve tested these pignoli cookies so that you don’t have to! Follow my tips for the perfect cookies.
- For extra almond aroma, rub sugar with a pinch of lemon zest (optional, not traditional).
- Insulated sheet + parchment = even bottoms, less scorching of pine nuts.
- If dough is sticky after chilling, lightly damp hands or a dusting of powdered sugar helps with rolling.
- Pine nuts toast quickly; if they’re darkening too fast, move rack down or tent loosely late in bake.
Frequently Asked Questions
This is likely because your dough wasn’t cold enough and needed to chill longer.
No, almond paste is less sweet and more almond-dense. Using marzipan in place of it will completely change the texture.
Make sure to bake the cookies on parchment paper, bake on the middle rack in the oven and tent loosely if you see them getting too brown.
Pignoli Cookies Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 8 ounces almond paste
- 1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 egg
- 2/3 cups pine nuts
- 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
Instructions
- Break the 8 ounces almond paste into smaller pieces into a large food processor. Add the 1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar. Pulse until it becomes a paste and sugar starts to dissolve, about 2 minutes.
- Add the 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt and 1 egg. Pulse until it becomes a dough.
- Turn it out onto a piece of plastic wrap and form into a loose roll. The dough will be soft. Chill for at least 4 hours, but up to 3 days.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and line an insulated baking sheet with parchment paper. Place the 2/3 cups pine nuts in a bowl.
- Spoon out 1 tablespoon of dough and roll it in the pine nuts. They don't need to be fully covered. Continue with the rest of the cookie dough, placing about 2 inches apart.
- Bake for 16-18 minutes or until the edges are light brown. Centers might be soft and shiny, this is normal. Remove and allow to cool fully.
- Dust the tops with 2 tablespoons powdered sugar.
- If you've tried this recipe, come back and let us know how it was in the comments or star ratings.
Notes
Nutrition
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