Pignoli are soft and chewy Sicilian cookies coated in crunchy pine nuts. Made with just five ingredients, these gluten free treats are perfect for sharing!
Many holiday desserts are overly complicated during what is often the busiest time of the year. Pignoli cookies feel special, but not because they’re difficult. In fact, you’ll be surprised how easy these pine nut-studded delights are to make at home.
I’ve shared many of my most cherished Italian cookie recipes, from chocolate and hazelnut Baci Di Dama and citrus and almond Ricciarelli. Pignoli have a similar balance of toasty, nutty, and sweet flavors. And they’re incredibly simple, made with just almond paste, sugar, egg, pine nuts, and a touch of salt.
Almond paste and pine nuts were once considered luxury ingredients, so pignoli have a long history of marking special occasions. Today, they fit in perfectly both for an afternoon pick-me-up and holiday celebration. They’re naturally gluten-free and dairy-free, making them perfect for feeding a crowd!
Table of Contents
What is in Traditional Pignoli Cookies?
With just 5 ingredients (even counting the salt!), this pignoli cookie recipe has an exceptionally short ingredient list. You’ll find almond paste and pine nuts in the baking aisle of most grocery stores or specialty food stores, or you may get a better deal online.
- Almond paste: Made from finely ground almonds and sugar. It’s not the same as marzipan and marzipan does not make a good substitute (see “Almond Paste versus Marzipan” below for more information).
- Granulated sugar: Sweetens the cookies.
- Egg white: Holds the dough together and prevents the cookies from spreading too much in the oven.
- Salt: Salt is a flavor enhancer.
- Pine nuts: Bring the cookie’s signature buttery, toasty flavor, along with a nice crunch.
Almond Paste vs Marzipan
Almond paste is a sweet mix of ground almonds and sugar, with about twice as many almonds as marzipan, which is higher in sugar. Note that the two are not interchangeable:
- Almond paste: Used inside desserts (in batters or fillings). Tip: Avoid brands with corn syrup, ground apricot, or peach kernels in the ingredient list.
- Marzipan: Used on top (for decorating or as candy).
How to Make Pignoli Cookies
This pignoli cookie recipe is for a batch of 12. Depending on the size of your food processor you could easily double or triple the recipe.
- Get ready: 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 7 ounces of almond paste into small pieces. Add to the bowl of a food processor with 1/2 cup sugar, 1 egg white, and 1/4 teaspoon 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 unblended lumps.
- Scoop the cookies: Scoop 12 rounded tablespoons of the dough (about 25 grams each) and roll each mound into a ball in the palms of your hand. If the dough is too sticky to work with, cover and chill 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 pine 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 the edges of the cookies begin to turn golden. Let the cookies cool completely on the pan before serving.
Tips, Tricks, and Trouble Shooting
As simple as pignoli cookies are to make, here are a few techniques I found helpful for mixing, shaping, and cooling:
- If you don’t have a food processor: Use a stand mixer with the paddle attachment. It will take a few minutes longer. Crumble the almond paste into small pieces and beat it with the sugar and salt until the almond paste has broken up into small pieces. Add the egg white and mix until smooth.
- If the dough is too sticky: The dough is naturally fairly sticky, which can be frustrating to work with. If it’s still quite sticky after chilling, scoop directly into the bowl of pine nuts, using the pine nuts as you would flour to prevent sticking.
- To avoid breaking: After baking, let the cookies cool completely on the baking sheet. They’re delicate while warm and may break apart if they haven’t cooled and set.
Mix it Up
As delicious as pignoli cookies are in their simplest form, you can easily customize them with your favorite flavorings.
- Play with the seasonings: I’m partial to a little orange zest and cinnamon—a flavor combination I crave during the holidays. Add 1/2 to 1 teaspoon of lemon or orange zest, 1/4 teaspoon of ground cinnamon, 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract, or 1/8 teaspoon of almond extract. Or mix and match.
- Try other nuts: Pignoli can also be made with other nuts instead of pine nuts. Use roughly chopped blanched almonds or blanched hazelnuts. Make sure the nuts are untoasted, as they’ll toast in the oven.
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Pignoli Cookies
Ingredients
- 7 ounces (198g) almond paste
- 1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar
- 1 large egg white
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 cup (140g) pine nuts
Instructions
- Get ready. 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 the edges of the cookies begin to turn golden.
- Cool and enjoy. Remove the cookies from the oven. They'll be rather fragile, 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 the almond paste has broken up into small pieces. Add the egg white and mix until smooth.
- If your dough is too sticky: The dough is naturally fairly sticky, which can be frustrating to work with. You can scoop the dough directly into the bowl of pine nuts, using the pine nuts as you would flour to prevent it from sticking to your hands while shaping the cookies. I found that chilling the dough in the fridge or freezer for a few minutes also helps as it gets stickier.
- To avoid breaking: After baking, let the cookies cool completely on the baking sheet. They’re delicate while warm and may break apart if they haven’t cooled and set.
Nutrition
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*This post has recently been updated with new information for the readers’ benefit.
I make these every year! I find recipes with a little flour work much better. Also, damp hands help with sticky dough and also help pine nuts adhere better. Do not overbake!!!!
Thanks for the tips, Marie!
Great recipe! I have been looking for this recipe for a long time. Thank you so much fir it.
Thank you for this easy pignoli cookie recipe. It is a family favorite. The cookies are perfect every time.
Great to hear, Jerri! Thank you!
Thank you for the perfect and easy recipe. My favorite cookie. I can’t believe I had to be 80 before I learned how to make them. Thank you
I love the cookie but I wonder why mine went so flat? Any suggestions?
Hi, Carol. Typically this happens if the dough has been over-mixed, or the cookies have been at too high a temperature, causing them to spread excessively during baking. Next time, be sure to gently handle the dough, and monitor them closely in he oven to prevent over-spreading.
I worked at an Italian bakery in Portland Oregon… I loved making the Pignoli cookies. After putting them out one day I saw an older man buy one and take a bite. He nearly cried. Guess where he was from? Yes, Italy. I got quite a hug since that was my batch. This recipe is perfect!
Aww! That’s awesome!
if you happen to be in germany and are similarly confused as i am about the “no marzipan” note: don’t worry, Marzipanrohmasse (pure/raw marzipan) is the same as almond paste (see wikipedia for almond paste). Marzipanrohmasse is the “marzipan” found in the baking section and usually comes with more than 50% almond content, whereas marzipan in the sweets section is Marzipanrohmasse diluted down with more sugar and other ingredients. the recipe works perfectly fine with Marzipanrohmasse.
Thanks for sharing this, Fay. Super helpful!
I made these today for Christmas Eve. The recipe is simple and easy and they are delish. Husband loved them. But don’t try to make the cookie balls with your hands straight from the food processor. The paste is too soft. Put the bowl in the refrigerator as Suzy suggests. You’ll have a much easier time making cookies that are consistent.
Thanks for sharing, Michele! Merry Christmas!
Eureka! Finally a great pignoli cookie recipe! These are dense, chewy goodness. I did have to flatten them down a bit. I also chilled the dough which helped greatly. Thank you Suzy!
We just made these for the very first time and they are delicious! Thanks for the great recipe.
The ingredients must be well known because as my wife was checking out of the market the cashier asked her if she was making Pignoli.
Lol! Yes! Definitely a popular Italian cookie :).
I am so excited to try this recipe for Christmas! Can I use coconut sugar instead of granulated sugar? Thanks!
Hi, Adela! I’m Summer and I work here at The Mediterranean Dish. We haven’t tested it that way, so I can’t say for sure if it would work. But what is life if not an adventure! If you decided to try it please report back and let us know if the cookies turned out as expected or if you created a wonderful new kind of treat!