Italian Pignoli Cookie are an Italian Sicilian classic cookie recipe. Similar to a macaroon. A crispy chewy and almond-y cookie, that is sure to become a family favorite, if it isn’t already.
Christmas Cookie all about Italian Holidays.
The holidays are all about Family, Love, Faith and Presents.
This week I will share a bit of our family and the holiday cookies they love. I will have faith that you will love the recipes as much as we do and for the present part I am doing a Baking Bonanza Giveaway all week! (details below)
My husband was raised by an Italian mother. His paternal grandfather ran an Italian grocery store.
He likes all things Italian, especially the food. He has very fond memories of his mothers cooking when he was a little boy and still asks for her to make her artichokes for him when we visit, the man loves them.
He also fondly talks of all the times he would work in his grandfathers grocery store or help him in his garden.
Jim at the age of 4, he is so darn cute!
Jim and his mother, Carmen at her 80th birthday party!
The perfect Christmas Cookie.
Of course his favorite Christmas Cookie is the Italian Pignoli.
A chewy almond goodie topped with Pine Nuts (Pignoli in Italian).
I love the guy so darn much I always am sure to make a batch up for him.
These seem to be the first ones to disappear off the cookie plate during the holidays, so make sure you treat the ones you love with a taste of these little Italian Biscotti.
If you are a fan of Italian cookies check out my recipe for Anisette Cookies.
Italian Pignoli Cookies
Equipment
- Baking Sheet
Ingredients
- 8 ounces pine nuts pignoli
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- Dash salt
- 8 ounce can almond paste
- 2 egg whites slightly beaten
- 1/2 teaspoon almond extract or vanilla extract
- Confectioner’s sugar for dusting
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 300°F. Line 2 cookie sheets with Silpat liners or parchment.
- Place pine nuts (pignoli) in a shallow dish.
- Combine granulated sugar, confectioners’ sugar, flour and salt in a medium bowl and lightly toss.
- Place almond paste in a mixing bowl of an electric mixer and mix to break up.
- Add beaten egg whites and mix on low speed until smooth.
- Add almond extract and flour mixture and beat until flour is blended in, about 30 seconds. Do not over beat.
- Using a teaspoon or a cookie scoop, scoop up a rounded spoonfuls of dough and push into the pine nuts so that the pine nuts stick to dough. Ease the dough out of scoop, so that pine nuts are facing up on baking sheet.
- Place 2″ apart and re-apply any loose nuts.
- Bake cookies for about 25 minutes. Use the shorter baking time if you like soft cookies; the longer baking time if you like them chewy.
- Cool 1 minute and remove to a rack to cool completely.
- Dust with confectioners’ sugar.
Notes
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!