Pignoli Cookies
Updated Oct. 20, 2025
- Total Time
- 1 hour 40 minutes
- Prep Time
- 5 minutes
- Cook Time
- 1 hour 5 minutes, plus 30 minutes’ cooling
- Rating
- Comments
- Read comments
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Ingredients
- 24ounces almond paste, chilled
- 1½cups/300 grams granulated sugar
- 1cup/123 grams powdered sugar
- 2large egg whites
- 14ounces pine nuts (about 3 cups)
Nutritional analysis per serving (60 servings)
125 calories; 8 grams fat; 1 gram saturated fat; 3 grams monounsaturated fat; 3 grams polyunsaturated fat; 13 grams carbohydrates; 1 gram dietary fiber; 11 grams sugars; 2 grams protein; 3 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
- Step 1
Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a large rimmed sheet pan with parchment paper.
- Step 2
Break the almond paste up into chunks and add them to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Add the granulated sugar, powdered sugar and egg whites. Beat on medium speed until just combined into a sticky dough, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed, about 2 minutes. The pignoli dough can be tightly wrapped with plastic wrap and refrigerated for up to 3 days (or frozen up to 1 month then thawed overnight in the fridge).
- Step 3
Add the pine nuts to a small bowl. Scoop up 1 level tablespoon of dough, roll into a ball between your palms, then roll through the pine nuts, pressing to adhere. Set on the prepared sheet pan. Repeat with the remaining dough, spacing the balls 1 inch apart.
- Step 4
Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until the cookies are golden brown. Let the cookies cool completely before serving. Cookies can be stored at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Private Notes
Comments
I make these cookies rolled either in pignoli nuts or toasted slivered almonds. Delicious either way. You can also sandwich two cookies with chocolate ganache if you want to go all out.
I make pignoli cookies by using 1 package of Solo almond paste, 1 cup of sugar, 1 egg white. The trick to getting the pignoli nuts to stick to the dough is to wet your hands before rolling balls of dough in the nuts. I makes a huge difference
If you can find (and afford) Italian/Mediterranean pine nuts they are far superior to the ones from China or Siberia. Italian are longer and milder; Chinese are shorter, oilier, and more bitter. Some people find Chinese pine nuts have an unpleasant metallic flavor that can leave a numb feeling in the mouth for days. I avoid them for that reason.
So many worthy variations - ground fennel (1 - 2 tsp) can make these more interesting and complex, flour adds texture. You can substitute marzipan for almond paste if you reduce the sugar.
This recipe was a fail. The dough spread all over the cookie sheet and the cookies are way too sweet. I will not make this recipe again.
can this dough be frozen or bake cookies , then freeze?
Pignoli cookies freeze well, after baking & thoroughly cooling. I have not tried freezing just the dough. I place cookies in quart-size baggies with air released & stack in a tin for longer storage. For shorter storage of ~1month, layer the tin with parchment paper & place cookies in layers, with parchment between layers.