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Home » Recipes » Gluten Free

Easy 5 Ingredient Italian Pignoli Cookies

Published: Dec 16, 2021 by Coley · This post may contain affiliate links.

Jump to Recipe

Pignoli Cookies, or pine nut cookies, are a classic Italian confection. They're chewy, sweet and only require 5 ingredients! This is one of my all time favorite cookies to bake during the holidays.

broken pignoli cookie on a gray surface surrounded by more cookies

Why this recipe works

  • 5 simple ingredients.
  • 20 minutes of active prep time.
  • Egg whites, sugar and almond paste create a great chewy texture, similar to a macaroon.
  • Uses a precise amount of pine nuts so that none go to waste.
  • No wheat flour makes these naturally gluten free!
ingredients for Pignoli Cookies

Essential Ingredients

  • Pine Nuts - Called Pignoli in Italian, these nuts are one of the most expensive, but they're worth it. Chinese pine nuts are the most commonly found variety in the US, but they are not the best quality. Mediterranean pine nuts are much better quality, but they can be quite cost prohibitive. Either will work in this recipe, but use the latter if you can.
  • Almond Paste - You must use almond paste to make Pignoli Cookies and not marzipan or anything labeled otherwise. I recommend Solo brand.

Step by Step Instructions

  • overhead shot of a food processor with crumbled almond paste the texture of sand
  • food processor overhead shot of a food processor with smooth pignoli cookie dough

1. Crumble the almond paste into a food processor and pulse until it's the texture of sand.

2. Add the sugar, egg whites and salt and process until smooth - about 15 seconds. Use a spatula to scrape the mixture into another bowl and refrigerate for about 30 minutes. This will help make the dough easier to roll into balls

  • hand spraying a baking sheet with cooking spray
  • wetting hands over a bowl of water

3. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F, then line two baking sheets with parchment paper and spray all over with cooking spray to prevent sticking. Add pine nuts into a shallow bowl or dish.

4. Fill a small bowl with water and keep it at your work station to wet your hands. This will make rolling the dough easier.

  • overhead shot of a hand scooping out a spoon full of pignoli cookie dough
  • two hands revealing a ball of rolled pignoli cookie dough

5. Remove the dough from the refrigerator and use a spoon to scoop out a small piece, roughly the size of a rounded tablespoon.

6. Wet your hands, then roll the dough into a ball.

  • two hands revealing a piece of cookie dough rolled in pine nuts

7. Drop the ball into the pine nuts and press to coat and flatten into a disc. Be careful not to coat with too many nuts or you'll run out before finishing.

8. Lay the cookies on the baking sheet about 2 inches apart and repeat until all the dough and nuts are gone.

9. Bake for about 11-14 minutes or until they're golden brown around the edges. Allow to cool completely before serving.

side angle of Pignoli Cookies cooling on a baking sheet

Tips for Success

  • Keep your dough chilling in the refrigerator until you're ready to start rolling to make it firmer and easier to work with. You can keep the dough refrigerated for up to 24 hours before making the cookies.
  • Keep a small bowl of water handy to wet your hands so that the dough doesn't stick while you roll them into balls.
  • Try to limit the amount of pine nuts that stick to each cookie, especially in the beginning when there are lots of them. It's easy to coat a ball of dough in too many, and you will run out before rolling all of the cookies and you will need to use more.
  • Baking times will vary by oven, and while some say Pignoli Cookies are best on the lighter, less-baked side, I prefer them more browned and toasted.
close up of stack of 5 Pignoli Cookies with fairy lights

Faq about Pine Nut Cookies

Can Pignoli Cookies be frozen?

Yes! Freeze in a zip top bag for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator, then re-crisp in a 275 degrees oven for about 5 minutes.

What can I do with the leftover egg yolks?

Definitely don't throw them away! Add them to your scrambled eggs to make them extra rich or save them for a custard or homemade ice cream. Freeze them in ice cube trays, then store in a zip-top bag for later use.

Can they be made without a food processor?

Yes! I recommend following the same technique only using a hand mixer (with beaters) or stand mixer (with a paddle attachment) instead. Because of the thick texture of the almond paste, they are challenging to mix by hand, but with a lot of grit and elbow grease it can be done.

Can you use something other than pine nuts?

Any other nut or even coconut will make a fine substitution.

hand taking a cookie from a platter

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stack of 5 Pignoli Cookies in front of Christmas tree

Did you make this recipe and LOVE it? Please leave a star ⭐️ rating and/or comment to help other readers. I absolutely love hearing from you and do my best to answer all questions and comments. I love seeing when you make my recipes, so please tag me @ColeyCooks on Instagram and I will repost!

Print

Italian Pignoli Cookies

broken pignoli cookie on a gray surface surrounded by more cookies
Print Recipe

★★★★★

5 from 8 reviews

Pignoli cookies (pine nut cookies) are a classic Italian confection. They're made with almond paste and eggs, making them naturally gluten free. Chewy, sweet, and delicious!

  • Author: Nicole Gaffney (ColeyCooks.com)
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes plus 30 minutes chill time
  • Cook Time: 15 minutes
  • Total Time: 1 hour
  • Yield: about 18 cookies 1x
  • Category: cookies
  • Method: baked
  • Cuisine: Italian
  • Diet: Gluten Free

Ingredients

Scale
  • 8 oz Almond Paste * (recommended: Solo brand)
  • ⅔ cup sugar
  • 2 large egg whites*
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup raw, untoasted pine nuts

Instructions

  1. Crumble the almond paste into a food processor and pulse until it is the texture of sand.
  2. Add the sugar, egg whites and salt and process until smooth - about 15 seconds or so.
  3. Use a spatula to scrape the mixture out into another bowl and refrigerate for about 30 minutes. This will help make the dough easier to roll into balls.
  4. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper, the spray with cooking spray.
  5. Add the pine nuts to a shallow bowl or plate and have a small bowl of cold water next to it.
  6. Remove the dough from the fridge and use a spoon to scoop out a small piece about the size of a rounded tablespoon.
  7. Wet your hands a little in the bowl of water, then roll the dough in your hands to form a ball. around to form a ball.
  8. Drop the ball on to the pine nuts and press to flatten and coat on both sides. Be careful not to coat it with too many nuts or you'll run out before finishing.
  9. Lay the cookie on the baking sheet and repeat until all the dough and nuts are gone.
  10. Bake for about 11-14 minutes or until they're golden brown around the edges. Allow to cool completely before serving - they're better that way.***

Notes

*Do not use Marzipan, it is not the same thing and will not produce good results. 

**Make sure you only use large eggs or the cookies may not turn out right. 

***Baking times will vary by oven so keep an eye on them. Some say  Pignoli Cookies should be on the lighter, less baked side, but I actually prefer them a bit more dark and toasted. 

Nutrition

  • Serving Size:
  • Calories: 153
  • Sugar: 13.5 g
  • Sodium: 87 mg
  • Fat: 9.1 g
  • Carbohydrates: 16.8 g
  • Protein: 2.7 g
  • Cholesterol: 0 mg

Keywords: easy, Italian, recipe, cookies, pine nuts, almond paste, gluten free, christmas, traditional

Did you make this recipe?

Please leave a review and star rating ⭐️ to help other cooks!

 

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Reader Interactions

Comments

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  1. Coley

    December 16, 2021 at 2:25 pm

    These are the absolute BEST Pignoli Cookies! So chewy and love that they're gluten free.

    ★★★★★

    Reply
  2. DB

    August 01, 2022 at 10:53 am

    These are excellent. Just like the ones we used to get from the Italian bakery that used to be in town.

    ★★★★★

    Reply
  3. Karen

    November 07, 2022 at 12:39 pm

    These are my favorite cookies and this is the first recipe I've tried that I actually liked.

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Coley

      November 11, 2022 at 1:57 pm

      So glad to hear it!

      Reply
  4. Angelina

    November 11, 2022 at 1:59 pm

    Incredible - just like the pignoli cookies from the Italian bakery... but so much less expensive to make at home!!!!!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Coley

      November 11, 2022 at 2:00 pm

      SO glad you enjoyed them!

      Reply
  5. Joyce

    November 16, 2022 at 11:32 am

    Pine nuts were too expensive so I made them with slivered almonds and they turned out great. Will be making agin

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Coley

      November 16, 2022 at 11:37 am

      Thanks Joyce!

      Reply
  6. Amy Strickland

    November 17, 2022 at 3:06 pm

    Turned out great

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Coley

      November 17, 2022 at 4:04 pm

      SO glad you enjoyed it!

      Reply
  7. Bella

    November 29, 2022 at 12:48 pm

    Love love love this recipe. My favorite cookies, they are easy to make and always come out so good. And they keep fresh for a long time!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Coley

      November 29, 2022 at 5:04 pm

      Thank you!

      Reply
  8. Susan

    March 12, 2023 at 12:23 pm

    Made your recipe today. These are my sons favorite cookie! My one comment to you I’s that I found that if you just use parchment paper without any spray the cookies don’t spread as much. If you let them cool on the paper they can be easily peeled off without ant breakage.

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Coley

      March 15, 2023 at 10:59 am

      So happy you love the recipe! Great tip about the parchment - I will keep that in mind next time I bake them!

      Reply

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I'm Nicole Gaffney, but my friends all call me Coley. You should, too! I'm a chef and recipe developer specializing in coastal Italian cooking. Welcome to Coley Cooks! About Nicole Gaffney

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