Ingredients
12 oz. almond paste, crumbled
1 1/3 c. powdered sugar
2 large egg whites
3/4 tsp. kosher salt
1 c. pine nuts
Preparation
Step 1Preheat oven to 350° and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.Step 2Combine almond paste, sugar, egg whites, and salt in food processor and pulse until smooth. Place pine nuts on shallow plate. Step 3With slightly dampened hands, roll dough into 1" balls. Roll balls in pine nuts, pressing lightly to stick. Arrange balls on prepared sheets and flatten slightly to form a 1 1/2" round.Step 4Bake 16 to 18 minutes until lightly golden. Step 5Let cool on cookie sheet 1 minute, then transfer to wire rack to cool completely.
Use almond paste, not marzipan. While some recipes work with either, pignoli cookies are best made with almond paste, which is softer than marzipan and holds up better in baking. It also has less sugar content than marzipan. How to store pignoli cookies Pignoli cookies will keep for up to 5 days in an airtight container. Layer them with sheets of wax or parchment paper. How to freeze pignoli cookies Like most holiday cookies, pignoli cookies can be frozen. Once cooled from baking, freeze them in a single layer on a parchment- or wax paper-lined baking sheet. Once frozen, transfer them to a resealable freezer-safe plastic bag or container. Pignoli cookies are best eaten within 1 month of freezing.
Made these cookies? Let us know how it went in the comment section below! Looking for more Italian cookies? Try our biscotti recipe!
