Pignoli Cookies ( Italian Pine Nut Cookies)
Soft and Chewy Perfect Christmas Cookies
Pignoli cookies are a staple of Italian bakeries during the holidays. Made with almond paste and coated in buttery pine nuts, they have a naturally rich, nutty flavor and an irresistible contrast of textures—crisp on the outside, tender and chewy inside. Elegant, gluten-free, and perfect for Christmas cookie platters.
Home Recipes
Baking
Dessert
Pine nuts
Ingredients
Steps to make it
Nutrition Facts
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Desert
Recipe Cuisine:
Mediterranean
Servings:
8 people
16-18 Cookies
Preparation Time:
15 minutes
Cooking Time:
I tweaked this recipe a bit to make it slightly healthier by adding almond flour, cutting back on the sugar, using fewer eggs, and going lighter on the nuts. Almond paste is already pretty sweet on its own, so I didn’t think it needed much extra sugar. I also skipped the usual powdered sugar dusting at the end (even though it’s traditional). Honestly, they still turned out really great—and no one missed a thing.
Ingredients:
- 200g almond paste, finely crumbled
- 1 large egg whites, lightly beaten
- 1 tsp pure almond extract (optional, but traditional)
- 1 cup pine nuts (pignoli)
- Powdered sugar, for dusting (optional)
Steps to make it:
© Copyrigh 2026 Laki Maikaʻi. All rights reserved.
© Copyrigh 2026 Laki Maikaʻi. All rights reserved.
1. Preheat the Oven
2. Make the Dough
3. Shape the Cookies
4. Coat with Pine Nuts
5. Bake
6. Cool & Finish
- Let cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack.
- Dust lightly with powdered sugar if desired.
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Nutritional information provided is an estimate only. Please consult the labels of ingredients you use for more accurate results. Daily Value on the Nutrition and Supplement Facts Labels.
