Also called pine nut cookies. I make them and my family eats them so quickly I have to hide a few so I get some.
Even though this Pignoli cookie recipe has fewer reviews, it is the better one (and I made both). If you are using 8 oz. of almond paste (I used solo that comes in the can), you can only use two eggs whites. If you use too many egg whites your cookies will be a completely flattened. The only change I made to the recipe was to use 2/3 cup of sugar and not 1 cup because they were just too sweet. Other than that, this recipe is perfect! You will have beautiful pignoli cookies that taste like they came from an Italian bakery (this coming from a Jersey girl who had eaten alot of good Italian bakery cookies!) You can't go wrong with this recipe.
Read MoreThese are delicious, but mine turned out really flat and spread out a lot while baking... what went wrong? Is it better to add a little flour? Or are there other tricks?
Read MoreEven though this Pignoli cookie recipe has fewer reviews, it is the better one (and I made both). If you are using 8 oz. of almond paste (I used solo that comes in the can), you can only use two eggs whites. If you use too many egg whites your cookies will be a completely flattened. The only change I made to the recipe was to use 2/3 cup of sugar and not 1 cup because they were just too sweet. Other than that, this recipe is perfect! You will have beautiful pignoli cookies that taste like they came from an Italian bakery (this coming from a Jersey girl who had eaten alot of good Italian bakery cookies!) You can't go wrong with this recipe.
Just like my grandmother's and that is hard to top! Delicious, moist and chewy. You'll think you bought them at a bake shop.
I had never heard of pignoli cookies, but thought the recipe sounded fun to try. Found out that almond paste and pine nuts are expensive! Nice flavor overall. For baking it, I used parchment paper instead of greasing/flouring--just let the cookies sit for a few minutes after taking them out of the oven, then gently work them off the parchment and slide onto wire rack. The next time I will also try: Less sugar, and using a stand mixer with paddle attachment to break up the almond paste (my little food processor didn't really break it up enough, I had chunks of almond paste in the ending cookies), and making the cookies much smaller--the recipe doesn't really give a hint as to size, but I think bite-size is better as these are very intense sweet, rich cookies. They do puff out a bit when baking, so plan your spacing accordingly.
I, too, have made both Pignoli recipes on this site and find this recipe to be superior. I bake these every year around Christmas time and they always get raves and requests for the recipe. I have used parchment paper and had no problems, but i usually use a silpat silicone mat and that works best. I agree that you may not need to use all of the egg white. I doubled this recipe and still only needed 2 whites.
This is a great recipe!! These cookies are my hubby's favorite so I decided to make them to see what he thought of them and he gave them a 5 out of 5 stars. I wish I had sauteed the nuts before adding them to the tops (as someone suggested) because that was the only difference between the bakery and this recipe...definitely will remember to do that next time! The parchment paper is a must...no problem with removal and letting the mix chill in the fridge helps with placement. Be sure to make your balls small and completely covered with nuts because they spread out. If you want your cookies to taste like they came from the bakery than you need to use 1 cup of white sugar...it's not too sweet...but just right. It's the closest to the bakery cookie as you're going to get and that's coming from an Italian that grew up eating these cookies. Some reviewers said this was messy but I didn't think it was any messier than other cookies I've made. Put them in a tin lined with waxed paper after they cool to stay fresh...if you can keep them that long, lol. Thank you so much for sharing. I will definitely make these again and again!
Delicious flavor and soft, chewy consistency, Mmm! I only used 2/3 cups of sugar and I refrigerated the mix for about 20 minutes before I spooned them out to bake. I baked them on aluminum foil (shiny side up) and they came off much more easily than they did off of the parchment paper. I will be making these again for sure!
These are delicious, but mine turned out really flat and spread out a lot while baking... what went wrong? Is it better to add a little flour? Or are there other tricks?
This recipe is perfect as is, except I baked mine for about 15 minutes so they got golden on top. Some tips I have are 1. Definitely toast the pine nuts! 2. Use a silicon baking mat, they turn out fluffier and they do not stick. 3. I used 1 cup of sugar and gradually added it in the food processor. I found this helped granulate the (Solo brand) almond paste. 4. *Important* I like to drop them in 1/2 to 1 teaspoonfuls since they spread out so much - you can probably end up with about 30-36 cookies if you do it this way! Note, if you do it this way, buy about 1/2 cup of pine nuts so you can be sure to have enough to cover the tops. These are just fabulous!!
Loved this recipe! Made a batch as is, then another batch without the pine nuts - used mini chocolate chips mixed in the dough instead.
The cookie base was very good and the nuts help to cut the sweetness. I may have used too many nuts though because it seemed like they were missing salt. I did use 2/3c sugar as suggested by another reviewer. These would be far too sweet with a full cup of sugar.
These are great. Use Release Foil on an unsided cookie sheet (they won't stick at all. I also used a 1 Tbsp cookie scoop not quite full, so my cooking time was longer. I will definitely make again - much better than our local bakery and cheaper too.
Excellent recipe better than any italian bakery in Brooklyn. Did mix the sugar with the egg whites and added a tablespoon of Amaretto liquor. Highly recommend these cookies.
12/23/08They taste absolutley great! I tried this batch twice, once with Odense & then a double batch with Solo almond paste. Odense's batch was rounder and the Solo's were flatter. They do take about 20 minutes to bake for them to be brown. Let them cool all the way before taking them off and they wont stick. I used non stick foil and parchment works well too. They are a little messy. Try using a pipping bag to distribute evenly and cleaner too. They are great cookies either flat or fluffy! *updated 12/9/17* I just read recently that if your cookies are flat then we used too much egg whites. That said if you use Solo then cut egg whites in half. I liked the way they come out when I use Odense, Just Whites, add a little almond extract to taste, using a pipping bag too with parchment.
These cookies taste good, although I think I will cut down the sugar next time to 3/4 but I had to cook them more than double the stated 10-12 minute cook time. Use very small spoonfuls when placing on the baking sheet, the smaller cookies had a better look and texture than the larger.
The flavor is good but the baking is horrible. I left them baking far longer than was stated in the recipie. I put them back I don't know how many times at 2 and 3 minute pops. I didn't read the reviews as I do most of the time because I was in a hurry. Per the reviews, perhaps parchment paper would have done the trick. I buttered and floured the pan and the cookies still stuck. They didn't brown like I thought they should and they were very gooey in the middle of the cookie. It was a big if, IF I got them off the pan without breaking. I am a baker and make tons of cookies, especially at Christmas time. Very unlikely that I will make these again. The ingredients are far too expensive to land up with a pile of crumbs.
actually, my sister in law made these and they are terrific! I'm going to make them next bc these are my husbands favorite cookie! She did say that you must whip the egg whites or they come out flat. Her's were perfect! Better than the bakery for sure!
aaaahhhhh this is the best, eaten in italy, if ya want, cook fifteen minutes more, they become crisp. yum;)
I've been making this recipe at Christmas for a few years and I think I've finally got it down with a few tweaks. I typically double the batch, using 2 cups of sugar but only 3 egg whites. Whip the egg whites for a long time. Get them nice & fluffy and be very gentle while folding them into the almond paste/sugar mixture. (Really saw an improvement in the consistency of the dough) Chilling the dough helps keep it from being overly sticky. Instead of pressing the nuts into the dough, I pour the nuts into a bowl & roll the balls of dough in it, pressing the nuts in as I go. I've also found that making small cookies (bite size) seems to work best. They bake evenly & don't flatten out as much. I use cookie sheets lined with non-stick foil. The cookies release with no problems at all after cooling for about 5 minutes. More successful than parchment, silicone mats or greased foil (I've tried them all). Biggest lesson: be patient & take your time. This isn't a recipe to be rushed. When I try to rush through it, my cookies come out a mess. This year I took my time & while it took me almost 2 hours, it was worth it. This year's batch is probably my most successful to date and I couldn't be happier. This is a fabulous recipe and a staple of my Christmas baking.
Easy and very flavorable. Chill the dough and use a silicome baking mat or parchment paper and you shouldn't have to worry about the cookies sticking.
This was fantastic. First time I ever made them, too. I tried to stick to the inital directions (i hate reading reviews with an entire alteration) but I only had a one shot deal for company: I used 3/4 cups sugar and about 3/4 of the egg whites. I beat two as directed but I felt I didnt need all of it. I also through the batter in the fridge for 20 min and I think that helped with minimal spreading. The foil helped but I think if you let them cool long enough, you wont have a problem with parchment. The only difference really is i needed 15 mins to bake. Using a melon scooper gave a perfect size cookie, yielding 22 cookies. Next time, i think i'll fill the scooper with the pine nuts (which i also roasted) and then scopp the batter so I dont have such a tedious time patting them all in. Simply divine!
I am from Brooklyn and grew up eating these. This is a great recipe and they taste very authentic. I actually cut the recipe in half and used a 7oz tube of almond paste and it worked perfectly! The only thing that you should know is that if you are making these for someone who needs them gluten free, check your almond paste first. Odense almond paste is NOT gluten free!
I made this recipe with ingredients as written and they came out perfect! Brought back childhood memories! Here are are a few hints...I used parchment and had no problems. Just use a thin metal spatula after they cool slightly to release. Also, change the parchement sheets in between batches. I used the food processor for the entire mixing part. Put the paste in and slowly add sugar. Then add the egg whites. I forgot to whip them first but I think the food processor did that for me anyway. Pack on the nuts as they spread. The processor was great because I refrigerated the mixture in between as it is a little thin and this kept it from thinning further due to warmth. VERY PLEASED with this recipe as it is so simple and uses the least amount of ingredients. ENJOY!!
HINT - you can't change the sugar to 2/3 a cup and still use 2 egg whites. I will try it again with only 1. I decided to double the recipe, using 1 pound almond paste (2 solo cans), 1 and 1/3 cups sugar (2/3rds x2), and only 3 egg whites (instead of 4). Cookies were delicious BUT flat. I will try this again as is next time!
Easy and delicious! I substituted half of the sugar with Spenda and the results were excellent. I'll definitely make this recipe again.
This is the best and easiest Pignoli cookie I've been able to find. I've been hunting for a good gluten free (make sure you use a GF almond paste) dairy free cookie and this is it. I use parchment paper to line my cookie sheet and my stand mixer to break up the paste and blend in the sugar and have always had wonderful results. Only problem is these cookies don't last long in my house. They're gone before you know it.
I make pignoli cookies every year for Christmas. this recipe is better than our family recipe. The egg whites give it a wonderful texture.
Although the taste was good, (a little bit too sweet, but good), these cookies completely lost their form while baking. They turned into one big film of sticky cookie. I might try this again with some flour, but I will probably just find a new recipe.
The best recipie ever...easy too !Use parchment paper to bake on. Never made them before...They turned out wonderful!
PERFECT!!!! Just like Del Prete's! Pretty easy too. I read the tips... The foil shiney side up with light spray of Pam works great.... Using a blender a great idea. I love the Ninja blender, it really does a great job breaking up the almond paste. I doubled the recipe, but used a little less sugar. Also toasted the pine nuts, that was a great idea. Great recipe
Great easy recipe! I did the whole thing in the food processor. I even whipped the egg whites in the smaller insert of my food processor. They only got to soft peaks but it still worked fine. YUM!
Amazing!!! I have loved pignoli cookies for awhile and have only been able to find good ones in NYC. Never did I think I could make them on my own. They were so simple to make and taste just like the ones found in Italian bakeries. Thank you!! note: These are best when eaten the same day they are made, while they're nice and soft:)
what an amazing cookie- everyone asks me to bring them now anywhere I go! not too sweet- perfect with wine... even my Italian husband's family who are VERY picky about Italian desserts loved them.
Thanks for the awesome recipe! I prepared these for my dad's birthday...they're his favorite. He said it was the best gift of all. Thanks!!
These cookies were a request from a guest whose "Nona" made them all the time in his childhood. I used this recipe and he loved them! I have had to send the recipe on to many other friends as well. I will make these often (never telling anyone of the simplicity of the recipe)and enjoy the accolades! So bravo and thankyou!
Admittedly I am not a baker. I had A LOT of trouble with this recipe. Real difficult getting the paste to "granulate". Seemed to get a little better as I added the sugar but I wound up with a lot of the paste "pasted" to the bottom of my processor. Cooked them for 15 minutes and they were still raw in the bottom middle. Could not get them off the cooking tray even though I used the shiny side of aluminum foil sprayed with Pam. Could be, probably is something with my method. But I could not get these to work.
This IS the recipe for me. I used parchment paper and just used a little less sugar. Chilling the dough helps. They taste delicious.
I am a baker and these cookies are delicious. A couple of comments. The amount of egg whites is perfect, you just have to use large eggs or smaller. You cannot use XLarge eggs or it won't be right. The sugar is too much but you can't go wrong. I recommend doubling the recipe and keeping the sugar at 1 cup for the double recipe. Finally, the tinfoil baking method is genius. Put tinfoil shiny side up, spray with Pam and you are good to go. Also, kudos to the person who recommended toasting the nuts slightly before baking; it is infinitely better. DELICIOUS!!
HINT - you can't change the sugar to 2/3 a cup and still use 2 egg whites. I will try it again with only 1. I decided to double the recipe, using 1 pound almond paste (2 solo cans), 1 and 1/3 cups sugar (2/3rds x2), and only 3 egg whites (instead of 4). Cookies were delicious BUT flat. I will try this again as is next time!
I am a baker and these cookies are delicious. A couple of comments. The amount of egg whites is perfect, you just have to use large eggs or smaller. You cannot use XLarge eggs or it won't be right. The sugar is too much but you can't go wrong. I recommend doubling the recipe and keeping the sugar at 1 cup for the double recipe. Finally, the tinfoil baking method is genius. Put tinfoil shiny side up, spray with Pam and you are good to go. Also, kudos to the person who recommended toasting the nuts slightly before baking; it is infinitely better. DELICIOUS!!
I LOVE pignoli cookies and I can't get them where I live now. So, I followed this recipe to the letter and, O.M.G., they were delicious. Will definitely be making these again.
I have made these twice. Once a few years ago and once tonight. The first couple of batches came out very flat, so I added 1/4 cup of self rising flour and they were perfect. Still flattened out a bit, but not as much. I also cooked them for about 16 minutes, because I like them a little firmer. Great recipe ??????
The cookies are nice and soft with a good taste, but you might want to raise the temperature when baking. Also, you can use an egg beater to help combine the whites and almond mixture.
Recipe should indicate cookie spreads..... despite grease and flour on baking sheet cookies stuck and broke when cooled... Disappointed
The temperature needs to be higher at 350° and to be baked at least 13-15 minutes to be golden brown but still chewy in the middle . Otherwise, they will be undercooked and not golden brown.
Delicious!! My Italian ex-husbands family always had these at Christmas time. To me, this is a taste of Christmas. I was surprised that these were thinner than I remembered. Are there two varieties of this recipe, one more like a traditional cookie and another thicker like a macaroon? The flavor was exactly as I remembered though and this recipe will become part of Christmas again for me. Thank you!!
This was my first time making these &it was definitely trial &error for me. I decided to use this recipe due to the fact that it had less ingredients and seemed to be the better one based off of reviews. I agree with previous reviewers regarding the amount of sugar and egg whites being too much. I also wasn't 100% sure why most recipes I've seen call for confectioners sugar &white sugar so I split the sugar called for in this recipe between the 2. My batter as you can see from one of my pictures was runny causing me to have flat cookies. I placed the batter in the fridge for half an hour and it didn't make a difference. I began to add flour to the batter in order to thicken it and only after adding what felt like more flour than should've been necessary, and placing in the fridge overnight, was the batter in better shape. I was finally able to roll the sticky goodness into little balls and press in the pine nuts before baking. I flattened them down slightly. I coated my entire cookie in the nuts, which I believe made it much easier for taking them off of the baking sheet (which I lined with the shiny side up of aluminum foil and cooking spray). In regards to toasting the pine nuts- you can see from both of my pics that they ended up overly toasty and some even burnt after baking. I wouldn't do that again as they toast slightly during the baking process. I also had to lower my oven to 315°F and extend the baking time. I would definitely try this recipe again but with caution.
This is my favorite cookie. It was the first time I had ever made these cookies. My first batch wasn't done enough, so for the second batch I increased the temperature to 350 F. That seemed to do the trick. Delicious!!
This tastes just like the ones you buy in the bakery. I did what most suggested and reduced the white sugar to 2/3 cups. I used an 8 oz box of almond paste with two egg whites. I used a food processor to chop up the paste. I refrigerated the first batch to make the dough more manageable, but I think that resulted in my cookies coming out more flat. The second batch, I put the dough in a pastry bag and piped it out to about 1 inch in diameter on to a parchment lined pan. They turned out MUCH better. I will definitely be making these again.
