Pignoli Cookies (Italian Pine Nut Cookies)
Updated Oct 21, 2025, Published Dec 16, 2022
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This Italian Pignoli Cookies recipe cooks up soft and chewy almond-based cookies coated in buttery pine nuts and baked until perfectly golden brown. With their crisp edges and moist, tender centers, they’re a traditional favorite from Southern Italy and made with just 4 ingredients in about 20 minutes!
If you love classic Italian cookies, be sure to try my Italian Fig Cookies (Cuccidati)
too. They’re another festive favorite you don’t want to miss!
Quick Look at This Recipe
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Servings: 24 cookies
- Dietary Info: Naturally gluten-free; dairy-free
- Method: Baked
- Technique: Roll almond paste-based dough in pine nuts, bake until lightly golden.
- Flavor & Texture: Rich almond flavor, chewy center, crisp toasted pine nut exterior.
Why you’ll love this Italian cookie!
Pignoli Cookies (Amaretti con Pignoli) are classic Italian cookies. I remember them from childhood, and they are always on any Italian cookie tray for every special occasion. I know once you try them, you will find them irresistible, too!
I have a special connection to pine nuts because our beach home is nestled in the middle of pine trees in my hometown of Sardegna. They are tall, and you must watch your head when the giant pine cones filled with pine nuts fall off the tree!
When we were little, we collected pine nuts and made authentic Italian basil pesto. To get the tiny pine nut out of the shell, we smashed each one with a large rock. A labor of love to gather all those pinenuts for the best pignoli cookies or pesto! I hope you love this pignoli cookies recipe along with these Italian butter cookies.
Made With Amore,
“This cookie recipe truly is the BEST!!! What a fantastic texture – chewy but not too gooey (i.e. not like a macaroon). I made these last night and they turned out beautifully.”
– Lesley
Table of Contents
What Are Pignoli Cookies?
These authentic Italian pine nut cookies are made with just four key ingredients—and they’re naturally gluten-free since they’re made from almond paste and egg whites (similar to Soft Amaretti Cookies).
They’re filled with rich almond flavor, moist, chewy centers, and crisp exteriors studded with beautifully toasted golden-brown pine nuts. You’ll love how the chewy almond cookie and the nutty flavor of the buttery pine nuts create the tastiest and most simple cookie!
The Italian word for pine nuts is pignoli (pronounced pēn-yō′lē). Pine nuts are one of the most expensive in the world because they are slow-growing and labor-intensive to harvest.
Simple Ingredients
This easy recipe for pignoli cookies is the traditional way to make authentic Italian pine nut cookies. They are naturally gluten-free and dairy-free and made with only a few simple and wholesome ingredients.
- Almond Paste: Make sure to use almond paste, not marzipan. Almond paste has a coarser texture and is less sweet than marzipan, and it contains nearly twice as many almonds per ounce. Marzipan is smoother and used for candy or decorations, while almond paste is ideal for baking.
- Large egg whites: We will only be using egg whites. You can save the yolks and make a batch of Italian pastry cream. To ensure you use the correct amount of egg whites, I suggest weighing them since eggs can vary in size.
- Pine nuts: The star of the show when making pine nut cookies. Choose raw pine nuts since they will cook in the oven with the cookies. Try them in a savory dish too, like my pumpkin and Parmesan pasta dish.
See the recipe card for the full ingredient list and quantities of each.
Substitutions and Variations
- Swap the Nuts: Pine nuts are what make these pignoli cookies, but if you need to substitute the pine nuts, you can use chopped or slivered almonds or chopped cashews instead. If you love almonds, try this almond sponge cake.
- Almond Paste: Use almond flour instead of the almond paste. The result will be slightly denser and less sweet. I have tried them this way and love them! This Italian almond cake recipe also uses almond flour.
- Adding Flavors: I love this recipe with a hint of lemon or orange zest to complement the almond flavor. You can also add vanilla extract or even a sprinkle of cinnamon. Alternatively, you can leave out the zest and enjoy a plain almond-infused cookie.
How to Make Pignoli Cookies
To get started, preheat the oven to 350°F, line a baking sheet with parchment paper, and place the pinenuts in a small bowl.
- Break up the almond paste into small pieces, about 1 inch.
- Transfer the almond paste to the bowl of your food processor along with the sugar, zest (if you’re using it), and the salt.
- Pulse until the mixture is combined, about 1 minute. It will resemble cornmeal.
- Add half of the egg whites and process for about 30 seconds. Slowly add the rest of the egg whites until a sticky dough forms. The cookie dough will be wet and sticky. Grease your hands before rolling, or use wet hands to make working with the cookie dough easier.
- Scoop out rounded tablespoons of dough and roll them into 1-inch balls. You can also use a cookie scoop. I like to oil my cookie scoop, so extracting the dough from the scoop is effortless.
- Roll the dough balls in the bowl of pine nuts until the balls are covered on all sides. Place the dough balls on a parchment-lined baking sheet about 2 inches apart.
- Bake until the nuts turn golden brown, about 15-17 minutes. Do not overbake, or they will become too hard.
- Dust the cooled cookies with powdered sugar and enjoy with a cup of thick hot chocolate.
My Pro Tip
Recipe Tips
- Use room-temperature egg whites: They incorporate more evenly into the dough for the best texture.
- Measure egg whites by weight if possible: Egg sizes vary, and using too much can make the dough too loose.
- Grease your hands when rolling the dough: This helps manage the sticky texture and shapes the cookies easily.
- Do not overbake: Cookies should be lightly golden. Overbaking will make them dry instead of chewy.
- Store properly: Keep in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one week for maximum freshness.
For more sweets with nuts, try this Italian pistachio cream and some authentic Italian biscotti next.
Pignoli Cookies Recipe FAQs
Yes, you can freeze pignoli cookies. To freeze Italian pignoli cookies, set them in a single layer on a parchment-lined baking tray. Place the cookies in the freezer. Once frozen, transfer them to a sealed bag or container and store for up to 5 weeks. When you’re ready to enjoy your cookies, thaw them at room temperature on the counter. You can even put them in a low-temperature oven, about 250°F, for a few minutes to warm.
Yes, you can. First, add the egg whites to the bowl and beat on low speed. Add the almond paste bit by bit until a uniform dough forms. Then beat in the sugar and lemon zest. Once you have the dough mixed, you can continue with the recipe.
You may have added too much egg white or used overly soft almond paste. Try chilling the dough for 10–15 minutes and lightly greasing your hands before rolling.
They should be lightly golden on the edges but still soft in the center. They will firm up as they cool, so don’t wait for them to brown too much in the oven.
Serving Suggestions
If you’re looking for a great dinner to serve with this pignoli cookies recipe, try my pasta puttanesca recipe, salmon piccata, or Roman-style pizza.
Add to a cookie tray with some chocolate crinkle cookies and heart thumbprint cookies.
Enjoy for a party along with easy snacks like jalapeno corn dip and stuffed mushrooms.
More Italian Dessert Recipes
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Pignoli Cookies Recipe (Pine Nut Cookies)
Equipment
- Medium Cookie Scoop holds 1 ½ tablespoons
Ingredients
- 16 ounces almond paste, 454g, you will need two tubes
- 1 ½ cups granulated sugar, 298g
- 3 large egg whites, 90g
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 6 ounces pine nuts for rolling, 170g
- powdered sugar, confectioners sugar, for dusting
- 2 teaspoons of either orange or lemon zest, optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside. Place pinenuts in a small bowl and set aside.
- Cut the almond paste into 1-inch pieces and put it in the bowl of a food processor. Watch your fingers near the blade. Add the sugar, zest (if using), and salt and pulse until combined, about 1 minute. It will resemble cornmeal.
- Add 1/2 of the egg whites and process for about 30 seconds. Slowly add the rest* of the egg whites until a sticky dough forms (*If you don’t weigh the egg whites, you may not need all the egg whites since egg whites in each egg vary). The dough will be wet and sticky. Grease your hands before rolling.
- Scoop out rounded tablespoons of dough and roll them into 1-inch balls. You can also use a cookie scoop. I like to oil my cookie scoop, so extracting the dough from the scoop is effortless.
- Roll the dough balls in the pine nuts until covered on all sides.
- Place the dough balls on a parchment-lined baking sheet 2 inches apart and bake until the nuts turn golden brown, about 15-17 minutes. Do not overbake, or they will become too hard.
- Dust cooled cookies with powdered sugar, and enjoy!
Notes
- If you don’t have a food processor, use a hand mixer. Add the egg whites to the bowl and beat on low speed. Add the almond paste bit by bit until a uniform dough forms. Then beat in the sugar and lemon zest. Once you have the dough, continue with the recipe.
- Use room-temperature egg whites as they mix more evenly and help create a light, chewy texture.
- Weigh egg whites if possible since egg sizes vary; too much can make the dough too soft.
- The dough is sticky, so lightly oil your hands for easier shaping.
- Do not overbake. Cookies should be lightly golden. They’ll firm up as they cool.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Delicious, Elena. Thank you!
Yay! You are most welcome!
Thank you for the very easy instruction recipe. They were delicious and bright back so many good memories! I made them for my family for Christmas.
Yay! So happy you loved this yummy cookie recipe. Enjoy for years to come!
Cucina by Elena is my go to for all of my holiday cooking and EVERYTHING Iโve made with her recipes is a great success. My family loved these cookies! So easy to make too!
Thank you so much, Laureen! This makes me so happy! I will keep the recipes coming for your holiday needs and also all your weekly and weekend dinners! Yum, so many to try!
These are yummy but, I would cut down on the sugar, they are a little too sweet.
Yes, feel free to cut down on the sugar, if you like. I am glad you enjoyed them.
With the price of pignoli, I was concerned about making this cookie. I followed the recipe exactly, and let me tell you what a hit. Delicious perfect cookie! And so easy to make.
Yes! I know they are expensive- but these cookies are so worth it for a special occasion. Happy you loved them!