Can I use marzipan instead of almond paste for pignoli cookies?

It is not a good swap. Marzipan contains much more sugar and proportionally fewer almonds than almond paste, so the cookies bake up sweeter, flatter in flavor and firmer in texture. Buy firm almond paste with almonds as the first ingredient; it is sold in cans or sealed blocks in the baking aisle.

Why did my pignoli cookies spread flat?

Spreading usually means the dough was too warm or the paste was a soft, wet style. Chill the dough for the full 30 minutes before rolling, and if the balls still relax in your hands, chill the portioned balls again for 10 minutes before coating. The small amount of almond flour in this recipe also helps the cookies hold their shape.

How do I know the pine nuts are fresh enough?

Smell them. Fresh pine nuts smell sweet, buttery and mild, while older ones smell sharp or taste bitter because of their high oil content. Store pine nuts in the refrigerator or freezer, and buy them close to baking day for a recipe like this one, where the nuts cover every cookie.

Can I make pignoli cookies without a food processor?

It is possible but slow. Grate the cold almond paste on the coarse side of a box grater, then knead the sugars into it with your hands until the mixture feels like wet sand, and beat in the egg whites with a sturdy spoon. The processor does in 30 seconds what takes about 10 minutes by hand.

Are pignoli cookies really gluten free?

Yes, as written here they are. The dough is almond paste, sugars, egg whites and a little almond flour, with no wheat anywhere. If you are baking for someone with celiac disease, check the labels of your almond paste and almond flour for a certified gluten free statement, and use a clean, dedicated scoop for the pine nuts.

Pignoli Cookies, Chewy Almond Cookies With Pine Nuts

Ingredients

Scale

16 ounces almond paste, broken into small pieces
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup powdered sugar, plus more for dusting if you like
2 large egg whites, at room temperature
1/4 cup almond flour
1 teaspoon finely grated orange zest
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 1/2 cups pine nuts

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Instructions

Line 2 large sheet pans with parchment paper. Put the pine nuts in a wide, shallow bowl and set them near your work surface.
Pulse the almond paste in a food processor until it looks like coarse sand. Add the granulated sugar and powdered sugar and pulse again until the mixture is sandy and combined.
Add the egg whites, almond flour, orange zest, vanilla and salt. Process until a thick, smooth and very sticky dough forms, about 30 seconds, scraping the bowl once halfway.
Scrape the dough into a bowl, cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes. This rest is what makes the sticky dough easy to roll.
Heat the oven to 325°F. With wet hands, roll the dough into 1 inch balls, about 1 tablespoon each, rewetting your hands whenever the dough starts to stick.
Roll each ball in the pine nuts, pressing gently so the top and sides are fully coated and the bottom stays bare. Set the cookies on the prepared pans, bare side down, about 2 inches apart.
Bake for 15 to 18 minutes, rotating the pans halfway, until the nuts at the edges are just turning golden, the centers are still pale and the bottoms are light blond. The cookies will feel soft, that is correct.
Cool on the pan for 10 minutes, the cookies firm up as they cool, then move them to a rack. Dust lightly with powdered sugar if you like.

Author: Chef Jordan
Prep Time: 50 minutes
Cook Time: 16 minutes

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1
Calories: 110
Sugar: 8
Sodium: 15
Fat: 6
Saturated Fat: 1
Unsaturated Fat: 5
Trans Fat: 0
Carbohydrates: 10
Fiber: 1
Protein: 2
Cholesterol: 0