Pignoli Cookies

By Dan Pelosi

Updated Oct. 19, 2025

Pignoli Cookies
Ryan Liebe for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Barrett Washburne. Prop Stylist: Megan Hedgpeth.
Total Time
1 hour 40 minutes
Prep Time
5 minutes
Cook Time
1 hour 5 minutes, plus 30 minutes’ cooling
Rating
4(159)
Comments
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Pignoli cookies are the royalty of Italian cookies, not only because they’re encrusted in toasty pine nuts on the outside and feature next-level chewiness on the inside, but also because pine nuts (spelled pinoli in Italian) and almond paste aren’t the cheapest ingredients on the shelf. They’re worth the investment, though, especially in a recipe as simple as this one, which is adapted from my cookbook “Let’s Party” (Union Square & Co., 2025).

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Ingredients

Yield:About 5 dozen cookies
  • 24ounces almond paste, chilled
  • 1½cups/300 grams granulated sugar
  • 1cup/123 grams powdered sugar
  • 2large egg whites
  • 14ounces pine nuts (about 3 cups)
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (60 servings)

125 calories; 8 grams fat; 1 gram saturated fat; 3 grams monounsaturated fat; 3 grams polyunsaturated fat; 13 grams carbohydrates; 1 gram dietary fiber; 11 grams sugars; 2 grams protein; 3 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a large rimmed sheet pan with parchment paper.

  2. Step 2

    Break the almond paste up into chunks and add them to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Add the granulated sugar, powdered sugar and egg whites. Beat on medium speed until just combined into a sticky dough, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed, about 2 minutes. The pignoli dough can be tightly wrapped with plastic wrap and refrigerated for up to 3 days (or frozen up to 1 month then thawed overnight in the fridge).

  3. Step 3

    Add the pine nuts to a small bowl. Scoop up 1 level tablespoon of dough, roll into a ball between your palms, then roll through the pine nuts, pressing to adhere. Set on the prepared sheet pan. Repeat with the remaining dough, spacing the balls 1 inch apart.

  4. Step 4

    Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until the cookies are golden brown. Let the cookies cool completely before serving. Cookies can be stored at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

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Ratings

4 out of 5
159 user ratings
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Comments

Gina kolatai

I make pignoli cookies by using 1 package of Solo almond paste, 1 cup of sugar, 1 egg white. The trick to getting the pignoli nuts to stick to the dough is to wet your hands before rolling balls of dough in the nuts. I makes a huge difference

emily

I make these cookies rolled either in pignoli nuts or toasted slivered almonds. Delicious either way. You can also sandwich two cookies with chocolate ganache if you want to go all out.

Eegulleye

If you can find (and afford) Italian/Mediterranean pine nuts they are far superior to the ones from China or Siberia. Italian are longer and milder; Chinese are shorter, oilier, and more bitter. Some people find Chinese pine nuts have an unpleasant metallic flavor that can leave a numb feeling in the mouth for days. I avoid them for that reason.

Susan

Followed the recipe exactly but these did not turn out the way I wanted. First of all, they were very flat, not attractively rounded. Second, too chewy — I mean, stuck in your teeth chewy. I always bought mine at Maria’s in Boston’s North End (sadly gone now) and those are my gold standard: attractive, slightly domed, fragrant, and tender. I used Odense Almond Paste — was that the issue? Maybe 24 oz. is too much? Some other recipes I’ve seen add a slight amount of flour, anyone try that?

Susan

There is now a NYT video of Melissa making these with Kate Hudson and Brenda Song. You can see them shaping, boiling, brushing, and salting them before baking.

Susan

@Susan sorry, this was about pretzels — not pinollis!

Marion

I have been buying pine nuts from our local Italian market for years. They are sourced from China and I’ve never had an issue with the taste.

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Credits

Adapted from “Let’s Party” by Dan Pelosi (Union Square & Co., 2025)

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