Pignoli Cookies (Italian Pine Nut Biscotti)

Delicious Pignoli Cookies (Biscotti ai Pinoli) made with ground almonds, egg whites and crunchy pine nuts. These cookies are soft and chewy inside with a crisp exterior — simple to make in a food processor.

Pignoli cookies are a classic Italian-American treat, scented with almond and citrus zest and crowned with toasted pine nuts. The texture is tender and chewy in the middle with a lightly golden, crunchy outside.

While some recipes call for almond paste, this version uses finely ground almonds for a bright, authentic almond flavour and a naturally gluten-free cookie. The dough closely resembles ricciarelli, traditional almond cookies from Siena, which makes pignoli an excellent addition to holiday baking or any time you crave a simple, elegant cookie.

Ingredients – what you need

These cookies are naturally gluten-free because they use ground almonds instead of flour. Choose blanched ground almonds (no skins) for a light colour and fine texture.

Other ingredients: granulated sugar, powdered (icing) sugar, large egg whites, almond extract, lemon zest and, of course, pine nuts.

Step by step recipe instructions

Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C) and line a baking tray with parchment.

Combine ground almonds, granulated sugar, powdered sugar and a pinch of salt in a food processor. Pulse a few times until just mixed.

Add the egg whites, lemon zest and almond extract, then process until the mixture comes together into a sticky dough.

Place the pine nuts in a shallow bowl. With wet hands, roll the dough into tablespoon-sized balls (about 1.5 inches). Press or roll each ball into the pine nuts so one side is fully coated, then place them pine-nut side up on the prepared tray.

Bake for 25–30 minutes, until the edges are lightly golden. Cool completely on a wire rack, then dust with extra powdered sugar before serving.

Top tips and recipe FAQs

• Wet hands for shaping: The dough is sticky — wet your hands before rolling and re-wet them as needed to keep the mixture from sticking.
• Cookie size: Aim for balls about 1.5 inches across. Some tablespoon scoops are larger than a true tablespoon, which will change the final size and bake time.
• Flavour variations: Substitute orange zest for lemon or try different extracts to vary the flavour.
• Make more: The recipe doubles easily if you want a larger batch.

More Italian sweet treats you might like

• Struffoli – Italian Honey Balls
• Panforte – Tuscan Fruit and Nut Cake
• Chocolate Salami (Salame di Cioccolato)
• Crostata di Frutta (Italian Fruit Tart)
• Baci di Dama – Chocolate hazelnut cookies

If you try these Pignoli Cookies or any recipe here, please rate it and share your notes — feedback is always appreciated.