Pignoli Cookies: Authentic Italian Almond Cookies

I bake 24 pignoli cookies at a time for parties. I serve these pignoli cookies with espresso. Pignoli cookies are chewy almond cookies studded with toasted pine nuts. Just one dish is required to prepare the cookies in my kitchen, plus two pans fitted with parchment paper.

I suggest using almond paste, not marzipan, for this dough. Crumble the almond paste and mix with granulated sugar and salt on low speed until rough and sandy. Add egg whites one at a time, beating well after each addition. Do not overbeat, the cookies can be tough if overmixed. A paddle attachment is recommended but not required, other options include a hand mixer and large mixing bowl.

Roll the dough balls in confectioners' sugar. Add pine nuts. Roll the dough balls in nuts until all nuts have been used. Space the dough balls about 2 inches apart on the baking sheets. Turn the baking sheets halfway through baking. I take the baking sheets out of the oven when the surface of the dough balls and nuts are a light brown color and the centers of the dough balls are still soft.

Alternative options include adding 1/2 teaspoon of almond extract to the dough or lemon zest from one lemon. I either add the almond extract or lemon zest, but not both. The lemon dough is topped with pine nuts as previously described. The almond extract dough has a more pronounced almond flavor.