Reviewed: Dec. 13, 2008

Having never tasted pignoli cookies, it's hard to say how this recipe compares. But, these have a very unique and wonderful flavor. I like how the rich buttery flavor of the pine nuts balances with the super sweet of the almond paste. I am only giving the recipe 4 stars however, because the ingredients were very expensive and after spending $10 on the pine nuts, I still didn't have enough. I actually needed probably twice as much. Also, I had to use the tube kind of almond paste, but I didn't have a problem shaping them into balls after chilling the dough for about an hour. It was still messy, but kinda fun pretending to be an old world Italian mama!

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Tasha

Cooking Level: Intermediate

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Reviewed: Dec. 12, 2008

I only bought an 8oz can of paste and after going back to get more ended up with Solo Almond Pastry filling. My dough ended up too liquidy so I added some flour, soda, and salt. I also skipped dipping the dough balls in egg white and just rolled them in the pine nuts. The cookies are really good. However, I am reserving the five star rating for something that is stupendous.

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Michelle Blum

Cooking Level: Expert

Home Town: Warsaw, Indiana, USA

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Reviewed: Dec. 7, 2008

I wished I had read other reviews but didn't. These were an expensive waste. I followed the ingredient list and directions to a T and it didn't help with the mess that it made. Almost like battering chicken fried steak...now that I know is messy but it turns out great. I used parchment paper and cookies had to completely cool before removing. After making the cookies, I viewed other reviews & wished I had not used the tube almond paste but that was my only option. Before adding the confectioner's sugar and egg whites. I thought it would be a good cookie, looked like the start of a sugar cookie. Smelled wonderful and looked great. After adding the c.s. and egg whites it became gooey and un-ball-able. Lightly flouring your hands didn't do the trick like it mentioned, no little bit is enough you have to completely toss them in flour to help hold their shape and then dipping them, as a so called ball into egg white wash made it worse. They instantly lost shape again. Shaking excess egg white doesn't come off very easily either. 1 1/2 cups of pine nuts didn't work in my favor for I ran out before completing the last step. I was glad I bought extra because thinking ahead. It took 2 cups of pine nuts. This recipe was expensive to make. 7oz almond paste was $6.19 a tube & had to buy 2 and had to weigh it exactly to get 12 oz. The pine nuts were $2.69 per 1/2 cup and used 4 little bags. So my total with all ingredients included was $23.95. They looked good baking, but didn't taste rem

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mis7up

Cooking Level: Intermediate

Home Town: Burkburnett, Texas, USA

Living In: Fort Sill, Oklahoma, USA

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Reviewed: Dec. 5, 2008

Easy to make with a nice chewy consitency. A bit too sweet for my taste and the lack of salt with the nuts leaves this cookie tasting flat.

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Marie C.

Cooking Level: Expert

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Reviewed: Oct. 20, 2008

I wanted to make pignoli cookies for my very italian grandfather because they are his favorite. I used this recipe and he told me that "they were better than his grandmothers." We all loved them!

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sefede

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Reviewed: Jun. 21, 2008

This is a wonderful recipe. A few things I've learned: 1) Use a food processor!!!! 2) refrigerate the dough for several minutes prior to shaping the cookies. This makes it much easier and is FAR less messy. 3) I always run out of pignoli when making these. 4) Scaling the recipe seems to be quite difficult to do successfully. 5) Using parchment paper for the cookie sheets is priceless. And do not remove the cookies from the surface too soon, or the middles will stick and tear out. This recipe never seems to turn out badly and is worth perfecting. I have made it again and again and it's always getting better.

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Klaatu

Cooking Level: Intermediate

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Reviewed: Jun. 8, 2008

This is a wonderful recipe! I'm an Italian girl living in Long Island, NY and all the bakeries here (if you can find them) charge upwards of $16 per pound. This recipe is authentic and works. I used Solo canned almond paste and followed the recipe as written. Definately remember to flour your hands. Thank you for a wonderful recipe!!!

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angelaremsen

Cooking Level: Expert

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Reviewed: May 20, 2008

These are my mother's very favorite cookies. I usually only use a total of 1/2 cup of sugar (1/4 cup granulated, 1/4 cup confectioners) as the almond paste is already sweetened. I also toast the pine nuts slightly before coating the cookies for more flavor; I find that they don't really toast while the cookies are baking. These are seriously good cookies.

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campagnes

Cooking Level: Expert

Living In: Chattanooga, Tennessee, USA

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Reviewed: Mar. 21, 2008

For 10 yrs. I've been asking my Cicilian Mother-in-law for great grandma's receipe. She always said oh, they never come out good. Well this recipe won over everyone. Better than little italy in brooklyn. So easy to make. They all want my recipe and I say, "it'll cost u!"

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Kim DiBiase

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Reviewed: Dec. 20, 2007

So, let me start with a few musts-- You MUST use SOLO CANNED almond paste. The Odense in the tube doesn't work, it's too watery and will ruin the cookies. Line your pan with parchment paper. I never bake without it, and the cookies don't stick at all when you use it. As for the way I made the cookies, I dumped each ingredient one at a time into my stand mixer and no problem. Didn't beat the whites beforehand. Flouring your hands is important. It helps the eggwhites stick to the dough ball (which will give the cookies a nice gloss and help the pignoli stick) and I think it prevents them spreading- last year I used a different recipe that didn't call for it and the cookies were a disaster. Mine didn't spread at all, I should have pushed them down a bit. Anyway, they looked great, tasted better, and everyone loved them. Thanks!

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andeesings

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Reviewed: Oct. 21, 2007

I have been looking all over for this recipe thanks so much!

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Motherof3

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Reviewed: Jul. 8, 2007

the batter was so liquidy, i couldn't make any balls. the cookies were so thin and inedible.

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brytness

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Reviewed: Jun. 12, 2007

These are so good- wonderful! Very easy to make too and I don't even have access to a food processor right now. I just used a hand mixer. I only had 200 grams of marzipan so I scaled the recipe to 21. Chewy and delicious. Pretty sweet, but I think they're supposed to be that way.

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What a Dish!

Cooking Level: Intermediate

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Reviewed: May 14, 2007

the is the very very best pignoli cookies I have every made. Very,very,very easy. Very,very,very best ever.

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Josie

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Reviewed: Mar. 7, 2007

I love these cookies - but you have to like almond paste. It also helps to have the right tools to make this recipe easily. #1 I can not say enough about using Reynolds RELEASE foil to line your cookie sheet! They will not stick - I used a quick spray of Pam on top, but I don't think it's necessary. Also do not use a pan with sides - the cookies will not brown properly. OK - on to the recipe - I used a food processor to crumble the almond paste and mix in the sugar ( I agree with other reviewers that you can use a little less than a cup of sugar) Then I transferred the mixture to a large mixing bowl. In a smaller mixing bowl whip the egg whites until stiff, then fold into the almond mixture. At this point, you can scoop (I used my smallest cookie scoop - 1 tablespoon - but did not fill it quite full) the mixture and then press on the pine nuts or you can chill the mixture and then use the scoop and make balls and roll the balls in pinenuts. Either way works. They do spread so give them some room on the pan. I ran out of pine nuts and used some slivered almonds which were OK, but the pine nuts are better. If I used the almonds again, I would chop them a little bit finer. Bake until lightly golden - it took mine longer than 12 minutes. Watch. With the Release Foil cooling and removing was a breeze. Chewy inside, crunch outside - if you cook longer until light brown they will be crunchy like amaretti.

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Ginger C.

Cooking Level: Intermediate

Home Town: Red Bank, New Jersey, USA

Living In: Windermere, Florida, USA

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Reviewed: Jan. 29, 2007

My whole family can't stop talking about these cookies, I overheard "better than bakery" many times! Thanks!

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Melinda

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Reviewed: Dec. 31, 2006

These are excellent cookies! I wouldn't change a thing about the recipe but the next time I make them I won't use foil on the cookie sheets.

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KRISGAL

Cooking Level: Expert

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Reviewed: Dec. 8, 2006

I first tasted these cookies on a visit to Brooklyn with some good friends about ten years ago. I loved these cookies and tried several recipes but this one is definitely the best. I chilled the dough for about 30 minutes and added 1/4 tsp. salt. Deeeeelicous!

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Lorraine C.

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Reviewed: Dec. 4, 2006

Great cookie - even Nonna approved! I made them for a party and the hostess wanted the recipe. I used parchment paper instead of aluminum foil and spray. I chilled the dough for 15 - 30 minutes for firmness. Very messy to make, I thought it would be my first and last time making them but it was worth the mess. I will be making them again for Christmas.

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Josephine

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Reviewed: Nov. 23, 2006

These taste very good, although they do need some salt to balance out the sweetness. I would add about 1/4-1/2 teaspoon of salt to the recipe. The cookies stuck to parchment paper and I was unable to get them off without mis-shaping them.

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ISK8R813

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