Pignoli Cookies,

Pignoli cookies is an Italian American recipe that is usually found more often in bakeries than in homes. Pignoli cookies are one of the easiest to make but because of the main ingredients, almond paste and pignoli nuts, they are the most expensive.

The Head Nut, Ardmore, PA.

If you have a good spice and nuts store in the area you can buy larger quantities of pignoli and almond paste at far more reasonable prices.

It good to note as well, that since they have no flour, almond cookies are ideal for Passover.

http://www.123greetings.com/events/passover/seder/seder9.html

The beauty of Italian pignoli cookies is the crisp outer layer and the soft almost fudge like interior or the almond. Some contemporary recipes include flour in the batter. I would avoid flour.The base of traditional Italian American recipe is the almond paste, egg whites and sugar.
While pignoli cookies are a Christmas essential there is no reason not to enjoy them any time during the winter when you need that sweet comfort taste of almond.

More Italian Christmas Cookies

Getting started - what you need

Equipment
Cookie trays
Parchment paper or "Silpat"
Mixer or
if making by hand, bowl and wooden spoon
basting brush
Bowl of water for shaping by hand

Ingredients

1 Pound almond paste
1 1/2 cups confectioner's sugar
2 tablespoons of honey
2 egg whites for the dough
1 tablespoon of cinnamon

for the topping
2 egg whites
1 cup of pignoli nuts ( more or less)

(optional)
1/2 cup coconut

instead of honey, Korean citrus honey

Almond paste

Break up the almond paste

Sugar and spice

Add the sugar, cinnamon and egg whites.

Blend

blend with mixer or by hand.

Shape,glaze and add nuts

Moisten your hands.
Shape about a teaspoon of dough by hand. Glaze with the egg white and press into the pignoli nuts.
Set on a baking sheet lined with parchment or a "Silpat."

Bake at 350 for about 18 minutes or until brown around the edges,