Almond pine nut cookies, a classic Chinese pastry, are a symbol of prosperity and good luck, often served during festive occasions. They are characterized by their golden brown color, crispy texture, and a sweet, nutty flavor that comes from the combination of roasted almonds, pine nuts, and a hint of sesame oil. The traditional recipe is relatively simple, involving a dough made from glutinous rice flour, sugar, lard, and water, filled with a mixture of chopped almonds, pine nuts, sugar, and salt. Modern variations include incorporating different types of nuts, dried fruit, and spices, creating an array of delightful variations to satisfy diverse palates. Whether enjoyed as a snack, dessert, or a special treat, almond pine nut cookies hold a special place in Chinese culinary heritage, embodying a perfect balance of flavors and textures.
Here are our top 10 tried and tested recipes!
PINE NUT COOKIES
Provided by Giada De Laurentiis
Categories dessert
Time 3h
Yield 2 to 3 dozen cookies, depending on the size of the cookies
Number Of Ingredients 8
Steps:
- Using an electric mixer, beat the butter, sugar, vanilla, fennel seed, and salt in a large bowl until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg. Add the flour and mix just until blended.
- Transfer the dough to a sheet of plastic wrap. Shape the dough into an 8-inch-long log. Wrap the dough in plastic and refrigerate for 2 hours.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line heavy large baking sheets with a silpat or parchment paper. Cut the dough log crosswise into 1/8 to 1/4-inch thick slices. Transfer the cookies to the prepared baking sheets, spacing evenly apart. Press the pine nuts decoratively atop the cookies. Bake until the cookies are golden around the edges, about 15 minutes.
PINE NUT AND ALMOND COOKIES
These little treats are sweet way to end an Italian meal.
Provided by Martha Stewart
Categories Food & Cooking Dessert & Treats Recipes Cookie Recipes
Yield Makes about 2 1/2 dozen
Number Of Ingredients 8
Steps:
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Spread 1 1/4 cups pine nuts and the almonds in a single layer on separate baking sheets. Toast until fragrant and golden brown, about 8 minutes for pine nuts and 10 minutes for almonds. Let cool.
- Combine nuts. Process half in a food processor with 3 tablespoons granulated sugar until finely ground. Transfer to a large bowl. Repeat with remaining nuts and 3 more tablespoons sugar, and add to bowl. Stir in orange zest and salt.
- Beat 2 egg whites until fluffy. Gradually add remaining 2 tablespoons sugar and the vanilla, and beat until stiff peaks form. Fold into nut mixture.
- Using 2 teaspoons batter for each cookie, shape into balls, and place on parchment-lined baking sheets. Brush tops with egg white, and sprinkle with sanding sugar. Press 2 pine nuts into top of each cookie for garnish.
- Bake until edges are golden and centers are set, about 17 minutes. Let cool on sheets for 10 minutes, then transfer cookies to wire racks to cool completely.
ALMOND PINE NUT COOKIES
This is one of the most classic Italian American cookies, and it is one of the easiest to make. In Italian American culture, these are simply known as pinoli cookies, the word "pinoli" referring to the pine nuts that top the cookies, a distinct Sicilian twist. The personal element in making this cookie is to ask yourself if you like it chewy or crumbly crisp-the difference is all in the baking time. With the timing given below, they will be a bit chewy, but of course it depends on how big you make them. Oh, so many variables in cooking!
Yield about 30 cookies
Number Of Ingredients 5
Steps:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment.
- Crumble the almond paste into the work bowl of a food processor and process until the paste is in fine crumbs. Sprinkle in the sugar with the motor running. Once the sugar is incorporated, add the egg whites and orange zest. Process to make a smooth dough, about 20 to 30 seconds.
- Spread the pine nuts on a plate. Form the dough into 2-tablespoon-sized balls by rolling it between the palms of your hands, then roll the dough in the pine nuts until coated, then place on baking sheets. Bake until lightly golden and springy to the touch, about 13 to 15 minutes. Let cool on baking sheets for about 5 minutes, then transfer the cookies to cooling racks to cool completely.
ALMOND PINE NUT COOKIES
Make and share this Almond Pine Nut Cookies recipe from Food.com.
Provided by GinnyP
Categories Dessert
Time 55m
Yield 24 cookies
Number Of Ingredients 4
Steps:
- Position oven racks in top and bottom third of oven.
- Preheat oven to 300ºF.
- Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, beat the almond paste until it smooths out a little with an electric mixer on medium speed.
- Add half the egg whites and beat until smooth.
- On low speed, beat constantly while gradually adding sifted powder sugar.
- Continue until all sugar is incorporated.
- Add remaining egg whites and beat until mixture is smooth.
- Transfer batter to a pastry bag with a 1/2" pastry tip and pipe 1-1/2" rounds onto parchment papered cookie sheets, keeping cookies 1" apart.
- Sprinkle each cookie with pine nuts.
- Bake for 45 minutes, turning halfway through cooking.
- Remove cookies to a rack and let cool completely before removing them from the parchment paper.
- Store in an airtight container.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 104.1, Fat 6.2, SaturatedFat 0.5, Sodium 8.1, Carbohydrate 11.2, Fiber 0.7, Sugar 9.4, Protein 2.1
ALMOND-PINE NUT MACAROONS
Steps:
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line 2 cookie trays with parchment paper or aluminum foil. Spread the pine nuts onto a jelly-roll pan lined with waxed or parchment paper.
- Break the almond paste into chunks and place in the bowl of a food processor. Add the sugar and process until the mixture is homogenous, stopping once to scrape down the bowl using a rubber spatula. Add the egg whites and process until smooth. Scrape again and process for a few more seconds.
- The mixture will be sticky, but with a light touch and moist hands it can be gently rolled. Keep a damp towel nearby to wipe and wet your hands. Using damp hands, round the mix into scant 1-inch balls and drop the balls onto the tray of pine nuts. Once you have 3 to 4 balls formed, roll them in the nuts to cover completely. Place about 16 balls 1 1/2-inches apart on the prepared baking sheets.
- Bake the first tray while preparing the second, until the cookies are pale golden, and puffy, about 25 minutes. Place the baking sheets on wire cooling racks and cool the cookies completely before lifting them off. Store in an airtight container for up to 2 days, or freeze for up to 1 week.
PIGNOLI COOKIES II
Also called pine nut cookies. I make them and my family eats them so quickly I have to hide a few so I get some.
Provided by Maryellen
Categories World Cuisine Recipes European Italian
Yield 12
Number Of Ingredients 4
Steps:
- Use a pastry chopper (or food processor) to break up the almond paste into a granulated form. Put in mixing bowl and gradually add the sugar.
- In another small bowl, beat the egg whites until stiff. Fold the egg whites into the sugar/almond paste mixture gently.
- On a greased and floured cookie sheet, drop a spoonful of the mixture. Press pine nuts into the top of the cookie (you want to cover the top with nuts).
- Bake at 325 degrees F (170 degrees C) for 10-12 minutes. Cool on wire rack.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 169.8 calories, Carbohydrate 26.2 g, Fat 6.7 g, Fiber 1 g, Protein 3 g, SaturatedFat 0.7 g, Sodium 11.1 mg, Sugar 16.8 g
ITALIAN PINE NUT COOKIES
This outstanding recipe is different from the other Pignoli submissions on Zaar. It's originally from the King Arthur Flour company and you can buy the ingredients to make them on their web site www.kingarthurflour.com. (I don't work there but I'm a fan of their products.)
Provided by FLKeysJen
Categories Dessert
Time 39m
Yield 26 cookies, 26 serving(s)
Number Of Ingredients 8
Steps:
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.
- Break the marzipan in pieces into a medium-sized bowl. Mix in the sugar, salt, flavorings and almond flour; the mixture will be crumbly. Add the egg white, beating until the mixture is smooth.
- Place the pine nuts in a shallow dish. Using a teaspoon cookie scoop, or your lightly oiled or wets hands, drop one inch balls of dough into the pine nuts, rolling and pressing gently to coat them thoroughly. You may also simply grab a handful of pine nuts, and roll the dough between your palms, pressing in pine nuts as you go.
- Place the cookies on lightly greased or parchment-lined cookie sheets, leaving about one inch between them.
- Bake the cookies for 20 to 22 minutes, or until they're lightly browned. Cool them on the pans for five minutes, then transfer to a rack to cool completely.
ALMOND COOKIES I
An almond lover's cookie!
Provided by S. Baker
Categories Desserts Nut Dessert Recipes Almond Dessert Recipes
Time 30m
Yield 24
Number Of Ingredients 6
Steps:
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
- In large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar. Beat in the egg, amaretto, and almonds. Gradually mix in the flour until well blended. Drop by teaspoonfuls 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets.
- Bake 5 to 8 minutes in the preheated oven, or until cookies are lightly colored.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 95.5 calories, Carbohydrate 9.9 g, Cholesterol 17.9 mg, Fat 5.6 g, Fiber 0.5 g, Protein 1.6 g, SaturatedFat 2.6 g, Sodium 30.3 mg, Sugar 4.5 g
ITALIAN PIGNOLI COOKIES
Cookies are the crown jewels of Italian confections. I can't let a holiday go by without baking these traditional almond cookies rolled in mild pine nuts.-Maria Regakis, Somerville, Massachusetts
Provided by Taste of Home
Categories Desserts
Time 45m
Yield 2-1/2 dozen.
Number Of Ingredients 5
Steps:
- In a small bowl, beat almond paste and sugar until crumbly. Beat in 2 egg whites. Gradually add confectioners' sugar; mix well., Whisk remaining egg whites in a shallow bowl. Place pine nuts in another shallow bowl. Shape dough into 1-in. balls. Roll in egg whites and coat with pine nuts. Place 2 in. apart on parchment-lined baking sheets. Flatten slightly., Bake at 325° until lightly browned, 15-18 minutes. Cool for 1 minute before removing from pans to wire racks. Store in an airtight container.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 112 calories, Fat 6g fat (1g saturated fat), Cholesterol 0 cholesterol, Sodium 7mg sodium, Carbohydrate 13g carbohydrate (11g sugars, Fiber 1g fiber), Protein 3g protein.
PINE NUT COOKIES
These Italian cookies are rolled in pine nuts (or pignoli); the delicate flavor of the nuts deepens as the cookies bake.
Provided by Martha Stewart
Categories Food & Cooking Dessert & Treats Recipes Cookie Recipes
Yield Makes about 3 dozen
Number Of Ingredients 8
Steps:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Process 3/4 cup pine nuts, the sugar, almond paste, and vanilla in a food processor until fine crumbs form. Add egg; pulse to combine. Add flour, baking powder, and salt; process just until dough comes together.
- Roll dough into 3/4-inch balls. Roll balls in remaining 1 1/4 cups pine nuts, gently pressing to coat. Space 2 inches apart on parchment-lined baking sheets.
- Bake until cookies begin to turn golden brown, about 20 minutes. Let cool completely on sheets on wire racks.
Tips:
- Mise en Place: Before you start baking, make sure you have all your ingredients and equipment ready. This will help you stay organized and avoid any scrambling.
- Measure Accurately: Baking is a science, so it's important to measure your ingredients accurately. Use measuring cups and spoons that are specifically designed for baking, and level off your ingredients before measuring.
- Use High-Quality Ingredients: The better the ingredients you use, the better your cookies will taste. Look for fresh, high-quality nuts, butter, and flour.
- Don't Overmix: Overmixing the dough will make your cookies tough. Mix just until the ingredients are combined.
- Chill the Dough: Chilling the dough before baking helps the cookies hold their shape and prevents them from spreading too much.
- Bake at the Right Temperature: The oven temperature is critical for baking cookies. Make sure your oven is preheated to the correct temperature before baking.
- Watch the Cookies Closely: Cookies can go from perfectly baked to overcooked in a matter of minutes, so it's important to watch them closely while they're baking.
Conclusion:
Almond pine nut cookies are a delicious and festive treat that are perfect for any occasion. With their delicate almond flavor and crunchy pine nuts, these cookies are sure to be a hit with everyone who tries them.
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