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, Massachusetts30 ServingsPrep: 30 min. Bake: 15 min./batch
Ingredients
- 1-1/4 cups (12 ounces) almond paste
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 4 egg whites, divided
- 1 cup confectioners' sugar
- 1-1/2 cups pine nuts
Directions
- 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
- paper-lined baking sheets. Flatten slightly.
- Bake at 325° for 15-18 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool for
- 1 minute before removing from pans to wire racks. Store in an
- airtight container. Yield: 2-1/2 dozen.
Nutrition Facts: 1 cookie equals 112 calories, 6 g fat (1 g saturated fat), 0 cholesterol, 7 mg sodium, 13 g carbohydrate, 1 g fiber, 3 g protein.