If you’ve never had a Pignoli cookie, it’s hard to describe. They’re made with almonds (specifically almond paste) and are chewy with a burst of almond flavor and toasted pine nuts on top. If you love marzipan, then you’ll probably love these! Pine nuts can be expensive so I usually buy a large bag at a warehouse club and keep them in the freezer. They’re the classic nut to use for basil pesto and I also love them in salads and more.
Most recipes call for using almond paste not marzipan but you might find both on shelves at the store. Almond paste has less sugar, is softer, and holds up better in baked goods so make sure to buy the paste. It can come in a tube or box. I buy mine at Walmart as they seem to have the best price on boxes in the baking aisle. I’ve seen it for almost double the price at other stores!
You’re also going to need almond flour and aquafaba (liquid from canned chickpeas) that will replace the egg whites normally used. A word about aquafaba. I only use the liquid from cans with no salt. Also, some brands are thicker than others. Sprouts brand in particular is quite thick and preferable if you can find it. If you buy a brand that happens to be like water, you may want to reduce it on the stove. Just boil the aquafaba gently until it’s reduced by half and then let it cool before using.
An ingredient which is somewhat unusual in these is orange zest but I feel it really makes a difference. It’s a subtle flavor in the background but adds a depth of flavor. Orange extract won’t have the same taste so use fresh zest or omit it.
The consistency of the dough before baking should be that of a thick paste. Most recipes don’t call for any flour as the egg whites are enough to bind everything but since we’re making these vegan and to keep with the almond theme, I’m using some almond flour. This also keeps the recipe gluten-free friendly.
These are best eaten day of baking but you can refrigerate or freeze them if need be. Just let them come to room temperature and I would forgo adding powdered sugar until just before serving. I hope you enjoy these classic Italian cookies! They’re one of my favorites and I’m so glad to have perfected a vegan recipe sure to satisfy any sweet tooth!
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Vegan Italian Pignoli (Pine Nut) Cookies
18
servings20
minutes14
minutesA chewy classic Pignoli cookie that’s not only vegan but gluten-free!
Ingredients
16 oz almond paste (not marzipan)
1 cup vegan granulated sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 cup almond flour (plus more if needed)
1/3 cup thick aquafaba (liquid from canned chickpeas- see notes)
zest from one orange
- Pine Nuts for rolling
1 1/4 cups pine nuts (Pignoli)
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350°. In the bowl of a food processor, add the almond paste and break it up by pulsing until it’s crumbly.
- Add the remaining ingredients (except pine nuts) and pulse until combined scraping down the bowl a few times until you have a thick smooth paste.
- Using a spoon or a small ice cream scoop, make balls of about two tablespoons of dough and roll the top in pine nuts leaving the bottoms just dough. Place on a parchment lined cookie sheet spaced apart about two inches as they will spread somewhat. NOTE: I like to bake one cookie then if it spreads too much, I add a few more tablespoons of almond flour to the dough and mix again as depending on the thickness of your aquafaba, you may need a bit more to thicken the dough.
- Bake for 12-14 minutes depending on your oven (do not over-bake as they will bake more as they cool down on the hot cookie sheet) then let cool completely before dusting with powdered sugar if desired. Cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature or in the fridge. They can also be frozen but leave off the powdered sugar in that case until just before serving.
Notes
- Use almond paste (not marzipan) for this recipe. You can usually find it in the baking aisle at the supermarket or in some specialty stores. I buy mine at Walmart as they seem to have the best price.
- When I say “thick” aquafaba, I’m talking about a viscous liquid. Some cans are very loose like water and need to be reduced on the stove to thicken. Some brands however are quite thick right from the can (Sprouts brand is one in particular). You can try using a flax egg (one tablespoon flax meal to 3 tablespoons water) but I prefer aquafaba as the egg white replacement. I have not tested other egg replacers so use with caution.
- You could use almonds instead of pine nuts to roll these into since they are an almond cookie but pine nuts are traditional.
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I’m a long time vegan baker and couldn’t find my originals pignoli cookies recipe, this one seemed very close. I made this recipe as it’s written *exactly*, TWICE, and both times what should have been cookies turned out to be a melted mess. super disappointed and a waste of very expensive ingredients, plus it’s driving me nuts not knowing WHY.
The only thing I can think of is the aquafaba is not thick enough? Did you reduce it on the stove like I suggest in the post? If you have a loose aquafaba, they won’t hold together unfortunately and you may need more almond flour if using a thin or non-reduced aquafaba. I’m so sorry and that’s very frustrating. I’m going to test them again and get back to you.