Name: Pine Nut Almond Paste Cookies Recipe
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 18 min
Total time: 33 min
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 7 ounces almond paste; 1/2 cup granulated sugar; 1 large egg white; 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt; 1 cup pine nuts

There’s something incredibly satisfying about crisp, chewy cookies studded with golden pine nuts that just melt in your mouth. The Pine Nut Almond Paste Cookies Recipe I’m sharing today hits all those notes — sweet, nutty, and irresistibly special. It’s a classic Italian treat that you don’t see every day but will definitely want to keep coming back to.

The image shows several round cookies covered fully with pine nuts, giving them a textured, bumpy surface in light beige and golden tones. Each cookie has one visible layer, and the pine nuts are closely packed all over, making the cookies look dense and crunchy. They are placed on white parchment paper over a white marbled surface and lit evenly, showing soft shadows under the cookies. Photo taken with an iphone --ar 2:3 --v 7

Jump to:

Why You'll Love This Recipe
Ingredients & Why They Work
Make It Your Way
Step-by-Step: How I Make Pine Nut Almond Paste Cookies Recipe
Top Tip
How to Serve Pine Nut Almond Paste Cookies Recipe
Make Ahead and Storage
Frequently Asked Questions:
Final Thoughts
Pine Nut Almond Paste Cookies Recipe

Why You'll Love This Recipe

Honestly, these cookies have become one of my go-to treats when I want something that feels delicate yet packed with flavor. The combination of almond paste and pine nuts is just divine, and once you try this recipe, you'll see why it stands out.

Authentic Flavor: Uses almond paste and pine nuts for a nutty richness that regular cookies lack.
Simple Ingredients: You probably have most of these pantry staples on hand already.
Easy to Make: No fancy techniques; just mix, shape, and bake for perfect cookies.
Delicate Yet Durable: Crisp edges with a tender interior that won’t crumble at the slightest touch once cooled.

A white plate with cut-out patterns is filled with around ten round cookies topped with many small, toasted pine nuts, giving the cookies a light golden brown texture. The plate sits on a red cloth with tassels on a white marbled surface. Nearby, a glass jar tipped over with pine nuts spilling out, and three more cookies outside the plate add extra detail to the scene. Photo taken with an iphone --ar 2:3 --v 7

Ingredients & Why They Work

This recipe keeps things straightforward with just a handful of ingredients — but each plays a crucial role to achieve that perfect melding of texture and flavor. Here are some tips on picking the best versions:

Flat lay of a small mound of smooth almond paste broken into chunks, a small white ceramic bowl filled with granulated sugar, a single large whole egg with a clean shell, a small white ceramic bowl containing fine kosher salt, and a small white ceramic bowl overflowing with fresh pine nuts, all arranged in perfect symmetry on a clean white marble surface, soft natural light, photo taken with an iPhone, professional food photography style, fresh ingredients, white ceramic bowls, no bottles, no duplicates, no utensils, no packaging --ar 2:3 --v 7 --p m7354615311229779997

Almond Paste: The star ingredient, providing the cookie’s chewy, moist texture and unmistakable almond flavor. Make sure you get almond paste, not marzipan — marzipan is sweeter and softer, which throws off the texture.
Granulated Sugar: Balances the nuts’ natural earthy flavor without overpowering it.
Egg White: Acts as a binder and gives a light structure without adding heaviness.
Kosher Salt: Enhances all the flavors, so don’t skip it!
Pine Nuts: Toasted to golden perfection, they provide a buttery crunch on the outside that contrasts wonderfully with the soft cookie.

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Note: You'll find the complete list of ingredients, along with their exact measurements, in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.

Make It Your Way

One of my favorite things about this Pine Nut Almond Paste Cookies Recipe is how adaptable it is. You can play around with small adjustments depending on your taste or what you have on hand. Let me share a couple ideas I’ve tried:

Variation: I sometimes swap the pine nuts for slivered almonds or chopped pistachios when I want a slightly different nutty crunch — they all bring their own character.

Step-by-Step: How I Make Pine Nut Almond Paste Cookies Recipe

Step 1: Preheat and Prep Your Baking Sheet

Start by arranging your oven rack in the center and preheat to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper — this little step means your cookies won’t stick and cleanup is a breeze.

Step 2: Make the Almond Paste Dough

Break the almond paste into smaller chunks so it’s easier to process. Pop it in your food processor along with the sugar, egg white, and salt. Pulse it for about 1 minute until it’s a thick, smooth paste. Remember to pause halfway and scrape down the sides so no lumps hang around — that makes a big difference in texture.

Step 3: Shape Your Cookies

Using a tablespoon or about 25 grams per cookie, scoop dough out and roll each into a ball with your hands. If you find the dough is too sticky, chill it covered for 10-15 minutes — it becomes much easier to handle.

Step 4: Coat the Cookies in Pine Nuts

Pour your pine nuts into a shallow bowl. Roll each cookie ball in the nuts, gently pressing so the pine nuts stick all over. This coating gives the signature nutty crunch on the outside.

Step 5: Bake to Perfection

Place your cookies spaced about 2 inches apart on the lined baking sheet and bake for 18 minutes. You'll know they're done when the pine nuts and edges start to turn a beautiful golden color. Keep an eye near the end so they don’t overbake — these beauties can go from perfect to dry pretty quickly.

Step 6: Cool and Enjoy

Once out of the oven, the cookies will be soft and fragile, so let them cool completely on the pan before moving or serving. Patience here pays off big time as they firm up beautifully while cooling.

Top Tip

Over the years baking this Pine Nut Almond Paste Cookies Recipe, I’ve learned a few tricks that make the process smoother and the results even better. These might just save you some hassle along the way.

Stickiness Solution: When the dough feels sticky, don’t stress — scoop it directly with a spoon and roll it gently in pine nuts, almost like dusting with flour. This method helped me avoid plastic wrap messes and sticky hands.
Chilling Helps: If the dough seems too soft to shape nicely, chilling it for around 10 minutes in the fridge makes it much more manageable without drying it out.
Even Coating: Press pine nuts gently but firmly into the dough balls so they stay put during baking. This prevents nuts from falling off and keeps every bite perfectly crunchy.
Cooling Patience: Resist the urge to move cookies right out of the oven — they are very fragile warm but develop the perfect texture as they cool on the baking sheet.

How to Serve Pine Nut Almond Paste Cookies Recipe

Pine Nut Almond Cookies - Serving Suggestion

Garnishes

I usually keep it simple — a light dusting of powdered sugar adds a pretty, festive touch without muddling the nutty flavor. For a special occasion, a drizzle of dark chocolate can bring a sexy contrast to the buttery pine nuts.

Side Dishes

These cookies pair wonderfully with a cup of freshly brewed espresso or a delicate herbal tea. For a richer spread, some mascarpone or ricotta alongside really lets the cookies shine as part of a dessert platter.

Creative Ways to Present

For holiday gatherings, I like to arrange these Pine Nut Almond Paste Cookies Recipe on a pretty tiered stand with fresh rosemary sprigs for color and scent. Another idea is to wrap a few in parchment and tie them with twine as edible gifts.

Make Ahead and Storage

Storing Leftovers

You can store these cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week. I recommend placing parchment paper between layers to keep their delicate crunch intact — otherwise, they might stick together a bit.

Freezing

I’ve frozen the dough balls before coating them in pine nuts and found it really convenient. Just thaw them slightly before rolling in pine nuts and baking. Fully baked cookies can also be frozen; just wrap them tightly and thaw at room temperature when ready to enjoy.

Reheating

If you want to revive the crispiness, pop the cookies in a warm oven (about 300°F) for 5 minutes. Let them cool for a minute, then dive in — the pine nuts perk right up and the cookie feels freshly baked.

Frequently Asked Questions:

Can I substitute marzipan for almond paste?

It’s best to use almond paste as marzipan is sweeter and much softer, which affects the texture of these cookies. Almond paste gives that perfect chewy, dense quality that balances with the pine nuts.

What if I don’t have a food processor?

No worries! You can use a stand mixer with a paddle attachment. Crumble the almond paste, then beat it with sugar and salt until smooth. Add the egg white last, mixing until combined. It takes a bit longer, but works just as well.

Why are my cookies sticking to my hands?

The dough for this recipe is naturally sticky because of the almond paste and egg white. A useful trick is to chill the dough before shaping or scoop and roll it using pine nuts themselves to prevent sticking.

How do I avoid cookies breaking when cooled?

These cookies are delicate when warm, so let them cool completely on the baking sheet before moving. This firming-up process is crucial and helps prevent cracks or breaks.

Final Thoughts

I can’t recommend this Pine Nut Almond Paste Cookies Recipe enough—it’s a little gem that brings a classy, satisfying treat from the heart of Italian baking straight to your kitchen. Whether you’re baking for the holidays or just because, these cookies will impress without requiring a ton of fuss. Give it a try, and I bet it’ll become a favorite in your baking repertoire too.