Italian Pine Nut Cookie

Pine nuts are used not only in cookies such as this Italian Pine Nut Cookie Recipe but also in savory dishes. They are the edible seeds of pine trees and are extremely popular in Italy.

They are expensive but they have a sweet delicate flavor, which makes them worth the price.

There are probably a lot of variations to the cookie. I have two versions listed here.

This first cookie is a refrigerator cookie so you can make up the dough as many as 3 days in advance if you like. It also has ground fennel in it, which is not one of my favorites, but the cookie is delicious.

Italian Pine Nut Cookie Recipe

1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon ground fennel seed
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 large egg
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup pine nuts

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line heavy large baking sheets with a silpat or parchment paper.

Using an electric mixer beat the butter, sugar, vanilla, ground 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.

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 Cookie Recipe

1/2 c. sugar
1/2 c. confectioners sugar
1/4 c. flour
1/8 tsp. Salt
1/2 lb. almond paste
2 egg whites, slightly beaten
3 oz. pine nuts

Preheat your oven to 300 degrees.

Grease 2 cookie sheets. Sift the sugars with flour and salt and set aside.

In a large bowl, break up the almond paste with a wooden spoon. Add the egg whites and beat until well blended and fairly smooth. Add the dry ingredients and blend.

Drop the pine nut cookie mixture by rounded teaspoonfuls onto the cookie sheets, 2 inches apart. Press the tops lightly with pine nuts.

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