Easy Pignoli (Ricotta Pine Nut) Cookies

Name: Easy Pignoli (Ricotta Pine Nut) Cookies
Prep time: 30 min
Total time: 1 h 50 min
Yield: 48
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 2 1/2 cups Gold Medal™ all-purpose flour; 2 teaspoons baking powder; 1/2 teaspoon salt; 1/4 teaspoon ground or grated nutmeg; 1 1/4 cups plus 2 tablespoons sugar; 1/2 cup butter, softened; 1/3 cup whole milk ricotta cheese (from 15-oz container); 2 eggs; 1 teaspoon vanilla; 1 1/4 cups pine nuts

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Prep 30 min
Total 1 hr 50 min
Servings 48

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There’s just one word for these cookies: luxe. Creamy ricotta cheese gives these Italian pine nut-coated cookies a moist richness that will stand out on any cookie platter.

by: Tablespoon Kitchens

Updated Nov 8, 2017

Ingredients

2 1/2 cups Gold Medal™ all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground or grated nutmeg
1 1/4 cups plus 2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/3 cup whole milk ricotta cheese (from 15-oz container)
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/4 cups pine nuts

Steps

1

Heat oven to 350°F. In small bowl, stir flour, baking powder, salt and nutmeg.
2

In large bowl, beat 1 1/4 cups sugar, the softened butter and ricotta cheese with electric mixer on medium speed about 1 minute or until fluffy; scrape side of bowl. Beat in eggs, one at a time, just until smooth. Beat in vanilla. On low speed, beat flour mixture into sugar mixture until well blended. Cover and refrigerate 30 minutes.
3

Place pine nuts in shallow bowl.
4

Using lightly floured hands, shape dough into 48 (1 1/4-inch) balls. Dip one side of each cookie ball into pine nuts, pressing lightly to coat. Place cookies, nut-covered side up, 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets. Flatten slightly.
5

Sprinkle 2 tablespoons sugar over cookies. Bake 9 to 11 minutes or until tops are set but not brown. Cool 2 minutes; remove from cookie sheets to cooling rack.
6

Store covered in airtight container at room temperature.

Expert Tips

tip 1
Sprinkling the cookies with a little sugar right before baking gives them an added sweetness and sparkling appearance.
tip 2
Using a whole nutmeg that you grate right before using gives a much better flavor than nutmeg that’s been purchased already ground.

Nutrition Information

90 Calories, 4 1/2g Total Fat, 1g Protein, 12g Total Carbohydrate, 6g Sugars

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size: 1 Cookie

Calories: 90

Calories from Fat: 40

Total Fat: 4 1/2g; 7%

Saturated Fat: 2g; 9%

Trans Fat: 0g

Cholesterol: 15mg; 5%

Sodium: 65mg; 3%

Potassium: 35mg; 1%

Total Carbohydrate: 12g; 4%

Dietary Fiber: 0g; 0%

Sugars: 6g

Protein: 1g

% Daily Value*:

Vitamin A: 0%; 0%

Vitamin C: 0%; 0%

Calcium: 0%; 0%

Iron: 2%; 2%

Exchanges:

0 Starch; 0 Fruit; 1 Other Carbohydrate; 0 Skim Milk; 0 Low-Fat Milk; 0 Milk; 0 Vegetable; 0 Very Lean Meat; 0 Lean Meat; 0 High-Fat Meat; 1 Fat;

Carbohydrate Choice

*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.