A French cookie from the Provence region, with pine nuts, the delicate flavor of orange flower water, and honey. In French these are known as croissants aux pignons, or pignolats*.
Ingredients
1 cup butter, softened
2/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar
3 large egg yolks
1 teaspoon orange flower water
1 teaspoon grated orange peel
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
2-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup pine nuts
3 tablespoons honey (not pictured)
Directions
- Preheat oven to 325F. In a large bowl with an electric mixer, beat butter and sugar until creamy. Beat in egg yolks, one at a time; beat in orange flower water, orange peel, and vanilla. Add flour and stir until well blended. To make each cookie, roll about 1 tablespoon dough between lightly floured hands into a 2 1/2″ rope. Place ropes about 2″ apart on greased baking sheets; shape into crescents. Scatter pine nuts over cookies and press in firmly. Heat honey over low heat until it liquefies completely, then brush liberally over cookies. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until golden. Transfer to racks and let cool. Store airtight.
Notes
- * Photo courtesy of Evelyne Achon of Ciel! Mes aïeux whose genealogy blog features many ancestral French recipes, including these Pignolats. Her recipe is slightly different from mine, and she provides some of the origin of the recipe as well. It may well be more authentic than this recipe, so check it out!
- * Photo gracieuseté de Evelyne Achon, dont le blogue Ciel! Mes aïeux porte sur la généalogie française. Elle offre une catégorie de cuisine ancestrale, incluant ces Pignolats. Sa recette est légèrement différente de la mienne, et de plus elle écrit sur ses origines! Il se pourrait très bien que sa recette soit plus authentique que la mienne, alors allez y jeter un coup d’oeil!