Italian Nut Balls

These Italian nut ball cookies are a staple of Italian-American bakeries and holiday cookie trays. Buttery dough flavored with both vanilla and almond extract gets rolled into balls, dipped in egg white, coated in finely chopped pistachios, then baked with a thumbprint well filled with jelly or preserves.

The almond extract is what gives these their distinctly Italian character. Just half a teaspoon adds that warm, marzipan-like flavor that sets Italian cookies apart from American butter cookies.

Dip each ball in lightly beaten egg whites before rolling in the chopped pistachios. The egg white acts as glue so the nuts stick firmly and don’t fall off during baking. Press a deep indentation into the center of each cookie with your fingertip before they go in the oven.

Fill the wells with jelly while the cookies are still warm. The heat softens the jelly so it settles into the depression and sets as it cools.

Chef Tips

• Make the thumbprint deep enough to hold a good amount of jelly without overflowing
• Use apricot, raspberry, or strawberry preserves for classic Italian flavors
• Chop the pistachios finely so they coat the cookies evenly
• If the dough is too soft to roll, chill it for 30 minutes

Variations

• Use finely chopped almonds or hazelnuts instead of pistachios
• Fill with Nutella or chocolate ganache instead of jelly
• Swap margarine for butter for a richer, more traditional cookie