This week I found myself craving my mom’s decadently homemade Pineapple Cookies. My mother makes these wonderful cookies that are soft, moist, and deliver pineapple in every bite. Not only are these cookies delicious but they are so easy to make.
I love pineapple. I think I could eat it in almost any dish…except pizza, but I won’t get into that discussion today! Pineapple just makes me think of summer and sunshine, Pina coladas and the beach. These cookies will take you there all year long. One bite and you are transported to the tropics.
Nonna’s Pineapple Cookies are as easy as it gets
My mom is a master cookie baker. She makes all kinds of cookies. When it comes to celebrations of any kind, she heads up the cookie brigade. This is one of the recipes that I request most often and I can’t think of any party that we have had where pineapple cookies were not present.
They are so good that I just assumed that they were going to be complicated to make. But to my pleasant surprise this is one of the easiest recipes that I have ever tried.
Ingredients for this recipe
Nonna’s homemade pineapple cookies are so moist because of two ingredients, crushed pineapple and shortening. I know, normally you think of butter when baking cookies, but let me tell you that the shortening adds a beautifully soft texture. The crushed pineapple flavors the cookie and creates additional moisture. These cookies are like little pineapple pillows!
There are only a few ingredients in this recipe, and they are most likely things that you have in your pantry. Eggs, sugar, shortening, flour baking powder, crushed pineapple, and confectioners’ sugar. The crushed pineapple is drained, and the juice is reserved and used to make the frosting. So, you get two layers of pineapple flavor. Simply delicious!
Want to try some of Nonna’s other cookies?
Pani di Cena (Sicilian Anise Lenten Cookies)
The Best “Cuccidati” Italian Fig Cookies
Sicilian Almond Paste Cookies, “Pasticcini alla Pasta di Mandorla”
Some tips for making these cookies:
- Before you start making the batter, pour the pineapple into a sieve set over a bowl and allow it to drain so that you remove all the excess liquid. Reserve the pineapple juice for making the frosting.
- Beat the eggs and sugar together until the eggs are light yellow and fluffy.
- Add the shortening and beat on medium speed for at least 2 minutes.
- I used butter flavored shortening in this recipe, and it works great.
- Make sure that the shortening is room temperature, or it will not mix well into the batter.
- Combine the flour and baking powder before adding the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients.
- Once the flour is fully blended into the batter, add the drained pineapple. Mix on low speed or stir with a wooden spoon until the pineapple is evenly distributed.
- Use a teaspoon to measure and drop the cookies on to a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.
- Drop the cookies about 2 inches apart as the cookies will rise and spread slightly.
- Bake the cookies in 375-degree oven for 12-15 minutes. The cookies will start to turn golden on top and the bottoms will be lightly browned when they are done.
- The simple but delicious frosting is made by mixing the confectioner’s sugar with a little of the pineapple juice until you have thick but pourable glaze.
- Start with 3 tablespoons of pineapple juice and add more from there if it is too thick. It should not be thin.
Nonna’s Homemade Italian Pineapple Cookies
Ingredients
Cookies
- 2 Eggs
- 1 cup Sugar
- ¾ cups Shortening
- 2½ cups Flour
- 2½ tsp. Baking Powder
- 20 oz Crushed Pineapple Drained, reserve the juice
Pineapple Glaze Frosting
- 3 cups Confectioners Sugar
- 4 Tbsp. Pineapple Juice
Instructions
Cookies
- Preheat your oven to 375°. Line cookie sheet with parchment paper.
- Combine eggs and sugar in a large mixing bowl. Beat on a medium speed, until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
- Add the shortening to the egg mixture and mix until the shortening is fully incorporated.
- In a medium bowl, mix the flour and baking powder.
- With the beater on low, slowly add the flour mixture to the the egg mixture. Scrape down the sides of the bowl to make sure that the flour is evenly mixed in to the batter.
- Add the crushed pineapple and stir well to combine and evenly distribute it into the batter.
- Use a teaspoon to drop the batter onto the cookie sheets. Make sure to leave about 2 inches between cookies as they will rise and spread slightly.
- Bake the cookies for 12-15 minutes or until the cookies begin to turn slightly golden.
- After removing the cookies from the oven, allow them to cool on the cookie sheet for about 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack. Cool completely before frosting.
Pineapple Glaze Frosting
- Combine the confectioners sugar and pineapple juice. Stir or whisk until the frosting is thick but pourable.
- Frost the cookies using small spatula or the back of a teaspoon. Set the cookies on the wire rack and allow the frosting to set before storing.
These are my all time favorite cookies that you and your mom make. So tender and delicious! I highly recommend them for any pineapple lover.
Hi I am excited to bake these cookies! Can you freeze the pineapple cookies? Thank you.
Hi Donna These cookies freeze really well. Make sure you pack them in a airtight container with waxed paper between the layers. We even frost them before freezing them and they thaw beautifully. I hope you enjoy the recipe. It is one of our favorites!
Can these pineapple cookies be made into a bar?
Hello Karen! I have never tried making them into a bar so I really can not say if it would work. I think if you wanted to try it you would have to adjust the cooking time and check often to see if the middle was done.