Joy the Baker

Buckwheat Pine Nut Biscuits

by 101 Comments

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I have good news and I have bad news.

The good news is that I have a new cookie recipe for you today.

The bad news is that these cookies taste like rocks.

Like… not even a joke.  Rocks.

But imagine that, for some reason… you want to eat rocks… because they sort of taste like cookies.

I dunno.  If you’re confused… it’s because I’m a little confused.

Let me try to find some more words.

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Let me start from the beginning.

These cookies are a simple mix of buckwheat flour, all-purpose flour, sugar, butter and egg yolk.

Buckwheat isn’t actually a wheat… it’s a fruit seed ground into a flour.  It has a very distinct taste… somewhere along the lines of earthy and fruity and chewy.  Yes… it tastes chewy.

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If you’re the kind of person who usually reaches out for a gooey chocolate cookie, these are not the cookies for you.  Don’t make them.  You’ll only want to kick me in the knee cap and I totally hate when people do that.

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If you are the kind of person who likes a less sweet, more flavorful  and crumbly cookie to have with tea.. then these are totally the cookie for you.

You know the smell of wet concrete?  It smells amazing, right?  These cookies kind of taste like wet concrete smells.

You might think I’m doing an awful job of describing these cookies.  I promise that if you make them you’ll be in the same predicament that I’m in.  They are so strange… and I’ve already eaten my way through half the batch.

Bottom line:  I like these cookies with milky tea… despite the fact that they sorta taste like rocks.  I.  Like.  Them.

You can buy Buckwheat Flour at Whole Foods in the bulk section (so you don’t have to buy a ton) and Arrowhead Mills also sells it.

Buckwheat Pine Nut Biscuits

makes about 12 to 16 cookies

slightly adapted from The Essential New York Times Cookbook

Print this Recipe!

1/2 cup buckwheat flour

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1/3 cups sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 large egg yolk

1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted

Place a rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat to 325 degrees F.

In a medium bowl, whisk together flours, sugar, salt and baking powder.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, fitted with a paddle attachment, cream butter until softened.  Add egg yolk and beat until well incorporated, about 1 minutes.  Stop the mixer and scrape down the bowl to insure that the butter and yolk are thoroughly mixed.  On low speed, beat in the dry ingredients in two additions.   Add the toasted pine nuts with the last of the flour.  Blend well to incorporate.  Dough will be on the dry side.

Roll generous tablespoonfuls of dough into balls and place 1 1/2 inches apart on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.  Use a fork to press the dough into  a thick round.

Bake for 15-20 minutes until slightly golden along the edges.  The cookies won’t brown all that much, but 20 minutes should be enough time in the oven.  Cool on the sheet for 10 minutes then remove to cool on a rack.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. brownrabbit

    These totally work for me. Ok, it’s beyond just working for me. Next time I make them, however, I’m going to make them like thumbprints and put pepper jelly in them. As it is, I’m just spooning the pepper jelly on top and that too works for me.

    Thank you!

    Reply

  2. Molly

    Joy, I was hooked at first glance of these deceptive-looking little biscuits. Made them for a tea party over the weekend, and hot damn those are scrumptious. Accolades all around. My only downfall was my ambition, which led me to try to make half the recipe vegan to accommodate a friend. I only had a bit of shortening, so I used tamari paste for the rest of the fat. I also failed to use egg substitute for the yolk, though I don’t know how much of a difference it would have made. The result? Sand. Flavors were pretty good, but they looked and felt like sand. Melting in your mouth. It was pretty unpleasant. So yeah, don’t do that. Not that you would. In any case, I think I’ll make another batch of these over the weekend!

    Reply

  3. Lisa

    I made them today (didn’t have pine nuts so I made them with black sesame seeds) and woah… They’re very good! Easy to make, crumbly, a little bit salty, I’m afraid I’ll have to eat another one now… Thank you for this recipe!

    Reply

  5. anushruti

    These cookies look lovely! I’m always on the look out for new ways to cook with buckwheat. It has such an earthy goodness to it. Love all your recipes Joy. It’s like once I come to your site I get lost for a bit and get carried away with my time.

    Reply

  6. Lisa

    I like the idea of converting poetic/urban sensations into food. Wet sand, stone, moss, glass, etc. and I like not too sweet cookies to have with tea, so definitely want to try these!

    Reply

  7. Jodie

    I’m all about presentation. I think these cookies will look fabulous on my turquoise dishes! I can’t wait to bake them so I can serve them!!!

    Reply

  8. Kara

    Hahaha, I love reading your blog, I always laugh out loud… really. I want to find buckwheat flour and make these now… I’ll resist the knee-cap-kicking urge if they are not to my fancy, but not-so-sweet is what I like best. thanks!

    Reply

  11. Estee

    I just wanted to throw out a word of caution about pine nuts. Do yourself a favor and do not buy any pine nuts the come from China or maybe even Russia. About a year ago I grabbed myself a small bag of already shelled pine nuts and ate them as a snack. Two days later I had what’s called “Pine Mouth.” Google it… that’s how I figured out what happened to me. If you are a foodie and you get pine mouth you will want to kill yourself – temporarily. Seriously… it royally messes up your taste buds for a couple weeks, and it’s strange and freaky. The FDA even called me to get a report about it… they’ve been getting reports from tons of people about it.

    Reply

  14. Teale

    I gotta be honest, as much as I love buckwheat pancakes, not really that inspired to make these cookies. However, I am laughing my tush off over your descriptions, and your reasoning, because there is a recipe or two in my box, that taste.. odd, and yet become… addicting, and soon, you’re telling your friends: trust me, they’ll grow on you… Makes them sound like… mold, or something blech-y, but ultimately, not blech-y- if you give them a chance.

    You rock.

    PS- added a granny smith to your sweet potato curry soup. AWE-some, but the biscuits moved it to nirvana…

    Reply

  15. Cathy B. @ Bright Bakes

    you’re cool. I may have said that before. But glad you share the unusual stuff along with the typical sweet ooey-gooey baked things of most baking blogs…I actually think I would like these! Maybe I’m just weird…
    love,
    cathy b. @ brightbakes

    Reply

  18. JNET

    I am still laughing as I write this comment… Actually, when I started to laugh so much that I started to cry while thinking how “enjoyable” it may be to serve “wet concrete” smelling, rock tasting, interesting cookies is when I had to include a hello.

    I agree with you… the world has room for rock cookies.

    JNET

    Reply

  20. Tracy

    Since I love buckwheat pancakes and waffles with maple syrup I’m thinking these might be good with a maple latte for dunking.

    Reply

  21. When Pigs Fly

    I think I may have to pass on these. Sounds a lot like soda bread from Ireland. I always feel compelled to eat it but am annoyed with myself that I do. I’d rather save the calories for chocolate.

    Reply

    • Lissi

      I wasn’t intrigued by these at all, until you mentioned Irish soda bread. I love that stuff! Maybe I should try these cookies. Thanks Pigs!

      Reply

  22. Sarah S

    Oh my God. The title alone almost made me want to kick you in the knee caps. Buckwheat? Pine nuts? Bring on the gooey chocolate! Next thing I know you’ll be telling me you’re vegan…. : )

    Reply

    • Rachel

      Hey, vegan baking is like any other: a little practice and creativity produces delicious results. Send any unwanted slices of Joy’s vegan chocolate cake my direction please.

      Reply

  25. cassie o

    the title alone had me skeptical. i think i’ll skip this one and stick with your apple crisp recipe that’s been getting me sweet accolades for weeks :) (thanks, btw)

    Reply

  27. Stephanie

    I’m… confused. Because I really don’t feel like eating rocks, but I really want to try these cookies… guess I’m gonna go to Whole Foods!

    Reply

  28. Twinkle

    I had to google buckwheat flour and found out that soba noodles are made from them, and now I totally understand your description. I like soba noodles! Maybe I’ll like these biscuits too! =)

    Reply

  30. WriterCrystal

    This right here? It’s why you’re awesome. You’re honest. And I thank you for that.
    (And since I’m in the “you can never have too much chocolate gooey yummy” camp, I’m going to skip this recipe. But I still love ya!)

    Reply

  32. Alison

    These cookies remind me of an archaeologist scouring through layers and layers of dirt searching for remains. Nothing says “AWESOME” more than cookies and adventure tied into one. Bravo, Joy. Well done. I’m making some fossil cookies tonight!

    Reply

    • TJ

      Hah! How about baking a whole almond inside each one so you can “unearth” it as you nibble awaythe “rock” around it?

      TJ

      Reply

    • S

      Wow…

      What’s with some of the rude comments, here?

      Anyway. I want to try these making these out of curiosity. It’s always fun to try unique, random recipes lol. And besides, it’s a Joy the Baker recipe!

      Alas, I don’t have buckwheat flour. Or pine nuts. I’ll have to find some other things I’ll use the buckwheat flour for before I buy it.

      Oh, also, just wanted to say that I like your honesty and the fact that you’re not afraid to post something totally out of the box!
      .

      Reply

    • Anna

      To be fair Georgia, she did say these weren’t for everyone. Honestly, half this post is spent telling you they taste like rocks. If you don’t believe that, proceed to make them and automatically expect to like them, then don’t– that’s more a problem with your reading comprehension than Joy’s baking (not to insult you, but she did warn us all).

      Reply

  35. katie

    i totally made your whole wheat sunflower seed bread using half pastry flour and half buckwheat flour. i also decided to make them into muffins…they look and feel like mini hockey pucks but taste surprisingly good!

    Reply

  36. Experimental Cook

    Haha! I totally hear ya! The 1st time I made buckwheat pancakes at home, it reminded me of wet sand!! took me back in time to when I used to make “mud cakes” :)
    Interestingly though buckwheat pancakes have quite a fan following at my place! Maybe its their earthy nature or the fact that they’r served loaded with fruit and syrup, but my hubby and 3yrold can eat up a batch full without complaints and that makes me VERY happy!

    Reply

  37. Natalie

    I made buckwheat scones not too long ago with some strawberry jam inside, and I agree with your description of the buckwheat. Totally wet concrete, chewy tasting, crumbly, kind of baked good. I liked them, but when I gave the bf one he wrinkled his nose, almost gagged, and spit it out. oops

    Reply

  38. Anna

    i have had the exact same problem (is it a problem?) with buckwheat. the first time i made buckwheat flapjacks i almost spat them back out. but then…you get addicted. its like black licorice or something. and then you just can’t stop eating it.

    anyways, thanks for the great buckwheat recipe. can’t wait to get in there and try it again.

    Reply

  41. Alena

    I just want to tell you that I have a recipe very similar to this but instead of sugar it uses honey and instead of pine nuts it used course toasted almonds. That recipe ROCKS and it is the best with milky black tea or coffee. I will definitely be trying your version of this recipe, Joy.

    Reply

  42. Jessica @ bake me away!

    I feel like you’d be really successful pitching these to my little niece (or any little kid for that matter) since she loves to eat rocks and such. :) You know those oreo dirt pudding cups with the gummy worms? Maybe these could make great pebbles! Either way, these do sound intriguing…

    Reply

  43. Gen

    Well, they actually look like rocks, but it’s due to the buckwheat flour. You should try with a little honey because I’m sure they are pretty good even though you say they taste like rocks!

    Reply

  44. Elise

    Um, I love that the cookies apparently taste like cement. I think that you should make it your new goal to create food that doesn’t taste like food. Maybe next you could make something that tastes like a lightpole.
    Also, my brother and I always imagined creating a line of deodorants that smell like food (ham being the first one we would produce). So… I really think it can go both ways.

    Reply

  46. ruby

    i’ll bet a teaspoon of vanilla extract and ground cinnamon would work wonders on these rocks. i’ll try ’em that way.

    Reply

  47. Aimee S

    Mmmm rocks! Mmmmm wet concrete. Sounds delicious! Actually they look kind pretty, but I don’t think you convinced me to make them, yet. However, by the end of winter, when I’m dreaming about Spring, some wet rocks might do the trick :)

    Reply

  50. Bree

    Hmm… Rock cookies!! Interreestttinnnnggg! So they’re rookies? Or …… nope… other variation of Rock + Cookie will not do :P Sooo… rookie it is! :O
    Tempted to make these! But can I eat a whole batch?! I might do it all in the name of health!! :)

    Reply

  56. Juan

    So, nutty, wet-concrete-tasting, crumbly buscuits that look like actual rocks… You’re really testing the loyalty of your readers on this one! :)

    A tip for anyone trying these: if you don’t like them, keep baking them for a few hours and voilá, paper-weights!

    Always entertaining, if somewhat baffling; that’s our Joy. I’m loving the way your brain works more and more with each post.

    Reply

  57. Anne-Marie

    The wet concrete comment cracked me up. Based on your description, I won’t be making the cookies–but thanks for the laugh!

    Reply

  58. Kelsey

    Hahaha, thank you for making me laugh! I also appreciate things that are not overly sweet and tend towards the rocky.

    Reply

  60. Megabite

    I love your description. I know what you mean though! It’s like they’re kinda weird, but you end up craving them? I get it. And I love the crinkly paper picture with the pretty yellow mug.

    And I hope you have such a fun weekend, Joy!

    Reply

  62. nancy k.

    This post is a hoot! I can’t tell you how many times I have made something that turns out kinda weird in some way and yet I keep eating it, trying to figure out if I like it or not. Before I know it, it is half gone. I am relieved to hear I am not the only one. I just might give these a try…the wet concrete comment has me intrigued. Thanks , Joy!

    Reply

  64. Kylie @ A Hungry Spoon

    I’ve been known to make less-than-delicious “healthy desserts” around our house from time to time (my husband often refers to my experiments with healthy muffins as “fiber blocks”). Not sure I’ll be experimenting with the Buckwheat cookies, although I’m curious if I’d like them given that I love prune-walnut cookies…

    Reply

  66. Stacey Niessner

    When I read the name of the recipe, the first thing out of my mouth was “That doesn’t even sound good.” Then I read your blog and I am still feeling the same about it. I have decided I’m not the kind of person to try this cookie. I guess peanut butter bacon cookies is the farthest I will go in trying new things. :)

    Reply

  67. Emily Anderson

    This is this little condition called pica. It’s nothing to be worried about, but sometimes people who suffer from pica like to eat gravel and dirt and chalk. Pregnant women sometimes come down with this condition. Joy, is there something you’re trying to tell us in a backward way? =)

    Reply

  69. jenna laughs

    My favorite part: “these cookies kind of taste like wet concrete smells.” LOL! It’s like 7:00 am over here and I’m late getting ready for work because I’m reading this post over a couple times and laughing. Worth it.

    Reply

  72. Thetreadmilldiaries

    They look really good but can’t say that I’ve ever craved rocks or wet concrete. Though I hear these cravings could happen randomly to those who may be expecting. Unfortunately, that’s not me. :). But to each their own is what I say. Thanks for keeping things interesting.

    Reply

  76. the Sharp Wife

    I’m not sure how you did it, but you have convinced me to make these. It is probably because every creation of yours I have ever made has been incredible – regardless of the presentation. We have a very trusting relationship. I like that.

    Do you have a suggestion for anything besides pine nuts? They can really blow my grocery budget.

    Reply

  78. Allie

    This post cracks me up. I’m trying to branch out and make things with buckwheat (since I just found out that I’m gluten intolerant), so maybe I’ll try these with buckwheat and some other kind of flour substitution for the all-purpose flour. But I’m not sure if I like the taste of rocks. On the fence about that one.

    Reply

  79. Silvia

    This is so great, I love buckwheat (I bake a lovely cake with buckwheat, chocolate and walnuts, with a cranberry sauce filling), so I will try these cookies as soon as possible!

    Reply

  80. c

    i think this would taste freaking awesome with some chopped rosemary stirred in. or lavender. especially with that tea. and subbing honey for the sugar.
    me and this cookie. i think we’d get along.

    Reply

  82. Vivian

    I have to say, that was probably the most unconvincing blog post ever… yet I’m somehow intrigued. Was this a Jedi mind trick?

    Reply

  83. Kocinera

    I totally understand the appeal of cookies that taste like wet concrete. Brazil nuts fascinate me because they taste like rain. Seriously, eat a Brazil nut and it tastes like you’re walking down the street in a rainstorm. It’s unnerving, baffling, and magnificent–much like these cookies.

    Reply

  84. Ashlae

    Ooh, I would like these cookies. The less sugar, the better! Although I might have to add some dark chocolate chips. Everything, rocks included, tastes better with chocolate.

    Reply

  86. Kathairne

    Ya know what? they kinda look like rocks. are they greyish? or is that my computer screen? I bet my youngest would like them. He has always had an affinity for dirt. are they like sweet rocks?

    Reply

  87. Emma

    I’m pretty sure I would like these as I’m a rustic sort of girl (when it comes to cooking that is). I think I get what you mean when you say you like them but you’re not sure why? Recipes like that rule because it means moving out of our comfort zones.

    Reply

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