Pinyon pines are several species of slow-growing pine trees native to arid and semi-arid regions of western North America. They produce large, wingless seeds — commonly called pine nuts or piñons — that have been a critical food source for Indigenous peoples of the American Southwest for thousands of years.
Pinyon pine nuts are similar to the Mediterranean stone pine nuts found in most supermarkets but tend to be smaller, rounder, and more intensely flavoured. They have a sweet, resinous taste and a rich, buttery texture.
Pinyon pine nuts are less common in international trade than their Mediterranean and Asian counterparts, but they are highly valued in the regions where they grow and are considered a traditional delicacy in the southwestern United States.
How it's produced
Pinyon pine nuts are almost exclusively wild-harvested. The trees grow slowly in rocky, mountainous terrain that is unsuitable for conventional agriculture, and they have resisted most attempts at commercial cultivation.
Harvesting is done by hand, traditionally by collecting cones from the trees or the ground in autumn, then drying or roasting the cones to release the seeds. The seeds are then shelled individually. Pinyon pines produce heavy crops irregularly — often only every three to seven years — making the harvest unpredictable and labour-intensive. This scarcity and the difficulty of harvest contribute to the high price of pinyon pine nuts compared to other varieties.
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