Nostalgic "walnut" cookies: A sweet taste of tradition
"Walnut" cookies are a true classic. They symbolized family warmth and our mothers' and grandmother's culinary creativity, who could create something special from simple ingredients. Filled with sweet cream and resembling hazelnuts in shape, these crunchy cookies always disappeared quickly from the Christmas Eve table. How are they made, and what makes them so special?
The "walnut" cookies were made from simple ingredients, yet the result was delightful in appearance and taste. They were a favourite dessert for children and adults, filled with cream and enhanced with ground nuts or caramel. Today, they are making a comeback as a nostalgic return to family traditions and childhood flavours.
Recipe for "walnut" cookies
The "walnut" cookies embody holiday traditions and are a reminder of home warmth. Although their preparation may seem time-consuming, the result is worth it—delicious, crunchy dough filled with a sweet filling always makes an impression.
Ingredients:
Dough:
- 500 grams of all-purpose flour,
- 250 grams of butter,
- 140 grams of powdered sugar,
- 3 egg yolks,
- 2 tablespoons of 18% sour cream,
- a pinch of salt.
Filling:
- 1 can of caramel,
- 100 grams of ground walnuts,
- 1 tablespoon of rum (optional).
Preparation
- In a bowl, chop the butter into the flour, powdered sugar, and salt. Add the egg yolks and sour cream, quickly kneading it into a smooth dough.
- Wrap the dough in foil and chill in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes.
- Break off pieces of dough, form small balls, and place them in special walnut moulds.
- Bake in an oven preheated to 180°C (350°F) for 10–12 minutes until golden.
- After cooling, gently remove the cookies from the moulds and fill them with caramel and ground nuts.
Why make "walnut" cookies?
The "walnut" cookies are more than just a dessert—they are a taste of tradition, evoking warm memories of holiday gatherings with family. They are not only delicious but also impressive—perfect for the Christmas Eve table and as a sweet gift for loved ones. For many, they're also a way to return to simpler times when homemade baked goods had special significance.
Can you make "walnut" cookies without a mold?
Yes, although a traditional walnut mould makes their preparation easier, you can manage without it while preserving the cookies' unique taste. Instead of shaping the shells in a mould, you can manually form small balls from the dough and gently flatten them into the shape of small shells or hemispheres. To give them a more "nut-like" appearance, use a fork to imprint characteristic grooves in the dough, resembling the texture of a nut.
After baking these shells and allowing them to cool, fill them with cream or caramel filling and join them in pairs to achieve the walnut effect. Although this may take more time than using a mould, the final result will still taste like a traditional holiday dessert, delighting both household members and guests.
