Cookies with nuts and chocolate
I usually make these walnut and chocolate cookies before Christmas when I need a treat that keeps well and doesn’t require much attention. I also made them over the weekend, with my child beside me, cutting out mixed shapes. It’s a practical recipe if you want sturdy cookies with a strong walnut flavor and a fine dough.
Quick Info
Total time: about 2 hours (including dough chilling)
Servings: 40-50 cookies, depending on size
Difficulty: medium
Ingredients
For the dough:
4 eggs
300 g butter at room temperature
8 tablespoons powdered sugar (about 120 g)
100 g ground walnuts
4 tablespoons honey
1 packet baking powder (10 g)
600-700 g all-purpose flour (start with 600 g, add more if needed)
Filling:
quince jam or plum jam (choose one, don’t mix – both work, each gives a different flavor)
For the glaze:
150 g dark chocolate
4-5 tablespoons liquid cream (30-40 ml)
Decoration:
tree candies
colored sprinkles for decoration
Preparation steps
1. Place the soft butter and powdered sugar in a large bowl. Mix until you achieve a smooth cream. Don’t overmix; you don’t want the butter to be too airy.
2. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing after each addition. At first, it may seem separated, but it will come together quickly.
3. Add the ground walnuts, honey, and baking powder. Mix well.
4. Incorporate the flour in 2-3 batches. Stop when the dough becomes elastic, soft, but not sticky. If it feels too sticky, sprinkle in more flour, but don’t overdo it – otherwise, they’ll turn out hard.
5. Shape the dough into a ball, wrap it in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least an hour. You can also keep it overnight.
6. Remove the chilled dough, portion it into smaller pieces, and roll it out on a floured surface to about 4-5 mm thick. Use flour on the surface, but not too much.
7. Cut out cookies with cookie cutters. Place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, not too close together.
8. Bake in a preheated oven at 175°C for 10-12 minutes. They should be just lightly browned at the edges. If you leave them too long, they become brittle.
9. Let the cookies cool completely on a wire rack or on paper.
10. Spread the jam or jelly on half of the cookies, placing the others on top – like a sandwich. Don’t add too much filling, or it will spill out the edges.
11. For the glaze, melt the chocolate together with the liquid cream over low heat, stirring constantly. Remove from heat as soon as it’s melted.
12. Brush the cookies with the glaze, then sprinkle with candies or pieces of tree candy while the glaze is still soft.
13. Let them dry at room temperature.
Why I make this recipe often
These are sturdy cookies that keep well for up to two weeks. The walnut flavor is prominent, and the chocolate glaze doesn’t harden too much. I can fill them with any thick jam that won’t run, and I don’t worry about them getting soggy. Cutting them out is easy, and kids can decorate them.
Tips and variations
Tips
- Don’t overwork the dough after adding the flour; it will become tough.
- If the dough gets warm and sticky, put it back in the fridge.
- Use thick jams, not runny ones.
- Don’t put the glaze on hot cookies, as it will run off.
Substitutions
- You can use lard instead of butter for a flakier dough (the result will be different).
- Walnuts can be replaced with ground hazelnuts or almonds.
- The liquid cream in the glaze can be replaced with sweetened sour cream.
Variations
- Filling with finely chopped candied orange peel mixed with apricot jam.
- The dough can also be made without honey if you prefer it less sweet; just add 2 tablespoons of milk for binding.
- You can add a bit of grated lemon or orange zest to the dough.
Serving ideas
- They are great alongside tea or coffee.
- For festive platters, decorate with crushed walnuts or hazelnuts instead of sprinkles.
- They can be packaged in metal boxes for homemade gifts.
Frequently asked questions
1. What do I do if the dough is too soft and I can’t cut it out?
Add a tablespoon of flour at a time, kneading briefly until it’s easy to roll out. You can chill the dough again before rolling it out.
2. What can I substitute for plum jam?
Sour cherry jam, thicker raspberry jam, or orange marmalade work just as well.
3. Can the cookies be frozen before filling?
Yes, you can freeze them baked and plain. Let them thaw at room temperature, then fill and glaze them.
4. Can I use milk chocolate for the glaze?
Yes, but they will be sweeter and softer.
5. How quickly does the glaze harden?
At room temperature, the glaze will set in 30-40 minutes, but it won’t become as hard as commercial pastries.
Nutritional values (per cookie, estimated)
Calories: ~110 kcal
Protein: 1.5 g
Carbohydrates: 13 g
Fat: 6 g
Values may vary depending on the thickness of the dough and how much filling you use. The glaze adds 15-20 kcal per piece.
Storage and reheating
Keep the filled and glazed cookies in airtight containers at room temperature for up to 10-12 days. It’s important to let them cool completely before putting them in the container. They don’t need reheating. If you want to keep them longer, you can freeze the unbaked dough or the baked cookies without jam and glaze. The glaze should only be applied after thawing and complete cooling.
We mix the butter (at room temperature) with the powdered sugar. We add the ground nuts, eggs, honey, baking powder, and finally the flour. We obtain an elastic dough that we will keep in the fridge for at least an hour. After this time has passed, we take the dough out of the fridge, roll it out on the working surface, and cut the cookies into desired shapes. We place the cookies on a baking tray lined with parchment paper and bake them at a moderate temperature until they are lightly browned. Once cooled, we stick two cookies together using a layer of quince jam or plum jam. We prepare the glaze by melting chocolate in 4-5 tablespoons of liquid cream over low heat. We spread the glaze on the cookies and decorate with pieces of candy and colorful sprinkles. Enjoy your meal!
Ingredients: Dough: 4 eggs 300 g butter 8 tablespoons powdered sugar 100 g ground walnuts 4 tablespoons honey 1 packet baking powder white flour as needed (approx. 600-700 g) Filling: quince jam plum jam Glaze: 150 g dark chocolate 4-5 tablespoons liquid cream Decoration: candy fruit various types of candies for decoration
