Cookies with walnut and caramel
On a day with changing weather, I remembered these walnut and caramel cookies that I've been making for the past few years. They require no hard-to-find ingredients, come together fairly quickly, and don’t leave too much mess in the kitchen. Normally, I prepare them for morning coffee or when unexpected guests arrive. They may seem simple, but I’ve noticed they don’t last long in the house – they disappear quickly.
Quick Info
Total time: approximately 35-40 minutes
Preparation time: 20-25 minutes
Baking time: 7-8 minutes per batch
Servings: 20-24 cookies (depending on size)
Difficulty: easy
Recipe type: homemade cookies, suitable for breakfast or holidays
Ingredients
4 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons sour cream
50 g butter (for caramel)
120 g butter (for dough)
230 g flour
1 egg
1/2 cup walnuts, coarsely chopped
(optional) cinnamon or other spices, to taste
Instructions
1. Start with the caramel. Place the 4 tablespoons of sugar in a heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Allow it to melt, stirring occasionally, until it becomes liquid and takes on a light amber color.
2. Add the 2 tablespoons of sour cream over the caramelized sugar. Mix well to ensure the caramel becomes smooth and free of lumps. It may harden slightly at first, but continue stirring until it is homogeneous.
3. Remove the pot from the heat and incorporate the 50 g of butter, stirring until completely melted.
4. Add the coarsely chopped walnuts and mix well. Let the walnut caramel cool for 10-15 minutes, so it’s not hot when you add it to the dough.
5. In a separate bowl, beat the 120 g of room-temperature butter with the egg on high speed until you get a smooth cream.
6. Pour the cooled walnut caramel mixture over the butter and egg. Incorporate everything with a spatula or mixer on low speed.
7. Add the flour and, if desired, a bit of cinnamon or your favorite spice. Mix briefly, just enough to form a compact dough.
8. Preheat the oven to medium heat (about 180°C).
9. Roll out the dough on a working surface to about 1 cm thick. Don’t overwork the dough – the less you handle it, the more tender the cookies will be.
10. Cut out the cookies using your preferred shapes.
11. Line a baking tray with parchment paper. Place the cookies on it, leaving some space between them.
12. Bake for 7-8 minutes on the middle rack until they just start to color at the edges. They bake quickly – don’t leave them too long, or they will harden.
13. Remove them from the tray and let them cool on a rack or on the parchment paper.
Why I Make This Recipe Often
They come together quickly and don’t require special ingredients. They stay soft even the next day, which isn’t always the case with homemade cookies. They’re great with coffee, tea, or served at holidays, but you don’t need a special occasion to make them.
Tips and Variations
Tips
- When making the caramel, don’t walk away from the stove. It can burn very easily.
- For a softer caramel, you can add an extra teaspoon of sour cream.
- The dough shouldn’t be over-kneaded, or it will become tough when baked.
- If you don’t have cookie cutters, you can cut them with a glass or even with a knife into simple squares.
Substitutions
- Sour cream can be replaced with unsweetened liquid cream if you don’t have anything else at home.
- Brown sugar can be replaced with regular white sugar, but the caramel will be a bit lighter in color.
- Walnuts can be substituted with hazelnuts or almonds for a different flavor, but the classic taste remains that of walnuts.
Variations
- You can add cinnamon, cloves, or cardamom for a different flavor.
- For smaller cookies, reduce the baking time by 1-2 minutes.
- If you want them to be crunchier, roll the dough thinner.
Serving Ideas
- They are good on their own, with tea or coffee.
- For holidays, you can dust them with powdered sugar after they cool.
- They make a nice gift in a cookie box or on festive platters.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Can I use a different type of nuts?
Yes, you can replace walnuts with hazelnuts, almonds, or even cashews, but the flavor will be different. Walnuts provide the classic texture and flavor.
2. Can the dough be made in advance?
You can prepare the dough and keep it in the fridge for a few hours, but it will need to be left at room temperature for a bit before rolling out, or it will break.
3. Can these cookies be frozen?
I don’t recommend freezing them, as their texture becomes dry after thawing. They are best fresh or stored at room temperature.
4. I don’t have sour cream, what can I use?
Unsweetened liquid cream or even thicker yogurt will work, but the caramel will have a slightly different consistency.
5. Do the cookies stay soft or crunchy?
They tend to stay soft rather than crunchy, especially if you don’t leave them in the oven too long.
Nutritional Values
Estimated for one serving (1 cookie out of 24):
Calories: approximately 85 kcal
Fat: 5 g
Carbohydrates: 9 g
Protein: 1 g
These are approximate figures, depending on the exact size of the cookies and the ingredients used.
Storage and Reheating
They store well in airtight containers at room temperature for 3-4 days. There’s no need to reheat them; they remain soft. If they seem a bit hard after a few days, you can place them for a few hours in a covered dish with a slice of apple to soften them slightly. Freezing is not beneficial.
Ingredients: 4 tablespoons of raw sugar, 2 tablespoons of sour cream, 50 grams of butter, 120 grams of butter, 230 grams of flour, 1/2 cup of coarsely chopped walnuts, 1 egg
