Description
Walnut cookies, known as Oreshki, are crisp, buttery, and shaped like walnuts, filled with creamy dulce de leche and optionally topped with toasted walnut halves. These traditional Eastern European treats are cooked on the stovetop using a special mold, resulting in golden-brown, delightful cookies perfect for holidays and special occasions.
Ingredients
Scale
Dough
- ½ cup butter (softened)
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg (room temperature)
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups all purpose flour (240 g)
- ¼ teaspoon baking powder
Filling and Topping
- 1 cup dulce de leche
- ½ cup walnut halves (toasted, optional)
Instructions
- Cream butter and sugar: In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to cream together the softened butter and granulated sugar until smooth and fluffy.
- Add egg and flavorings: Beat in the large egg, sea salt, and vanilla extract until fully incorporated and the mixture is smooth.
- Form the dough: Add the all-purpose flour and baking powder to the bowl and stir with a large spoon or your hands until a stiff dough forms.
- Shape dough balls: Use a teaspoon to scoop the dough and roll into balls. Adjust the size according to your mold manufacturer's recommendations for best results.
- Heat the mold: Place the cookie mold on low heat until it is piping hot and ready for cooking.
- Cook cookies on stovetop: Position a dough ball in each cavity of the mold, close tightly, and cook on low heat for about 5 minutes or until golden brown. Remove the cookie halves carefully and place on a cooling rack.
- Trim edges: Once cooled, trim any uneven edges with a sharp serrated knife to achieve a clean walnut shape.
- Fill cookies: Fill each cookie half with dulce de leche using a piping bag or spoon. Optionally, place a toasted walnut half in the center for extra crunch.
- Assemble cookies: Close two halves together to create a full walnut-shaped cookie.
- Finish and serve: Dust the assembled cookies with powdered sugar and enjoy.
Notes
- Use a stovetop cookie mold designed specifically for walnut-shaped cookies, which can be purchased online.
- Toasting walnut halves before adding them enhances their flavor and adds a pleasing crunchy texture.
- For easier filling, use a piping bag to fill the cookie halves precisely with dulce de leche.
- These cookies make an excellent festive treat for holidays due to their decorative walnut shape.
- If dulce de leche is unavailable, caramel sauce or a thick caramel spread can serve as a substitute filling.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 70 kcal
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 44 mg
- Fat: 4 g
- Saturated Fat: 2 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2 g
- Trans Fat: 0.1 g
- Carbohydrates: 7 g
- Fiber: 0.3 g
- Protein: 1 g
- Cholesterol: 12 mg
