Christmas and Easter wouldn't be complete without a batch of homemade Slovak nut rolls! This easy, no-fail recipe makes two delicious rolls with a generous amount of walnut filling.
➜ What are nut rolls made of?
Traditional Slovak nut rolls are made of yeast dough rolled out thinly and filled with ground walnuts. The rolled strudel is baked on a sheet after being brushed with an egg wash to give it a shiny appearance before being placed in the oven. The baked nut roll is cut into slices and served with tea or coffee.
TIP: I successfully use this same dough to make poppy seed rolls!
Slovaks call a nut roll made of yeast dough "kysnutá orechová štrúdľa" or "orechový závin."
⇢ Check for more Slovak recipes
However, this recipe is very popular not only in Slovakia but also in other countries of Central Europe - the Czech Republic, Poland, and Hungary. The Czech name of this nut roll is "ořechový závin"; in Polish, it would be "strudel orzechowy." Can you see the amazing similarity between Slavic languages?
➜ Ingredients
To make homemade nut rolls from scratch, you will need the following:
Yeast dough:
- Warm water; about 110°F
- Active dry yeast
- Honey; to activate yeast. If you don't have honey, you can use white granulated sugar, which also works well in the recipe.
- All-purpose flour
- Granulated sugar
- Pinch of salt
- Unsalted butter; softened at room temperature
Note on nut roll dough: Water, not milk, is actually used to make the dough. There is no egg and no sour cream added to the dough! The dough is quite fatty, with a fair amount of unsalted butter. I highly recommend working the dough in a stand mixer with the dough hook attached.
Walnut filling:
- Ground walnuts; walnuts are always the first choice when preparing nut rolls in European cuisines. Pecans are another possible option as to what kind of nuts to use. I personally use walnuts from our garden, which I grind on a manual rotary grater before using.
- Half-and-half; half whole milk, half heavy cream.
- Granulated sugar
- Seasoning: ground cinnamon, freshly grated lemon zest, vanilla pasta (or essence)
Egg wash:
- Whole egg; at room temperature, lightly beaten with a fork
✅ You will find the exact ingredient amounts in the recipe card below, which you can also print out.
Equipment: A large cookie sheet at least 12 inches long. If you only have a smaller baking sheet, feel free to curve the roll slightly. Next, you will need parchment paper to line the sheet.
➜ How to make Slovak nut rolls
Preparing yeast dough
STEP 1: Start by measuring and preparing all the ingredients in the recipe.
STEP 2: Take ½ cup of warm water from the measured ingredients and dissolve all the honey in it. Combine about ⅔ cup of flour with the active yeast. Whisk the flour mixture with the sweetened water to form a semi-thick dough with no lumps.
STEP 3: Cover the bowl with a clean tea towel and let rise in a warm place for about 30-45 minutes.
⇢ MY TIP: Learn how to make dough rise fast inside oven
Making nut roll filling
STEP 4: While the yeast is activating, prepare the nut filling. Bring the cream and milk to a boil in a saucepan. Be careful; as soon as it comes to a boil, immediately remove the saucepan from the heat. Dissolve the sugar in the hot milk, then add the ground nuts, vanilla, lemon zest, and ground cinnamon. Let the nut filling cool to room temperature.
Rising the dough
STEP 5: Add the rest of the lukewarm water, flour, and sugar to the bowl with the activated yeast. Mix roughly for about a minute.
STEP 6: Add the salt and softened butter. Knead the dough until smooth and elastic. I ran my stand mixer with a dough hook for 8 minutes on medium speed.
NOTE: If you are working the dough by hand, melt the butter in the microwave or in a saucepan on the stove - the butter must not be hot!
STEP 7: Cover the bowl with a cloth and let rise in a warm place until the dough has doubled in volume. This will take about an hour or two, depending on room conditions.
TIP: In the meantime, line a baking sheet with parchment or wax paper.
Assembling the walnut rolls
STEP 8: Dump the raised dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead briefly. Divide into two halves, shape each into a small ball, and leave to rest for ten minutes.
STEP 9: Using a rolling pin, roll one rested ball of dough into a rectangle about 12 × 10 inches and about ¼ inch thick. Spread the walnut filling over the dough, leaving about an inch of space around the edges. An angled cake spatula makes the spreading easier.
NOTE: The walnut filling needs to be at room temperature, not hot or too cold.
STEP 10: Start rolling the dough lengthwise, like a jelly roll. Gently tighten the dough as you roll. Finish the roll with the seam facing down. Press the ends of the roll together and tuck them underneath. Place the roll, seam side down, on a lined baking sheet.
Repeat with the second piece of dough the same way. I made the second strudel with poppy seed filling!
Brushing with egg wash
STEP 11: In a deep bowl, beat the egg with a fork. Using a pastry brush, brush the rolls on all sides.
STEP 12: Allow the formed rolls to rise for another 30 minutes.
I like to repeat the brushing one more time so that the strudel is nice and shiny.
Baking the rolls
STEP 13: Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Put the baking sheet with the rolls on a medium rack and bake for 25-30 minutes.
➜ Serving
Let the cooled nut strudel cool, then cut it into slices about 1 ½ inches thick. Place individual slices on a dessert plate, make a cup of coffee or tea and enjoy your dessert!
In Slovakia, this nut roll is one of the most popular breakfast pastries served during the Christmas holidays. At Easter, the strudel used to be an item in the Easter basket of ceremonial food that was taken to the church for blessing.
⇢ Check for more Christmas recipes and Easter food
Some people sprinkle the roll with powdered sugar before serving, but I don't think it's necessary because the strudel has a glossy shine on the surface thanks to the egg wash.
➜ Storage tips
Sweet breads from yeast doughs are best eaten the same day they are made. However, this walnut roll has a longer shelf life thanks to the multi-stage rising process; it will stay soft for up to several days!
At room temperature: When completely cooled, wrap the roll in a clean cloth or plastic wrap. Store at room temperature and consume within five days.
In the fridge: If you're wondering how long the nut roll will last in the refrigerator, you can count on about a week. Compared to storing the roll at room temperature, the refrigerator will extend its shelf life by two to three days.
In the freezer: You can certainly freeze the strudel as well. Do it as soon as possible after cooling! My mom always cuts the strudel into slices and stores it in an airtight container in the freezer, where the pastry will keep for at least three months.
Thaw overnight in the fridge, on the kitchen counter for about two hours, or in the microwave set on defrost mode.
➜ Useful hints
- I followed an authentic, old-fashioned recipe that Slovak grandmas have been using for many years to make these nut rolls. No modern ingredients, maybe just a stand mixer that helped me knead the yeasty dough without too much effort.
- Yeast rolls have a tendency to crack while baking, usually on the side or bottom. What appears to be a flaw when they come out of the oven is actually not a flaw at all. When you cut the strudel into pieces and your guests dig in, there are no cracks to worry about.
- Here is a handy trick to address nut rolls that keep bursting open despite being sealed well: Make a few small cuts on the top or poke it with a fork a few times. This step allows the steam out when baking.
More yeast dough recipes:
Tried this recipe?
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Slovak Nut Roll (Orechovy Zavin)
Tap or hover to scale
Ingredients
Yeast dough:
- ¾ cup water (180 ml) warm
- 1 teaspoon active dry yeast
- 1 teaspoon honey or granulated sugar
- 3 and ½ cups all-purpose flour (455 g)
- ½ cup granulated sugar (100 g)
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 stick unsalted butter (112 g) softened
Walnut filling:
- 4 cups walnuts ground
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- ⅔ cup half and half half whole milk, half heavy cream
- 1 Tablespoon lemon zest freshly grated
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon ground
- 1 teaspoon vanilla paste or vanilla essence
Egg wash:
- 1 egg
Instructions
- Start by measuring and preparing all the ingredients in the recipe.
- Making yeast starter: Take ½ cup of warm water from the measured ingredients and dissolve all the honey in it. Combine about ⅔ cup of flour with the active yeast. Whisk the flour mixture with the sweetened water to form a semi-thick dough with no lumps.
- Cover the bowl with a clean tea towel and let rise in a warm place for about 30-45 minutes.
- Walnut filling: While the yeast is activating, prepare the nut filling. Bring the cream and milk to a boil in a saucepan. Be careful; as soon as it comes to a boil, immediately remove the saucepan from the heat. Dissolve the sugar in the hot milk, then add the ground nuts, vanilla, lemon zest, and ground cinnamon. Let the nut filling cool to room temperature.
- Making yeast dough: Add the rest of the lukewarm water, flour, and sugar to the bowl with the activated yeast. Mix roughly for about a minute.
- Add the salt and softened butter. Knead the dough until smooth and elastic. I ran my stand mixer with a dough hook for 8 minutes on medium speed.
- Cover the bowl with a cloth and let rise in a warm place until the dough has doubled in volume. This will take about an hour or two, depending on room conditions.
- In the meantime, line a baking sheet with parchment or wax paper.
- Assembling nut rolls: Dump the raised dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead briefly. Divide into two halves, shape each into a small ball, and leave to rest for ten minutes.
- Using a rolling pin, roll one rested ball of dough into a rectangle about 12 × 10 inches and about ¼ inch thick. Spread the walnut filling over the dough, leaving about an inch of space around the edges. An angled cake spatula makes the spreading easier.
- Start rolling the dough lengthwise, like a jelly roll. Gently tighten the dough as you roll. Finish the roll with the seam facing down. Press the ends of the roll together and tuck them underneath. Place the roll, seam side down, on a lined baking sheet.
- Repeat with the second piece of dough the same way.
- Egg wash: In a deep bowl, beat the egg with a fork. Using a pastry brush, brush the rolls on all sides.
- Allow the formed rolls to rise for another 30 minutes.
- Baking: Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Put the baking sheet with the rolls on a medium rack and bake for 25-30 minutes.
Notes
- Makes 2 nut rolls. Each roll serves around 12 slices.
- SERVING: Let the cooled nut strudel cool, then cut it into slices about 1 ½ inches thick. Place individual slices on a dessert plate, make a cup of coffee or tea and enjoy your dessert!
- In Slovakia, this nut roll is one of the most popular breakfast pastries served during the Christmas holidays. At Easter, the strudel used to be an item in the Easter basket of ceremonial food that was taken to the church for blessing.
Storage tips:
- At room temperature: When completely cooled, wrap the roll in a clean cloth or plastic wrap. Store at room temperature and consume within five days.
- In the fridge: If you're wondering how long the nut roll will last in the refrigerator, you can count on about a week. Compared to storing the roll at room temperature, the refrigerator will extend its shelf life by two to three days.
- In the freezer: You can certainly freeze the strudel as well. Do it as soon as possible after cooling! My mom always cuts the strudel into slices and stores it in an airtight container in the freezer, where the pastry will keep for at least three months.
Tom R says
I followed the directions but the filling came out wet like oatmeal.
Carol says
I am just getting ready to roll mine out but my filling came out wet like oatmeal as well. It might be because I used pecans, I’m not sure. Been making my great grandma’s recipe for years, we only used 1/4 cup milk and we also use egg yokes in ours. Excited to see what this recipe tastes like. So far so good!
Kerry says
Hi! The liquid volume depends on how fine the nuts are ground down to a meal, and how dusty the nut grinds are. The finer and more 'sawdusty' the ground nuts, the more liquid the nut meal will absorb. As grind batches can vary, it's a good idea to start with less liquid than stated and then keep adding/mixing until the desired consistency is achieved.
Anicka Cooklikeczechs.com says
Yes, as Carol and Kerry mention, it depends on how finely ground the nuts are. If you want a drier filling, use less half-und-half (smetana na vareni here in the Czech republic). We prefer moist cakes in our family, this also has to do with the amount of liquid added to the nut filling.
Linda Knox says
My dear love love love your recipes! in the nut filling can i use 1 cup granulated sugar & 1 cup brown sugar? i like the taste of brown in nut filling.....lol
Deborah Kacerek says
First time making any yeast dough. Instructions made it less daunting. However the nut filling is very wet and roll did not come out defined but tastes good the second I filled with raspberry spread; came out a little better but will use the solo filling next time.
Karen says
I am not quite sure about your 2/3 cup of half and half, then half heavy cream, then whole milk. is all of that supposed to add up to 2/3 cup, or is it 2/3 cups of each one?
Len Marek says
My daughter-in-law made this for Father's Day. It came out every bit as delicious as how my Mom made hers....honestly I think this one was even better!!
Anicka Cooklikeczechs.com says
Thank you for your comment - it made me smile. 🙂 I am delighted the recipe was such a success!
Joyce says
My grandma always added a row of golden raisins before she started rolling it up.
Nadia says
I've been searching for a nut-roll recipe, this looks awesome. Can you please give me some information on the ground walnuts. Do you grind them yourself, do you buy them? What sort of grinder is best to get the fine grind you show in the photo? I've tried in a food processor and it either is not fine enough or turns oily. Would appreciate your guidance.
Anicka Cooklikeczechs.com says
Hello Nadia, thank you so much for your comment and kind words.
I grind the nuts in a hand-held rotary grinder, similar to those used to grate hard cheese. Here's an example of the grinder (I'm grinding biscuits in the photo, but I use the same grinder to grind walnuts) 🙂
https://www.cooklikeczechs.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/grinding-small-round-waffers.jpg
Hope this helps!
Velina says
Děkuji za krásně představené recepty! Člověku se hned chce pustit se do vaření a pečení.
Anicka Cooklikeczechs.com says
Moc Vam dekuji za komentar a mila slova!
TONY MARTIN says
Will try, BUT forget the lemon zest. Seems everyone wants to put either lemon or orange zest in everything. Think about it, the ORIGINAL recipes from grandma days didnt HAVEany zest in them.
Anicka Cooklikeczechs.com says
Thank you for your comment, Tony - hard to judge, I suppose it depends on the region the grandmothers came from. For example, I have an old cookbook from the early 20th century where citrus zest was commonly added to sweet pastry.
Robbie says
Well, my nut filling is so wet, this can’t be good. I’m afraid it will all run out of the dough when it bakes. We’ll see what happens!
Robbie says
This was not my favorite recipe, for sure. I’m not using it again. However, I had so much nut filling left over I’ll need another dough recipe to use it up the filling. (So much nut filling because I had to add so many more nuts. The filling was so wet, I needed to add more).
Donna says
For my filling I prefer to use honey to sweeten and boil half and half.
No lemon zest! Use some rum instead for great flavour. Important to have walnuts ground fine
Scott says
Two rolls both turned out great. Filling was not too wet, I did not change anything, followed the ingredients and steps. Thank you!
Do you have a recipe for an almond filling?
JMP says
My dough was very stiff and hard to roll.
Petra Kupská says
I am sorry to hear that. Did you let the dough rise long enough?
Donna Ann Morrison says
the filling was a bit too wet, so I cut the logs and put them back I n oven for 20 minutes. my nuts were finely cut, using a food processor. I may try again, reducing liquids.
Pcook says
I made this recipe and it turned out great. To those saying the filling was too wet. Try grinding your nuts very fine. I use a food processor for quick work. 2/3 cup half & half is the right amount for a nice spreadable texture. The ground nuts need to absorb the milk. When ready to spread on dough I slightly warmed the nut mixture which made spreading the filling easy. Thank you for the recipe.
Anicka Cooklikeczechs.com says
Thank you so much for your feedback!
Patricia says
Do you think walnut flour would work instead of grinding walnuts?
Petra Kupská says
I think walnut flour could also work well for the nut filling.
Donna says
Followed directions to the letter. Two beautiful looking loaves, raw dough inside. An entire days work into the garbage. Please be more specific about how nuts should be processed, if this was my error.
Anicka Cooklikeczechs.com says
Hello, Donna, I am so sorry about that! Perhaps the baking process was too fast? Maybe you could try baking at a bit lower temperature and for a longer amount of time. Do you have this problem often or just with this recipe?
Maria says
Mine had to be thrown out also. Dough inside just disappeared, not anything like picture. Followed recipe exactly. Enjoyed making it but when you get different results and wasted ingredients, it is frustrating. From now on I’m not using any internet recipes only recipes from a reliable cookbook especially when it comes to baking.
Meri Linn McCollum says
I tried 2 batches of dough and neither of them rose. Not sure what to do.
brenda beatty says
Hello, so I cut back on the sugar in the dough and the walnuts (I cut 1/4 in each), and now it doesn't even taste like nut rolls! Is there anything I can do, after it is cooked, to increase the sweetness? Powdered sugar? thank you, brenda
Tracy says
My nutrolls didn’t turn out good at all. They were too wet inside and they didn’t cook all the way through. I won’t be using this recipe again.
Danielle says
I tried this first by grinding the walnuts in my blender- bad idea, did not work well. They were unevenly ground and I couldn’t get it fine enough. I tried again a bit later and ground them with a handheld rotary cheese shredder and it worked fabulously! Helps the filling spread so much more evenly. In the oven now! 🙂 My grandma used to make these but the dough part was a bit more crumbly and less bread-like. I think I prefer it this way. Great recipe
Anicka Cooklikeczechs.com says
Thank you so much for your feedback and kind words, Danielle!
Greetings from the Czech Republic.
Lana says
Thank you for the recipe! My nut rolls (shtrudle in Serbian) came out perfect! It seems as though I've become a fairly good baker over the last 3-4 years (having spent so much time at home), and I know how to judge whether I should add more flour or less flour, more nuts or less half and half. But I basically stuck to your recipe verbatim and all turned out really quite nice. Everyone at my house is impressed with the lovely flavored nut rolls which are sweet enough and not overly "yeasty" or "bready". For those who couldn't get an adequate rise, just allow the dough to rise longer and in a warmer place. I even know bakers who allow their dough to rise in the fridge over night. Lovely flavors in these Slovak rolls!
Suze V says
I put my dough in the oven, oven was off but I turned on the oven light. This gave it a nice warm place to rise.
Kathy says
I loved the lemon and cinnamon in the nut filling. I was skeptical about the small amount of yeast as I've been making tons of cinnamon rolls. This dough was drier and tough. then using a towel over it to rise for 2 hours(!) the g dough developed a dry skin on it. in my opinion not enough water. it's baking now so we will see.. I won't make this again but I WILL use the filling recipe with my usual nut roll dough!
Bonnie says
I made this and it is delicious. The lemon in it gave it a different twist than what I have made before. I had no issues with the filling and my family, who is really picky loved it!
Petra Kupská says
Thank you, Bonnie, for your comment! I am happy the nut roll turned out well.
Mary P. says
The filling was far too sweet and with too much cinnamon for my taste. I prefer to taste the nuts above all. So I added twice the amount of ground nuts and 1/2 & 1/2 to "calm down" the flavor. Much better for my family. And we DO like the citrus zest. Grandma had a couple of recipes with walnuts that use a bit of lemon to brighten the taste. Thanks!
Anicka Cooklikeczechs.com says
Thank you for the feedback, Mary!
Diane Edwards says
Just took mine out of the oven. Did the double egg wash. I think I should have stuck to one. Dark and shiny. Smell wonderful. Added more milk to the nuts. Like them wetter.
Holly Elder says
Goodness gracious that was a lot of work. I feel like I’ve had easier recipes before. I’m sure this one will be the best hopefully. I had to add more warm water to the dough. They’re in the oven now and it smells delish. 🤞
Petra | Cook Like Czechs says
You really put in a lot of effort! I am so glad the smell is already filling your kitchen – that is always a good sign! 🙂