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    Home » Recipes » Christmas Cookies

    Walnut Shaped Cookies (Orechy)

    Published: Nov 17, 2021 · Modified: Jun 2, 2024 by Petra Kupská | Cook Like Czechs · 4 Comments

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    These are cookies baked in the shape of a walnut, filled with delicious buttercream. They count among the most admired Czech Christmas cookies, which Czechs make every year at Christmas time.

    Walnut shaped cookies, Czech Orechy Christmas cookies.

    Czechs call these cookies plnene orechy (correctly spelled plněné ořechy). In English, it means filled nuts!

    For baking, you need special walnut-shaped molds. Fortunately, these can be found on Amazon. I will refer to the molds later in this recipe.

    MY TIP: Also try these pracny cookies (Czech favs!)

    Ingredients

    For the filled walnut cookies, prepare:

    NUT DOUGH:

    Walnut shaped cookies ingredients
    • All-purpose flour
    • Powdered sugar
    • Unsalted butter
    • Walnuts; or blanched almonds or hazelnuts. Another option is to use flour made from groundnuts.
    • Cocoa powder; dark, Dutch type

    BUTTERCREAM FILLING:

    Nut buttercream filling for cookies.
    • Unsalted butter; softened at room temperature
    • Powdered sugar
    • Rum; in the US, for example Costco Kirkland spiced rum or Stroh 54
    • Walnuts; or hazelnuts, almonds (or nut flour)

    Next, take some butter and plain flour to grease the molds.

    ✅ You’ll find the exact amount of ingredients below in the recipe card, which you can also print out.

    Instructions with Photos

    STEP 1: Grind the walnuts if you have them whole. Place the ground nuts in a bowl, add the flour, powdered sugar, cocoa powder, and chopped butter.

    Making nut cookie dough in a bowl.

    STEP 2: Work into a smooth dough, wrap in plastic wrap and leave to rest in the fridge for at least two hours.

    Nut cookie dough.

    STEP 3: Meanwhile, prepare the molds: grease each with a bit of butter or other fat and dust with flour. Knock off any excess flour.

    Wallnut shaped molds, preparing for baking.

    STEP 4: Take the nut dough out of the fridge and let it sit on the kitchen counter for about 15 minutes. Scoop out equally sized pieces, pressing each into the prepared mold.

    Press the dough in the center slightly with your thumb to create a well. This is where the filling comes.

    Pressing the dough into cookie molds.

    STEP 5: Place the filled molds on a baking sheet and bake them in the oven preheated to 340 °F (170 °C) for 10 minutes.

    STEP 6: Allow the baked cookies to almost cool, then gently tap each mold side down on the work surface; the cookie should fall out easily.

    Baked nut cookies in steel molds.

    STEP 7: Prepare the buttercream for the filling: beat the softened butter with the powdered sugar, add the finely ground nuts and rum.

    Making buttercream filling.

    STEP 8: Fill the cookies with buttercream. You need a round knife or two teaspoons. Finally, cover the filled part with the other cookie.

    Filling nut cookies.

    Storage

    After baking, the nut cookies are crispy, but after a few days, they start to soften.

    Once filled, place the cookies in a sturdy paper box with a lid. Line the bottom of the box with tin foil and place a napkin on top of the tinfoil. Use the napkins to line the sides of the box as well. Place the nut cookies in the box, cover them with the napkin again, and close the box with the lid.

    Store the nut cookies in a cool, dry place where they will keep for up to two weeks.

    Buttercream filled nut cookies.

    Walnut Cookie Molds

    Special walnut-shaped molds are used to make these cookies. They are made of steel, designed to bake delicious sweets in the oven.

    You can buy molds on Amazon; for example, these are suitable: Walnut shaped cookies

    Useful Tips

    • If you want the cookies to be properly dark, add an extra half tablespoon of cocoa.
    • On the contrary, if you prefer light nut cookies, prepare a dark, color-contrasting butter filling cream - in this case, add a tablespoon of dark cocoa to the cream. Do not add any cocoa powder to the dough.
    • I always grind my nuts fresh for baking, using a conventional hand grinder.

    More Christmas cookies:

    • Linzer cookies
    • Vanilla crescents
    • No-bake beehives
    • Easy coconut balls

    Tried this recipe?

    Leave a review down in the comments! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

    Other readers and I love hearing what you think. Stay in touch by following me on Facebook and Pinterest. For more Czech stuff, subscribe to my newsletter!

    Walnut shaped cookies recipe.

    Walnut shaped cookies

    Author: Petra Kupská | Cook Like Czechs
    Ořechy, these cookies, baked in the shape of walnuts and filled with delicious buttercream, are among the most beloved Czech Christmas treats. Czechs make them every year during the holiday season.
    Prevent your screen from going dark
    Print recipe
    Prep Time: 20 minutes mins
    Cook Time: 10 minutes mins
    Resting Time: 2 hours hrs
    Total Time: 2 hours hrs 30 minutes mins
    Servings: 35 cookies

    Tap or hover to scale

    Ingredients 

    Nut dough:

    • 1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
    • ½ cup powdered sugar
    • 1 stick unsalted butter
    • ½ cup shelled walnuts or ground
    • ½ Tablespoon dark cocoa powder

    Buttercream filling:

    • ¾ stick unsalted butter softened at room temperature
    • ⅔ cup powdered sugar
    • 2 Tablespoon rum Kirkland spiced rum from Costco or Austrian Stroh 40
    • ⅓ cup shelled walnuts or ground

    Miscelaneuos:

    • some fat and flour to dust the cookie molds

    Instructions 

    • If you have whole walnuts, grind them first. Place the ground walnuts in a bowl, then add the flour, powdered sugar, cocoa powder, and chopped butter.
    • Knead the mixture into a smooth dough, wrap it in plastic wrap, and let it rest in the fridge for at least two hours.
    • Meanwhile, prepare the molds by greasing each one with a bit of butter or other fat and dusting them with flour. Tap out any excess flour.
    • Take the nut dough out of the fridge and let it sit on the kitchen counter for about 15 minutes. Scoop out equally sized pieces, pressing each into the prepared mold. Press the dough in the center slightly with your thumb to create a well. This is where the filling comes.
    • Place the filled molds on a baking sheet and bake them in an oven preheated to 350 °F for 10 minutes.
    • Allow the baked cookies to cool almost completely, then gently tap each mold upside down on the work surface; the cookie should fall out easily.
    • Prepare the buttercream filling by beating the softened butter with the powdered sugar until smooth. Then, add the finely ground nuts and rum, mixing until well combined.
    • Fill the cookies with the buttercream using a round knife or two teaspoons. Once filled, cover the buttercream with another cookie to form a sandwich.

    Notes

    • The basic recipe makes around 35 Orechy cookies.
    • After baking, these nut cookies are crispy, but they start to soften after a few days.
    • When stored in a cool, dry place, the cookies will last up to 2 weeks.

    Nutritional estimate pro serving

    Calories: 93kcal | Carbohydrates: 8g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 12mg | Sodium: 1mg | Potassium: 20mg | Fiber: 0.3g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 142IU | Vitamin C: 0.04mg | Calcium: 5mg | Iron: 0.3mg
    Servings: 35 cookies
    Calories pro serving: 93
    Course: cookies
    Cuisine: Czech
    Keyword: Czech Christmas
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    Do you like the recipe?I would be happy for your feedback! Please, rate the recipe and share your opinion or questions in comments bellow. Thank you very much.
    • 338shares

    More from Czech Christmas Cookies (Cukroví)

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    • Honey Balls (Medovníkové koule), traditional Czech no-bake Christmas cookies, beautifully arranged on a cookie platter.
      No Bake Christmas Honey Balls (Czech Medovníkové koule)
    • Heavy cream cookies (Czech slehackove cukrovi) coated in powdered sugar, served on a plate.
      Heavy Cream Cookies (Czech Šlehačkové cukroví)

    Comments

    1. Kathy says

      October 07, 2023 at 8:29 am

      I found these molds in a thrift shop and am looking forward to making these cookies. Is it preferred to eat them crispy or soft?

      Reply
      • Petra Kupská says

        October 07, 2023 at 8:48 am

        Hi Kathy, thank you for your question. The answer is - it depends. Walnut cookies are crispy immediately after baking, but they become softer with time. In the Czech Republic, these cookies are traditionally part of the so-called Christmas cookies (cukroví) that Czechs bake two to three weeks before Christmas. If you want the cookies to be crispy, bake them just before serving. If you want soft cookies, let them sit for about two weeks in an airy box-not an airtight container. The air contains moisture, which makes the cookies nicely soft. Czechs most often store this type of Christmas cookie in paper boxes with lids, lined with paper napkins. They store them in a cool place, such as on a balcony - it is cold in the Czech Republic in December. Important note: Store the cookies without cream. Fill them only a day or two before serving. Fingers crossed, I believe you will love these cookies!

        Reply
    2. iva cooney says

      December 18, 2023 at 2:42 pm

      Hi, Petra. May I substitite pecans for walnuts. The supermarket is a long, snowy drive away.
      Cheers,
      Iva.

      Reply
      • Anicka Cooklikeczechs.com says

        December 23, 2023 at 3:54 pm

        Hello Iva, i do not see a reason why you couldn´t 🙂 Hope you´ll enjoy the recipe!
        Greetings from the Czech Republic.

        Reply

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    Hi, I am Petra, a born-and-raised Czech and self-taught cook with 25+ years of experience. I am here to show you that you can cook Czech food—even if you live abroad or never learned it growing up. With clear steps and trusted guidance, Czech cooking becomes simple, joyful, and meaningful, right in your own kitchen.

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