Description
Traditional Eastern European walnut-shaped cookies filled with creamy dulce de leche and optionally a toasted walnut half, cooked on the stovetop using a special mold. These crisp, buttery treats are perfect for holiday celebrations and easy to make at home.
Ingredients
Scale
Cookies
- 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 Garnish
- 1 cup dulce de leche
- ½ cup walnut halves (toasted, optional)
- powdered sugar (for dusting)
Instructions
- Cream ingredients: In a large bowl, cream together the softened butter and granulated sugar with an electric mixer until light and fluffy.
- Add wet ingredients: Beat in the large egg, sea salt, and vanilla extract until fully combined and smooth.
- Form dough: Stir in the all purpose flour and baking powder with a large spoon or use your hands to form a stiff dough.
- Shape dough balls: Use a teaspoon to scoop and roll the dough into balls of appropriate size according to your mold’s instructions, using trial and error to find the perfect size.
- Preheat mold: Heat the walnut-shaped mold on low heat until it's piping hot before cooking the cookies.
- Cook cookies: Place a dough ball into each cavity of the mold and close it tightly. Cook on low heat for about 5 minutes until the cookies turn golden brown. Remove cookies from the mold and place on a cooling rack. Trim any uneven edges with a sharp serrated knife if needed.
- Fill cookies: Pipe dulce de leche into each cookie half. Optionally, insert a toasted walnut half in the center for added crunch.
- Assemble cookies: Press two filled halves together to form walnut-shaped cookies.
- Finish: Dust the assembled cookies with powdered sugar and serve.
Notes
- Use a special walnut-shaped cookie mold designed for stovetop cooking, which can be purchased online.
- The dough is fairly stiff, so it’s easier to scoop and roll with slightly floured hands.
- Toasting walnuts before adding enhances their flavor and adds crunch.
- If you don’t have piping bags, you can use a zip-top bag with a corner cut off to fill the cookies.
- These cookies store well in an airtight container and make a festive holiday treat.
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
