Oreshki cookies are small walnut-shaped shells filled with buttercream, and they are a staple of Central and Eastern European Christmas baking. This version is built so the dough does not stick to the mold and the shells fall out on their own.
The shells are buttery and crisp-tender, scented with ground walnuts and a little clove. They are filled with a cooked egg buttercream that is smooth and not too sweet. Want to know why they come out of the mold so easily?
Quick Overview
- What it is: Traditional Christmas cookies made from a nutty butter dough, baked in walnut-shaped molds and sandwiched with cream.
- Secret trick: Crushed cloves in the dough and rolling each ball in coarse flour before pressing it into the mold.
- Cost and time: Inexpensive pantry ingredients, ready in about 60 minutes plus cooling.
At a Glance
- Prep time: 45 min
- Baking time: 12 min
- Servings: about 60 filled cookies (depends on mold size)
- Difficulty: Medium
- Calories: about 85 kcal per cookie
Ingredients
(US cups, with grams in brackets)
For the dough
- 1 2/3 cups (200 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 1/4 cups (200 g) fine semolina or coarse flour, plus extra for rolling; see Tips
- 7/8 cup (200 g) butter, 1 3/4 sticks, softened (82% fat)
- 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons (140 g) powdered sugar
- 1 2/3 cups (170 g) finely ground walnuts
- 1 small egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, or 1 packet (8 g) vanilla sugar
- 4 whole cloves, crushed in a mortar; a key ingredient
- 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder, for half of the dough only
For the cooked buttercream
- 3 medium eggs
- 3/4 cup (150 g) granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons (10 g) vanilla sugar, or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2/3 cup (150 g) butter, 1 1/3 sticks, softened (82% fat), at room temperature
- 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder, for half of the filling
Instructions
- Make the dough: Sift both flours and the powdered sugar into a bowl. Add the ground walnuts, crushed cloves, vanilla, the whole egg and the softened butter. Knead by hand into a smooth, pliable dough.
- Color the dough: Divide the dough in half. Work the cocoa into one half for dark shells. Leave the other half plain.
- Shape (the trick for easy release): Pinch off small pieces and roll them into balls. Roll each ball lightly in coarse flour, then press it into the mold.
- Bake: Place the molds on a baking sheet (there is no need to grease them). Bake in an oven heated to 350°F (180°C) for about 10 to 15 minutes. Watch the edges: once they turn light golden, the shells are done.
- Release the shells: Let the molds cool briefly. Then tap the mold gently or squeeze the edge and the shell drops out by itself.
- Cook the base for the cream: Whisk the eggs with the granulated sugar and vanilla sugar in a bowl set over simmering water. Heat the mixture to 162 to 169°F (72 to 76°C) to pasteurize the eggs, until the sugar dissolves completely and the mixture thickens. Remove from the heat and whip until completely cool.
- Finish the cream: Gradually whip the softened butter into the cooled egg foam. The butter must be the same temperature as the foam, or the cream will curdle. Tint half of the cream with the cocoa if you like.
- Fill: Once the shells are cool, pipe the cream onto one half and press two shells together. Pair light shells with light cream and dark with dark, or mix them.
Video Recipe
Tips for Perfect Oreshki Cookies
- Rescuing curdled cream: If the cream curdles, set the bowl in warm water (or in the microwave) for a few seconds and whip it again. It comes back together.
- Coarse flour: The coarse flour creates a thin barrier between the dough and the mold, so you do not have to grease the molds. In the US, look for fine semolina or semolina flour. If you cannot find it, all-purpose flour also works, but the dough may stick a little more, so dust the balls well.
- Best after 2 to 3 days: The cookies can be eaten right away, but they taste best after 2 to 3 days, when the shells absorb moisture from the filling and become melt-in-your-mouth tender.
Easy Variations
- Nut filling: Stir a spoonful of ground walnuts and a drop of rum into the cream for a more grown-up version.
- Chocolate dipped: Dip the ends of the filled cookies in dark chocolate for a festive look.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Why roll the balls in coarse flour? The coarse flour forms a thin layer between the dough and the mold that stops sticking, so you do not need to grease the molds.
Where do I find an oreshki mold? Look for oreshki molds, walnut-shaped cookie molds or “nut cookie” molds online or in Eastern European grocery stores. They are usually sold as metal molds on a handle or as a double-sided baking form.
How long do they keep? The original recipe says up to 3 weeks in a cool place in a closed tin. Because the filling contains eggs and butter, keep the filled cookies in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Can I leave out the cloves? You can, but they give the cookies their classic old-fashioned Christmas scent, so we recommend keeping them.
Can I make them ahead for Christmas? Yes. Bake the shells up to a week ahead and store them airtight, then fill them a few days before serving so they have time to soften.
Walnut-shaped cookies like these are a Christmas classic across Slovakia, Czechia, Poland and Eastern Europe, where they are baked in special metal molds. They are lovely on a cookie plate or in a gift box.
The recipe is based on a version by Viera, adapted by the We Cook With Love team.
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