On a weekend afternoon, I needed to whip up something quick with what I had on hand. I found a leftover pack of margarine, a bag of ground walnuts, and a bit of sugar, so I ended up back at this recipe for tender walnut cookies. I made it quite often because it doesn't require many ingredients and doesn't take much time. It rolls out quickly, doesn't make much mess, and yields enough for a second day.
Quick Info
Total time: 45 minutes (including baking)
Servings: about 30 cookies (depending on shape and size)
Difficulty: easy
Ingredients
200 g margarine (can also use butter if you don't have margarine)
70 g sugar
1 egg yolk
100 g ground walnuts (freshly ground for a more intense flavor)
280 g all-purpose flour
1 packet baking powder (10 g)
a pinch of salt
powdered sugar for finishing
vanilla sugar (optional, for dusting or for the dough)
Preparation Method
1. Let the margarine sit at room temperature for at least 20 minutes before you start, so it is soft and easy to beat. Place it in a bowl and add the sugar. Mix on medium speed for 2-3 minutes until it becomes a light-colored cream.
2. Add the egg yolk and continue mixing briefly, just until incorporated.
3. Add the ground walnuts and mix, but don’t overdo it so you don’t ruin the texture.
4. Mix the flour with the baking powder and salt, then gradually add them to the cream in the bowl. Start with a spatula, then quickly knead by hand just until you get a homogeneous dough. Don’t knead too much, so it stays tender.
5. You will have a rather soft dough, but not sticky. If it seems too soft to roll out, let it rest in the fridge for 10 minutes wrapped in foil.
6. Preheat the oven to 180°C (conventional oven, no fan).
7. On a lightly floured work surface, roll out the dough into a sheet about 5-6 mm thick. Cut the cookies with your favorite shapes or a small glass.
8. Place the cookies on a baking tray lined with parchment paper, leaving a small distance between them (they don’t rise much while baking). Bake for 12-15 minutes or until they are lightly golden on the edges.
9. Remove the tray and while the cookies are warm, sprinkle them with powdered sugar mixed with vanilla sugar. Let them cool on the tray.
Why I Make This Recipe Often
This recipe is practical because it has simple ingredients and the cookies hold up well for a few days. They don’t make much mess, you don’t have to shape each one by hand, and they don’t harden quickly. They stay tender, so there’s no stress if they don’t get finished in a day. They have an intense walnut flavor and aren’t too sweet.
Tips and Variations
Tips
- If you want the cookies to be more tender, avoid over-kneading the dough after adding the flour.
- For dusting, mix powdered sugar with a packet of vanilla sugar.
- Don’t leave the dough in the fridge too long – it will harden too much and be hard to roll out.
Substitutions
- You can use butter instead of margarine for a richer taste.
- All-purpose flour can be replaced with whole wheat flour, but the cookies will turn out denser.
- Walnuts can be swapped with ground almonds or hazelnuts if you don’t have walnuts.
Variations
- You can add a bit of grated lemon or orange zest to the dough for flavor.
- Add a tablespoon of cocoa powder to the flour for a different taste.
- Sprinkle a bit of chopped walnuts or sesame seeds on top of the cookies before baking.
Serving Ideas
- They are great with coffee or tea, especially in the morning.
- They can be packed for school or work.
- You can use them as a base for quick desserts in a glass, with cream or yogurt.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Can I use margarine in a block or the kind in a package?
Yes, any type of margarine for baking works. The kind in a package is more suitable as it is firmer, but the block kind is fine if you don’t have anything else.
2. Does the walnut have to be freshly ground?
Ideally, but if you have ground walnuts that have been stored correctly (without a rancid taste), that works too.
3. Do the cookies turn out well with butter?
Yes, they might be even more flavorful. The texture remains just as tender.
4. Can they be frozen before or after baking?
The dough can be kept in the fridge for 1-2 days. You can freeze the baked cookies, but the texture changes a bit. I recommend making them fresh.
5. How can I tell when they are baked?
They have a slightly golden edge, but they are not browned all over. They should be removed from the oven when they are still soft to the touch; they will harden as they cool.
Nutritional Values (estimated)
For one cookie (approximately 15-18 g):
Calories: 75
Protein: 1 g
Carbohydrates: 7 g (of which sugars approximately 2 g)
Fats: 4.5 g (of which saturated 1.2 g)
The approximation is based on standard ingredients, not counting the powdered sugar sprinkled at the end. The cookies are relatively high in fat but moderately sweet.
Storage and Reheating
Once completely cooled, the cookies keep well in a metal tin or a container with a lid at room temperature for up to 7 days. There’s no need to reheat them – they stay tender for quite a while. If they harden, you can put a piece of apple in the container, and they will regain some of their tenderness. For smaller portions, they can be frozen baked; just let them thaw at room temperature, no need to reheat.
This recipe remains one that I use when I need something quick, with a taste of childhood, without hassle. It’s easy to play with flavors or shapes, depending on what you have at home.
Quick Info
Total time: 45 minutes (including baking)
Servings: about 30 cookies (depending on shape and size)
Difficulty: easy
Ingredients
200 g margarine (can also use butter if you don't have margarine)
70 g sugar
1 egg yolk
100 g ground walnuts (freshly ground for a more intense flavor)
280 g all-purpose flour
1 packet baking powder (10 g)
a pinch of salt
powdered sugar for finishing
vanilla sugar (optional, for dusting or for the dough)
Preparation Method
1. Let the margarine sit at room temperature for at least 20 minutes before you start, so it is soft and easy to beat. Place it in a bowl and add the sugar. Mix on medium speed for 2-3 minutes until it becomes a light-colored cream.
2. Add the egg yolk and continue mixing briefly, just until incorporated.
3. Add the ground walnuts and mix, but don’t overdo it so you don’t ruin the texture.
4. Mix the flour with the baking powder and salt, then gradually add them to the cream in the bowl. Start with a spatula, then quickly knead by hand just until you get a homogeneous dough. Don’t knead too much, so it stays tender.
5. You will have a rather soft dough, but not sticky. If it seems too soft to roll out, let it rest in the fridge for 10 minutes wrapped in foil.
6. Preheat the oven to 180°C (conventional oven, no fan).
7. On a lightly floured work surface, roll out the dough into a sheet about 5-6 mm thick. Cut the cookies with your favorite shapes or a small glass.
8. Place the cookies on a baking tray lined with parchment paper, leaving a small distance between them (they don’t rise much while baking). Bake for 12-15 minutes or until they are lightly golden on the edges.
9. Remove the tray and while the cookies are warm, sprinkle them with powdered sugar mixed with vanilla sugar. Let them cool on the tray.
Why I Make This Recipe Often
This recipe is practical because it has simple ingredients and the cookies hold up well for a few days. They don’t make much mess, you don’t have to shape each one by hand, and they don’t harden quickly. They stay tender, so there’s no stress if they don’t get finished in a day. They have an intense walnut flavor and aren’t too sweet.
Tips and Variations
Tips
- If you want the cookies to be more tender, avoid over-kneading the dough after adding the flour.
- For dusting, mix powdered sugar with a packet of vanilla sugar.
- Don’t leave the dough in the fridge too long – it will harden too much and be hard to roll out.
Substitutions
- You can use butter instead of margarine for a richer taste.
- All-purpose flour can be replaced with whole wheat flour, but the cookies will turn out denser.
- Walnuts can be swapped with ground almonds or hazelnuts if you don’t have walnuts.
Variations
- You can add a bit of grated lemon or orange zest to the dough for flavor.
- Add a tablespoon of cocoa powder to the flour for a different taste.
- Sprinkle a bit of chopped walnuts or sesame seeds on top of the cookies before baking.
Serving Ideas
- They are great with coffee or tea, especially in the morning.
- They can be packed for school or work.
- You can use them as a base for quick desserts in a glass, with cream or yogurt.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Can I use margarine in a block or the kind in a package?
Yes, any type of margarine for baking works. The kind in a package is more suitable as it is firmer, but the block kind is fine if you don’t have anything else.
2. Does the walnut have to be freshly ground?
Ideally, but if you have ground walnuts that have been stored correctly (without a rancid taste), that works too.
3. Do the cookies turn out well with butter?
Yes, they might be even more flavorful. The texture remains just as tender.
4. Can they be frozen before or after baking?
The dough can be kept in the fridge for 1-2 days. You can freeze the baked cookies, but the texture changes a bit. I recommend making them fresh.
5. How can I tell when they are baked?
They have a slightly golden edge, but they are not browned all over. They should be removed from the oven when they are still soft to the touch; they will harden as they cool.
Nutritional Values (estimated)
For one cookie (approximately 15-18 g):
Calories: 75
Protein: 1 g
Carbohydrates: 7 g (of which sugars approximately 2 g)
Fats: 4.5 g (of which saturated 1.2 g)
The approximation is based on standard ingredients, not counting the powdered sugar sprinkled at the end. The cookies are relatively high in fat but moderately sweet.
Storage and Reheating
Once completely cooled, the cookies keep well in a metal tin or a container with a lid at room temperature for up to 7 days. There’s no need to reheat them – they stay tender for quite a while. If they harden, you can put a piece of apple in the container, and they will regain some of their tenderness. For smaller portions, they can be frozen baked; just let them thaw at room temperature, no need to reheat.
This recipe remains one that I use when I need something quick, with a taste of childhood, without hassle. It’s easy to play with flavors or shapes, depending on what you have at home.