These crisp, buttery, walnut-shaped cookies are traditionally known as oreshki. Cooked on the stovetop in a walnut mold, they’re filled with creamy dulce de leche and can include an optional toasted walnut for extra crunch. Popular across Eastern Europe, these festive cookies are easy to make, hold up well in cookie boxes, and make a great addition to holiday baking.
They’re sturdy, transportable, and loved by crowds — I included them in my Nutcracker-themed Christmas cookie boxes.
🥜 Why you’ll LOVE this recipe
- Crisp, buttery wafer cookies: The dough is simple to prepare and yields thin, crisp, buttery shells.
- Authentic walnut shapes: A mold creates matching walnut halves that are easily filled and joined into full walnut cookies.
- Creamy caramel filling: Dulce de leche provides a thick, caramelized center that pairs perfectly with the crisp shell.
- Simple and repeatable: The dough is straightforward and the filling can be premade, making these cookies efficient for baking batches.
📝 Key ingredients
Read through for the tips you’ll need for success!
Full steps and ingredient amounts are in the recipe card below.
- Dulce de leche: Use a good-quality dulce de leche for a rich, authentic flavor. Jarred dulce de leche from a specialty or Eastern European shop works well. (Avoid products labeled as flavored sweetened condensed milk; they aren’t the same.)
- Unsalted butter: Start with softened unsalted butter for better control of salt. If you use salted butter, reduce added salt accordingly.
- All-purpose flour: For best results weigh the flour. If you don’t have a scale, spoon flour into the measuring cup and level it off instead of packing.
- Egg: One egg gives the dough structure and helps create a wafer-like crisp texture.
- Baking powder: A small amount of baking powder adds slight lift and air pockets so the shells are crisp rather than hard.
- Walnut pieces: Toasted walnut halves or pieces are optional but add a nice crunch when placed into the filling.
👩🍳 How to make walnut cookies
Walnut cookies step by step
Step 1: Cream the softened butter and granulated sugar with an electric mixer until light and smooth.
Step 2: Add the egg, salt, and vanilla and beat until combined.
Step 3: Stir in the flour and baking powder with a spoon or your hands until a stiff dough forms.
Step 4: Scoop the dough by teaspoonfuls and roll into balls. Sizes will vary depending on your mold—test a few to find the ideal portion for full walnut halves.
Step 5: Heat the walnut mold on low until very hot. Place dough into each cavity, close the mold firmly, and cook on low until golden, about 3–5 minutes per side depending on your mold and heat source. Remove the halves carefully and continue until all dough is cooked.
Step 6: Place cooked halves on a cooling rack or plate to cool slightly before trimming and filling.
Step 7: Trim any excess edges with a microplane, grater, or small serrated knife to create smooth matching walnut halves.
Step 8: Pipe or spoon dulce de leche into each half. If desired, press a toasted walnut half into the center of the filling for texture. Sandwich the halves together to form whole walnuts. Dust with powdered sugar before serving.
✔️ Expert molded cookie tips
- Weigh the flour: Use a scale when possible for consistent results. If measuring by cup, spoon and level the flour instead of scooping directly from the bag.
- Trim with a microplane: A microplane gives smooth edges and cleaner walnut halves than a knife in many cases.
- Choose quality dulce de leche: Pick a true dulce de leche for the best flavor and texture; jarred varieties from specialty shops are ideal.
🥄 Make ahead and storage
Filled cookies must be refrigerated because dulce de leche contains dairy. Store assembled cookies in an airtight container in the fridge for up to one week. For maximum crispness, keep shells separate and fill them with dulce de leche just before serving.
❔ What kind of mold to use for Oreshki walnut cookies
A sturdy cast aluminum mold is best. Thicker aluminum molds distribute heat evenly and produce consistent, evenly browned shells. Nonstick-coated molds tend to be thinner and can cook unevenly or brown too quickly. If possible, choose a shiny aluminum mold for reliable results and test a few dough portions to find the right size for your mold.
📖 Recipe FAQs
Yes. Try chocolate-hazelnut spread, jam, ganache, or a flavored buttercream for different flavor profiles.
Yes. Substitute a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend in place of the all-purpose flour and adjust as needed for dough consistency.
No — this dough and cooking method are designed for stovetop molds. A walnut-shaped mold (oreshnitsa) is required to form and cook the shells properly.
Only if you have an induction-compatible mold. Standard aluminum molds aren’t induction-ready. A gas cooktop is the most traditional and reliable option.
No. Properly seasoned cast aluminum or nonstick molds generally do not require spray. If unsure, test one piece first.
🍪 More related cookie recipes
- Nutcracker Christmas Cookie Box [2025]
- Dulce de Leche Cookies [Alfajores]
- Thick Gingerbread Molded Cookies with Jam Filling
- Mushroom Sugar Cookies
Did you make this recipe? I’d love to hear how it turned out — please rate it or leave a comment and tag @flouringkitchen on Instagram if you share a photo.
📖 Recipe
Walnut cookies (Oreshki)
Equipment
- walnut cookie mold
Ingredients
- ½ cup unsalted 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
- 1 cup dulce de leche
- ½ cup toasted walnut halves (optional)
Instructions
- Cream the butter and sugar together in a large bowl with an electric mixer.
- Add the egg, salt, and vanilla extract and beat until combined.
- Stir in the flour and baking powder with a spoon or by hand until a stiff dough forms.
- Scoop dough by teaspoonfuls and roll into balls. Test a few in your mold to determine the correct size for full walnut halves.
- Heat the mold over low heat until hot. Place dough in each cavity, close the mold firmly, and cook on low until golden brown, about 3–5 minutes per batch. Remove halves to cool and trim any rough edges.
- Pipe or spoon dulce de leche into each half. Optionally press a toasted walnut half into the filling, then sandwich halves together.
- Dust with powdered sugar and serve.
Nutrition
Per cookie (approx.): Calories 70 • Carbs 7 g • Protein 1 g • Fat 4 g
Let us know how it was in the comments!