Orzeszki – Polish walnut shaped cookies filled with buttercream
A classic Polish recipe for the most famous Christmas cookies. Orzeszki - Polish walnut shaped cookies filled with buttercream. These amazing cookies are baked in a special press until golden brown and are filled with three different fillings - toasted walnut buttercream, coconut and powdered milk frosting and cocoa and powdered milk. Magic!
Christmas is only 6 weeks away. Still, I can not believe how quick this year 2024 went. Hopefully 2025 will bring all good stuff and prices of gas and butter will be back to normal so I can continue baking!
Off to the recipe now. Yes, the below recipe has a special place in my heart as this is the number one Christmas cookie ever. I think it will stay like this until I die. These cookies bring so many memories! My Mum was making hundreds of them and still is :) She is very busy before Christmas as orders for these wonderful cookies are flooding her phone.
FUN FACTS - one walnut cookie is orzeszek, two walnut cookies are orzeszki.
Orzeszek - means small walnut Orzech - means big walnut
Walnut in Polish is called Orzech wloski ( which translates as Italian nut)
How to make Orzeszki - Polish walnut shaped cookies filled with buttercream
This recipe for orzeszki comes from my Mom, the Orzeszki Lady. I think she should have this nickname. This recipe is very easy but you will need a special cookie press to make these cookies.
In order to make the dough you need to add flour, egg yolks, margarine and vinegar in a bowl. Now in a separate small bowl add baking soda and sour cream. Mix these two together and add to the flour mix. Now using a mixer or your hands mix all the ingredients until you get a unified dough. When your dough is ready, heat up the cookie press on the stove. Tear small pieces of dough, around 1 cm, roll it into a ball and place it inside each cavity in your press. Close the press tightly and bake the cookies for 30-60 seconds. Cookies are ready when they are nicely golden in colour. Remove ready cookies from cookie press and repeat the process.
TIPS:
- The amount of dough you will need to use for one cavity will depend on the size and shape of the cavity. You need to find the balance to your cookies are not too thick and not too thin.
- These cookies are very fragile, so remove them gently from the press.
- Le the shells cool completely and then using your fingers gently remove the excess dough from each shell. It may take a while :)
- This recipe uses margarine, not butter. I tried to make these cookies with butter but the cookies very so fragile that they were falling apart. I do not know the science behind it. Hard margarine in a block or stick as called in US works the best. Please do not use the spreadable margarine.
Fillings for Orzeszki - Polish walnut shaped cookies filled with buttercream
Let's talk about filling for Orzeszki. You can obviously fill the shells with whatever you like but my Mom always made and still makes three different fillings:
- Powdered milk and cocoa frosting - this frosting is to die for! It is creamy, thick and tastes incredible. I always make a double batch and just eat it with a spoon. Once you try it, you will know what I am talking about. It is very easy to make and you need only a few ingredients.
- Toasted walnuts buttercream frosting - another wonderful filling. This filling is is not completely smooth as it has grinded walnuts in it. It is not too sweet and absolutely lush.
- Coconut and powdered milk frosting - if you love coconut, you will love this mixture. It is thick, loaded with desiccated coconut and milk flavour. It taste like Bounty but better!
When it comes to adding filling to the shells, I always use a small dessert knife to do it. It is easier than piping in my opinion. I usually watch a TV while filling the shells as it is time consuming - but so worth it!
What do Orzeszki - Polish walnut shaped cookies filled with buttercream taste like?
What can I say? These are my favourite Christmas cookies. I make them every ear and I always make a double batch a and freeze them. The shells are flaky and soft. They are not sweet at all and balance the sweet fillings perfectly. Everybody who tried these cookie are always asking for the recipe!
How to store Orzeszki - Polish walnut shaped cookies filled with buttercream
You can store orzeszki in a fridge in an air-tight container for up to a week. You can also freeze them for up to six months. These cute cookies freeze wonderfully and are perfect to make ahead. These cookies taste the best when they are at room temperature. In order to defrost these cookies , just take from out from the freezer about 40 minutes before serving.
If you are looking for more Christmas cookie recipes, I can recommend you the following:
Gingerbread cookies stuffed with plum jam
Amoniaczki-Polish ammonia cookies
Walnut cookies with Irish cream chocolate ganache
Click this link to see the best recipes for Christmas cookies
I hope you will make my recipe and if you do, please leave a comment below and let me know your feedback. You can also find me on social media such as Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, Gab and Gettr. Please say hi and do not forget to tag me in if you make my recipe. I love seeing your creations.
Recipe source – my Mum’s notebook
Smacznego!
Classic Polish recipe for the most famous Christmas cookies - Orzeszki. These amazing cookies are baked in special form until golden brown and are filled with three different buttercreams - Toasted walnut, powdered milk coconut and cocoa and powdered milk. Magic!
- 500 g AP flour (sifted)
- 250 g margarine (hard margarine, in block (not the one you would use on a toast) room temperature, cut into small cubes)
- 2 egg yolks (from large eggs)
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 2 tbsp sour cream (or a little bit more if the flour is very dry)
- 1 tbsp vinegar (white wine)
- 1 portion toasted walnuts buttercream (from this recipe https://kitchenbyannak.com/recipe/toasted-walnuts-buttercream-frosting/)
- 1 portion powdered milk and cocoa frosting (from this recipe https://kitchenbyannak.com/recipe/powdered-milk-and-cocoa-frosting/)
- 1 portion coconut powdered milk frosting (from this recipe https://kitchenbyannak.com/recipe/coconut-and-powdered-milk-frosting/)
PLEASE READ MY POST FOR THE TIPS AND STORAGE INFORMATION
Please notice, I used aluminium 'orzeszki' press that is designed to be used on a gas stove. I have not tried any other press for these cookies.
In a large bowl add flour, egg yolks, margarine and vinegar.
In a small bowl mix sour cream and baking soda and then pour it to the flour mixture.
Knead the dough until smooth and unified.
The dough should be springy and flexible. If the dough is too dry add a tiny bit more of sour cream.
Heat up your cookie press over the gas.
When your dough is ready, tear small pieces of dough, around 1 cm, roll it into a ball and place it inside each cavity in your press. Close the press tightly and bake the cookies for 30-60 seconds. Cookies are ready when they are nicely golden in colour.
I want to point out that you are aiming for a thin shell not a thick one so you need to judge and see what amount of dough works for you.
Place ready cookies on a plate.
When cookies are cold, remove any excess dough from the edges of each cookie (to make sure the cookies look nice ).
You can make cookie shells in advance and store them in an-air tight container at room temperature. They last up to 1 month.
Fill in each cookie with fillings. I used toasted walnut buttercream, coconut and powdered milk frosting and powdered milk and cocoa frosting.
I used just a small knife to fill the shells not the pipping bag.
Filled cookies should be kept in the fridge for up to a week, they can be frozen up to six months.