These melt-in-your-mouth Serbian Walnut Cookies are also known as Vanilice and were quite the surprise to me. When I first saw the recipe, I thought it was just another butter cookie, but the toasted ground walnuts give these cookies quite a boost. While in the West we use pecans because they are indigenous to the Americas, walnuts are used in the Balkans because they are plentiful.
Not fond of walnuts? Use pecans or any other nut of your choice.
The dough is really easy to roll and a joy to work with. I took liberties with the apricot preserves which are also customary. I wanted to boost the flavor of the jam and did so by adding a bit of cider vinegar along with some gelatin to tighten it.
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The cookies are best made days ahead so the flavor matures. While these cookies are wonderful sandwiched, they are also quite good on their own. Usually shown finished in powdered sugar, I found they are even better without. The flavor of the cookie and the jam come through much better.
Other "nutty" cookies you might enjoy are Germany's beloved Zimtsterne, Italy's famous Baci di Dama and America's own Pecan Bars.
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Why these are sooooo easy to love
- These are so easy to make. The cookies are of the shortbread type.
- European cookies usually have less ingredients than many American cookies and these are no exception.
- The dough is easy to work with and rolls out right from the mixer.
- Making the cookies a few days ahead allows the flavors to meld.
- The cut out, unbaked cookies can be frozen and baked when needed.
Recipe Ingredients
Apricot Filling
FRONT ROW: Gelatin, cider vinegar
BACK ROW: Apricot preserves
Serbian walnut cookies
FRONT ROW: Unsalted butter
MIDDLE ROW: Egg yolk, granulated sugar, vanilla
BACK ROW: All-purpose flour, walnuts
Key Ingredients
The walnuts or pecans, if using need to be toasted for the best flavor. Toasting any nut will bring out the best in them.
The unsalted butter should be softened to cream well with the sugar. The reason I don't use the term room temperature because Alaska most likely has a colder room temp than say, New Mexico. The ideal temp for the butter is 72°F to 75°F. I have seen colder, lower temperatures suggested but the butter doesn't cream as well - it looks more like sand. There is an post you might enjoy on American Butter vs. European Butter.
McCormick's Imitation Vanilla is fine here as the nuts take over the taste. See my post on The Making of Vanilla for an indepth discussion of pure vs. imitation.
Be sure to see the recipe card below for the exact ingredients & instructions.
Step by Step Instructions
Step 1. Place the apricot preserves in the bowl of a processor. Step 2. Process until smooth. Step 3. Transfer to a small saucepan and bring to a simmer. Step 4. Add the gelatin to the vinegar in a very, very small bowl while the preserves are coming to a simmer. When the preserves are ready, take the gelatin out of the bowl. It will be a solid mass as in the picture. Tear it into small about 6 pieces and put them in the hot preserves immediately where they will melt. There is no need to liquify them first. Whisk them in and cool.
Step 5. Transfer the filling to a small container and refrigerate. Step 6. Place the toasted nuts and flour in a processor bowl. Step 7. Process until the nuts are so finely chopped they are as one with the flour. Step 8. Place the softened butter and sugar in the bowl of a mixer.
Step 9. Cream the butter and sugar until light. Step 10. Add the vanilla and egg yolk. Step 11. Beat on medium to bring everything together. Step 11. Add the flour.
Step 13. Mix the dough until it comes together completely. Step 14. Place it on a large piece of waxed paper and shape it into a round. Step 15. Place a second piece of paper on top and indent the dough with a rolling pin 4 or 5 times. Step 16. Roll the dough about ⅜" thick between the paper. Remove the top piece of paper. Leaving the dough on the bottom piece of paper, cut 1 ½" round cookies out. Cut the cookies close together. Keeping the cookies on the bottom piece of waxed paper, transfer them to a baking sheet and freeze them hard. Pop them out and place on a parchment line baking sheet. Bake as directed. See Cut Out Cookies using the Wax Paper Technique for complete information on freezing the cut out cookies and removing them to a baking sheet.
Step 17. Keeping the cookies on the bottom piece of waxed paper, transfer them to a baking sheet and freeze them hard. Pop them out and place on a parchment line baking sheet. Bake as directed. See Cut Out Cookies using the Wax Paper Technique for complete information on freezing the cut out cookies and removing them to a baking sheet. Step 18. Stir the filling vigorously to smooth it out and place a dollop on the upturned bottom of each cookie. Step 19. Spread it out to within about ⅛"of the edge. Step 20. Place the top on each cookie.
Recipe FAQS
Place the dough between waxed paper. Roll it out as called for. Chill, but don't freeze the dough. Cut straight down with the cutter and don't twist it. Cut out all the cookies at once.
Because the dough is too soft. Cut the cookies out as in the question above. Leaving the cookies on the bottom piece of paper, transfer the whole thing to a baking sheet and freeze them until rock hard. Then simply, poke them out, place them on a parchment lined baking sheet and bake as called for.
First use a recipe meant for cut out cookies. These usually won't spread out of shape. My Painted Cookies, Murbteig Pastry or Shortbread Cookies are good examples. After following the freezing instructions above, make sure they go into the oven frozen.
Expert Tips
- Always toast the nuts. Untoasted nuts just don't have the punch that a few minutes in the oven gives them.
- Make sure the nuts are completely cooled before using them. I generally toast the whole bag, re-bag it, mark it and put it in the freezer. That way, I don't have to wait for them. We used to toast 30# boxes of nuts at a time at the bakery and freeze them.
- Always make sure if the nuts are to be finely ground, that flour or sugar is put in the processor with them so they don't turn into a paste - unless of course you are making a nut butter.
- Make sure the cookies go into the oven very cold or frozen. Although I don't believe these would go out of shape, I do this with any cut out cookie.
More Yummy Cookies
If you love this Serbian Walnut Cookies Recipe, It would be hugely helpful and so appreciated it if you would take a moment to leave a rating below. Thank you.
Serbian Walnut Cookies Recipe
Ingredients
Apricot Filling
- ¾ cup apricot preserves
- 1 ½ teaspoon gelatin
- 1 tablespoon cider vinegar
Serbian Walnut Cookies
- 1 cup walnuts (114 grams)
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened (114 grams)
- ⅓ cup + 1 T granulated sugar (75 grams)
- 1 large egg yolk
- 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla
- 1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour (175 grams)
- 2 cups powdered sugar (260 grams)
Instructions
Apricot Filling
- This filling can be made days in advance and refrigerated.
- Place the apricot preserves in the bowl of a processor. Process until smooth.
- Dissolve the gelatin in the vinegar in a very small bowl.
- Heat the preserves just to a simmer. Remove from the heat. Tear the gelatin into about 6 pieces and immediately add it to the hot preserves. There is no need to liquify it first. The heat will do that. Wait for a minute or two until you can see the gelatin has liquified. Stir it into the preserves. Transfer to a small container and refrigerate until needed.
Serbian Walnut Cookies
- Preheat the oven to 325°F. Line a couple of baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
- Place the walnuts on a rimmed baking sheet and toast for 7 to 10 minuts until fragrant and slightly browned. Cool completely.
- When cool, place the walnuts and flour in the bowl of a processor. Process until the nuts are finely ground and instinguishable. Set aside.
- Place the butter and sugar in the bowl of a mixer. Beat until light.
- Add the egg yolk and vanilla and beat to combine.
- Add the flour mixture and beat on low just until completely incorporated. The dough should be good to roll out but if it is too soft, refrigerate briefly. Do not let it get too cold or it will be hard to roll.
- Place the dough between two large pieces of waxed paper. Make 4 or 5 indentations and then roll the dough to abut ¼" thick. With a 1 ½" round cutter, cut the cookies out, keeping them close together
- Remove the top piece of waxed paper and, keeping the cookies on the bottom pieces of paper, transfer the whole thing to a baking sheet. Freeze until rock hard.
- When frozen, simply punch them out and place them on a cookie sheet about 5 across and 7 down. Refreeze if necessary.
- Bake for 15 to 17 minutes from the frozen state until lightly browned and firm. Cool completely. These can be stored in an airtight container before filling for up to a week. The cookies can also be frozen, unbaked, wrapped well and kept for several months. Bake from the frozen state.
Assembly
- The cookies can be filled or left as single cookies. If sandwiching continue.
- Sift the powdered sugar into a medium size bowl. Set aside.
- Stir the filling vigorously to smooth it out. Turn half the cookies upside down and fill with about ¾ teaspoon apricot filling. Place the tops on the cookies.
- Allow the filled cookie to set up on a rack overnight to tighten the filling.
- If finishing with powdered sugar, place a cookie in the powdered sugar, coating both sides and rolling the edges in the sugar. Dust the tops with more powdered sugar.
- Store in an airtight container for a week or 10 days.
Notes
Nutrition
Ginny S says
Hi Helen,
I made these for a fundraiser donation. Of course, they sounded so unique, I had to taste one for R&D purposes. While I really liked the cookie part, the filling just wasn't for me. I'm not an apricot hater, but it's not my favorite fruit either. I found the filling had a slightly too strong flavor of vinegar for my taste. I'm sure this is personal preference, so those of you out there that like apricot, go for it. Helen's recipes are tested and true. I've made many other of her recipes. I do LOVE the tip about using gelatin to firm up the filling. I hate when fillings ooze out of sandwich cookies. Can't wait to try that in my Linzer cookies, although I think I'll just water to bloom the gelatin. Thank you for the recipe. Although the filling wasn't my personal preference, the instructions were spot on and the cookie portion was super good and not too sweet.
Connie Dickson says
Made and love these cookies! I believe there is a typo in the recipe: shouldn't it be 1/3 cup + 1 T for 75 grams. instead of ⅓ + 1 cup + 1 T granulated sugar (75 grams)?
Helen S Fletcher says
Hi Connie - thanks for this. You are correct. I made the change to the card.
Jaime K says
Thank you, Helen, for another terrific recipe! I am eager to make these for the holidays. I appreciate your details on preparing the nuts and the variations you offer. Getting your emails always uplifts my spirits. All best wishes.
Helen S Fletcher says
Hi Jaime - Thanks for the kind words, I appreciate them.
SallyBR says
Well, I saw the post, I had everything at home except the apricot preserves, but a quick trip to the store solved that issue
these are AMAZING!
I am not sure these would work for those molds, I haven't used the molds, was tempted to get at some point, but it seems to me this dough might need a little tweaking to work with that - it might not hold up the shape and crumble a bit. Maybe a little change in the recipe could work? But I am talking more from intuition, having worked with the dough today. Rolled like a dream, by the way!
Helen S Fletcher says
I agree that these might not work. The cookies themselves are a on the softer side.
Rocky says
Hi Helen,
What is the reason for the use of vinegar to dissolve the gelatin? Why not water? Is there enough of it to give a taste to the cookie? I never saw that before.
Also how do you think this recipe would work for those little walnut shaped molds? They are also made in two parts and glued together with jam. Time consuming but look so good on a cookie tray.
I will definitely put these on my list to make for the holidays. Thanks as always, great info and wonderful photos. Xo
Helen S Fletcher says
Hi Rocky - so good to hear from you. The vinegar gives the apricot a tartness and cuts the sugar. I would try one of the walnut cookies before I made all of them. Not sure if the dough bakes up too soft. Love the idea though. Let me know how it works if you do it.
Ginny says
I haven't made these cookies... yet, but I will. They look and sound delicious. Dang, I *have* those stoopid walnut shaped molds and have never been able to get a cookie out of them and in tact. Maybe, as you recommend, I'll try one mold and see if it works.
PS: THANK YOU for changing how your recipes show in your blog. I use 'recipe keeper' to save recipes I want to make from the internet and I always had to do a lot of editing to transfer your recipes into the Recipe Keeper format. Color me happy!
Helen S Fletcher says
Hi Ginny - Try Baker's Joy to release the cookies from the mold. I can find it on my grocers shelf and we are pretty behind with stuff. I use it when items tend to stick, like in intricate molds. However, I don't think this is the cookie for the molds but try one first and see what happens. Please let me know how it works if you try it. Thanks for letting me know about the recipe cards. Happy they work for you now.
Ginny Sher says
Speaking of those walnut shaped molds that are taking up space in my cookie cutter bin... do you have a recipe you think would work in them? I bought the molds about 3 years ago and used the recipe that either came with them or was recommended by the person who posted about the molds. I ended up having to dig them out of the molds in the same way as if I was removing a walnut from its shell, only the walnut was easier to remove. I was very frustrated and tempted to throw out the molds, but my frugal self, held back. Still looking for the right recipe...
Helen S Fletcher says
If you still have the recipe for the walnut cookies Ginny, get some Baker's Joy spray and use that in the molds. It will get stuff out that regular nonstick spray release won't. Google Walnut cookies in walnut molds. There are a lot of them to pick from..
Kathy says
Hi Helen, these cookies look delicious. I love European cookies. I am thinking of using Simon Fischer apricot butter for the filling - to skip the step of making the filling. Are you familiar with that product? And can you think of any reason why it might not work in this cookie? Thanks! I always look forward to your posts in my email.
Kathy
Helen S Fletcher says
Hi Kathy, I've not had that particular apricot butter but I'm sure it's fine. So it should be fine,
Emily says
The sugar weight and volume measures for the cookie dough do not match.
Helen S Fletcher says
Hi Emily - I am assuming you are are are referring to the granulated sugar. That's the problem with volume and weight. The original recipe is double the amounts given here. It calls for 3/4 cup sugar which is 150 grams. Half of that is 75 grams. 4 grams sugar, more or less doesn't matter. The powdered sugar is correct. 1 cup weighs 130 grams.
AK says
The ingredient list specifies 1-1/2 teaspoons gelatin which suggests gelatin powder. The instructions give detail for gelatin sheets. ???
Helen S Fletcher says
I'm not sure of this question. The ingredient photo shows powdered gelatin. The instruction photo shows the gelatin after it has been combined with the vinegar. It is solid. You tear it in pieces and add it to the hot preserves. The written instructions tell you this. Sheet gelatin has to be soaked in water before using. There is no water in the recipe for the filling.
Ginny says
PS: I *love* the idea of using a little gelatin to firm up the preserves. When I make Linzer cookies, I'm often annoyed at how gloppy the jam is. I'm gonna use your method with the gelatin next time. BTW, if you were going to use preserves for another filling, would you use the vinegar each time for any flavor preserves? I was hesitant with the apricot and I could tell it had a slight tartness to it, but it was pleasant. Not sure if it would be advisable with a different preserve.
Helen S Fletcher says
As to the vinegar - no not in everything. Just where it naturally occurs in nature.