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    Home » Recipes » Desserts » Cookies » Walnut Cookies Recipe

    Walnut Cookies Recipe

    Published: Dec 23, 2014 · Modified: Oct 30, 2021 by Barbara Curry · This post may contain affiliate links.

    Jump to Recipe
    5 from 4 votes

    Disclaimer: This post may contain affiliate links.

    Walnut shortbread cookies on a wooden tray with tea cups.

    Walnut cookies are a buttery shortbread cookie made with cream cheese and coated in walnut pieces. They’re a decadent treat. Warning, biting into just one walnut shortbread cookie won’t do the trick, they’re addicting.

    Need to bring cookies for a cookie exchange, look no further!

    Walnut shortbread cookies on a plate next to a cup of tea.

    Growing up we always had walnuts, my California grandparents had walnut trees in their yard, so walnuts were the nut of choice for any baked goods. This walnut cookies recipe is a great way to showcase my favorite nut.

    They’re chock full of toasted walnuts and then coated with more walnuts. Inside all this nutty goodness is a rich, melt-in-your-mouth, cream cheese shortbread cookie. They’re simple to make with just a couple of ingredients. After all when you have butter, cream cheese and nuts, you don’t need much else.

    There’s just something about the richness of walnuts and the flavor they add to a cookie. However, living in the South all my life, pecans are the nut of choice for most and you can definitely substitute pecans in this recipe.

    These are a great cookie to take to a cookie exchange, I’m always looking for something a little different. I also love to give them as a hostess gift or to friends around the holidays. While they taste great, they also look pretty on a platter so they’re a nice addition to a plate of cookies at your next party.

    A tiered tray with three different cookies on it.

    A favorite cookie to keep in the freezer, they thaw very quickly and go great with an afternoon cup of tea or after-dinner coffee.

    Why should you toast nuts

    Toasting nuts before adding them to a recipe reduces the moisture in them and intensifies the rich nutty flavor. Roasting nuts will also give your baked goods more flavor and crunch. It only takes a few minutes and well worth the effort.

    How do you toast nuts

    I love using a toaster oven if you have one handy but if not then an oven will work the same. Just place in a pan and bake at 350º for a couple of minutes. The time will vary on the type of nut and whether they are whole or chopped. It doesn’t take long, so watch them carefully. I can’t tell you how many times, I start to do something else and forget about the nuts in the oven and end up with black nuts. 🙀

    You can also toast them in a dry skillet on the stove. Just stir them around until they are browned.

    What makes a cookie a shortbread cookie

    Shortbread is a dense cookie without any baking soda or baking powder. Just a few simple ingredients. Shortbread cookies have more butter than sugar so they won’t be overly sweet. You’ll need to refrigerate the dough before baking to firm up the butter so plan ahead.

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      Why you’ll love it

      • These look simple but they taste amazing – very addicting!
      • Great use of walnuts in a cookie – walnuts are under used in baking.
      • It’s nice to have a cookie that will surprise everyone as being so delicious and not the same ol’ same ol’ in the cookie exchange.
      • You can prepare the dough and bake it whenever you’re ready – no rush!

      What you’ll need

      • Cream cheese – set the cream cheese out and let it come to room temperature so that it’s easier to work with.
      • Walnuts – you’ll need some coarsely chopped and some finely chopped so be sure to get plenty.
      Coarsely chopped walnuts on a cutting board.
      Coarsely chopped walnuts
      Finely chopped walnuts on a cutting board.
      Finely chopped walnuts
      • Butter – you need lots of butter for shortbread cookies
      • Flour, sugar, and vanilla

      Pro tip: Make sure the butter and cream cheese are at room temperature so that they’ll mix together and beat until light and fluffy with the sugar. This will give you tender and not dry shortbread cookies.

      How do you make walnut shortbread cookies

      Step 1

      Whisk together flour and salt.

      Step 2

      In an electric mixer, combine butter and cream cheese and mix until light and fluffy. Add sugar and vanilla and slowly add flour until just combined. Don’t over mix. Add in toasted walnuts that have been coarsely chopped.

      Step 3

      Divide dough in half and shape into 2-3 logs, 2 inches in diameter. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm. (You can freeze at this point) You can make small shortbreads or larger ones by adjusting the size of the logs.

      Cookie dough for walnut shortbreads in a mixing bowl.
      Walnut cookie dough formed into logs and wrapped in plastic.

      Step 4

      Remove from the refrigerator and let the log soften just enough that the finely chopped walnuts will stick to the log. Cover each log with walnuts and slice into ¼ inch slices and place on parchment paper.

      Shortbread logs covered in walnuts.
      Walnut cookie logs cut into slices.
      Shortbread cookies on a baking sheet.

      Step 5

      Bake until golden brown around the edges. Don’t over bake these cookies, remove them when they are just starting to turn brown.

      Walnut cookies on a brown platter.

      I admit that I may be a little over the top when it comes to nuts. I blame my grandparents and their walnut trees. We put walnuts or almonds in everything growing up. Now I lean more towards pecans, but I can’t resist making these cookies using walnuts. While you can substitute pecans, I think walnuts are perfect with the buttery dough.

      FAQ’s and tips

      What is the difference between a shortbread cookie and a sugar cookie?

      Shortbread cookies tend to be more dense than sugar cookies. A sugar cookie is light and often can be made to use in cutting out shapes and decorating. Sugar cookies have a leavening ingredient while shortbread cookies tend to be rustic and don’t have a lot of ingredients.

      What is the secret to a good shortbread cookie?

      Since there aren’t many ingredients called for in this recipe, you should buy good quality butter. This shortbread recipe also has cream cheese which adds to the flavor.

      Should shortbread cookies be soft coming right out of the oven?

      No, these cookies don’t have that softness that you come to recognize with many other cookies. They also shouldn’t be browned so keep an eye on them.

      How long do you chill shortbread dough for?

      Make sure to give it at least 30 minutes but you can even leave it overnight!

      So many cookie options

      • A glass of milk and chocolate Christmas cookies.
        White Chocolate Peppermint Cookies
      • A rack of frosted cookies sprinkles with cinnamon.
        Eggnog Cookies Recipe
      • Peanut Butter Sandwich Cookies with a glass of milk
        Peanut Butter Sandwich Cookies
      • Powdered sugar floating down onto lemon cookies.
        Lemon Snowflakes Crinkle Cookies

      Adapted from Martha Stewart’s Cookies

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      Walnut shortbread cookies on a plate next to a tea cup.

      Walnut Cookies Recipe

      Author: Barbara Curry
      Walnut cookies are a buttery shortbread cookie made with cream cheese and coated in walnut pieces. They're a decadent treat. Warning, biting into just one walnut shortbread cookie won't do the trick, they're addicting.
      5 from 4 votes
      Print Pin
      PREP: 2 hours
      COOK: 40 minutes
      Servings: 48

      Ingredients
       

      • 4 cups flour
      • 1 ¼ teaspoons salt
      • 2 cups butter 4 sticks at room temperature
      • 6 ounces cream cheese room temperature
      • 1 ¼ cups sugar
      • 2 tablespoons vanilla plus ½ teaspoon
      • 1 ½ cups walnuts toasted, coarsely chopped
      • 1 ½ cups walnuts finely chopped
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      Instructions
       

      • Whisk together flour and salt.
      • In an electric mixer, combine butter and cream cheese and mix on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add sugar and vanilla and reduce speed to low. Slowly add flour until just combined. Mix in toasted walnuts.
      • Divide dough in half and shape into 2-3 logs, 2 inches in diameter. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm. (You can freeze at this point)
      • Preheat oven to 350º and line pans with parchment paper.
      • Remove from the refrigerator and let the dough soften just enough that the finely chopped walnuts will stick to the log. Cover each log with walnuts pressing the nuts into the dough. Slice into ¼ inch slices and place on parchment paper.
      • Bake for 20 minutes, until golden brown around the edges, about 18-20 minutes
      Barbara’s Tips + Notes
      • Use a serrated knife to cut the dough.
      • You can substitute pecans for walnuts.
      • You only need to toast the walnuts that are going inside the cookies, the walnuts on the outside will toast as they are baking.
      • You can freeze the logs of dough. Let thaw before slicing.

      Nutrition

      Calories: 187kcal | Carbohydrates: 14g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 24mg | Sodium: 140mg | Potassium: 51mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 285IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 15mg | Iron: 1mg
      Follow Me On SocialDid you make this recipe? Mention @ButterandBaggage or tag #ButterandBaggage on Instagram!

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      Comments

      1. Ann says

        December 05, 2021 at 5:17 pm

        Where am I missing…
        Cookie count recipe yields??????
        I’m reluctantly skipping for this reason.
        😣

        Reply
        • Barbara Curry says

          December 05, 2021 at 8:37 pm

          I’m sorry, I’m having technical difficulties and am working on it. The recipe makes 48 cookies.

          Reply

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      Barbara Curry is the culinary adventurer of Butter & Baggage. With a dedicated enthusiasm for real butter made from happy cows she is in constant pursuit of delicious recipes and tasty dishes. She shares her experiences, ventures, and occasional misadventures because let’s face it things can get messy in any kitchen.

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