One more classic cookie from South Italy. This one with just three ingredients! Italian Walnut Cookies (locally known as Dolci di Noci) are deliciously addictive and quick to prepare. Plus, they’re excellent with coffee or tea. Enjoy!
Other than brutti ma buoni, this is the only cookie recipe with the least number of ingredients — and no beating of egg whites needed because you use the entire egg.
But it doesn’t mean that these Italian walnut cookies from the region of Basilicata are not light. They are! That’s why it’s hard to stop at just one cookie. 🙂
They’re crunchy on the outside and moist on the inside — and you get the flavor of walnuts in every bite, not an overload of sugar.
Try it and judge for yourself!
IF YOU WANT MORE AUTHENTIC SOUTH ITALIAN COOKIES, THEN YOU WILL LIKE THESE POSTS!
Ingredients
- Sugar – regular white sugar is excellent for this Italian walnut cookies recipe.
- Egg – at room temperature and beaten.
- Powdered sugar – totally optional since you only use it for serving.
- Walnuts – this is a bit tricky to measure by cups, especially if they’re all in halves.
So, if you have a weighing scale, I strongly suggest you use that to measure the walnuts instead of cups.
Preparation
Preheat the oven to 200°C (375°F) and line your baking tray with a baking sheet. Set aside.
Start by combining walnuts and sugar in a food processor (photo 1).
Pulse until you get a finer texture, then transfer it into a medium-sized bowl.
Add egg (photo 2).
Combine evenly, then transfer the mixture on a flat surface and use your hands to start forming a dough.
Form it into a ball or disc (photo 3).
Divide the dough into four equal portions (photo 4).
Form each portion into a log of about 9-inches long, then use your hands to flatten the top to approximately 1-inch width.
Cut it into six Italian walnut cookies, measuring 1 & 1/2-inch for each cookie (photo 5).
Place walnut cookies on the prepared baking tray, keeping some space in between (photo 6).
Place the tray in the middle of the oven for eleven to thirteen minutes.
Take cookies out of the oven and let them cool for a few minutes.
Serve your dolci di noci, with some powdered sugar, if preferred.
Helpful tips
- Make sure you are using good walnuts and they don’t taste rancid (which happens when they are not stored properly or when the walnuts are old).
The taste will definitely ruin the ground walnut cookies.
- There is no need to rest the dough because there is no flour in there. You can start shaping the cookies right away.
- If you are more comfortable using a rolling pin, use that in flattening the dough instead of turning it into a log.
The dough is a bit sticky, though, and you might need to roll it between two baking sheets or flour your rolling pin generously.
FAQ
Keep them in an airtight container, and they will be good for up to two weeks.
So don’t even wait for the weekend. Give dolci di noci a try today, and let me know what you think in the comment section below! 🙂
Italian Walnut Cookies Recipe (Dolci di Noci)
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 & 3/4 cups walnuts, (285 grams)
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1 medium egg, room temperature
- 1 tsp powdered sugar, for serving (optional)
Instructions
Preparing equipment:
- Preheat oven to 200°C (375°F).
- Line your baking tray with a baking sheet and set aside.
Preparing dough:
- Combine walnuts and sugar in a food processor, and pulse until you get a finer texture.
- Transfer into a bowl and add beaten egg.
- Mix and combine everything evenly.
- Transfer the mixture to a flat surface and use your hands to start forming a dough.
- Form it into a ball (or disc) and divide it into four equal portions.
Forming & baking ground walnut cookies:
- Create a log of about 9-inches long for each portion, then use your hands to flatten the top to about 1-inch width.
- Cut it into six walnut cookies, measuring 1 & 1/2-inch for each cookie.
- Place cookie on the prepared baking tray — make sure you keep a space in between.
- Place the tray in the middle of the oven for about 11 to 13 minutes.
- Take the cookies out and set them aside to cool.
- Serve your cookies with a dusting of powdered sugar, if desired.
Notes
- Cook’s Tip #1: Make sure you are using good walnuts, and they don’t taste rancid (which happens when they are not stored properly or when they are old). The taste will definitely ruin the ground walnut cookies.
- Cook’s Tip #2: There is no need to rest the dough because there is no flour in there. You can start shaping the cookies right away.
- Cook’s Tip #3: If you are more comfortable using a rolling pin, use that in flattening the dough instead of turning it into a log. The dough is a bit sticky, though, and you might need to roll it between two baking sheets or flour your rolling pin generously.
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