These Chinese walnut cookies are crumbly, crunchy, and utterly delicious; they are perfect for the Chinese New Year! So much better than any fortune cookies.
We eat a lot of Chinese food, but when it comes to cookies, I only knew about fortune cookies, which are inedible. At least, those standard ones we always get in restaurants at the end of the meal.
But these Chinese walnut cookies are so much better, worlds apart. Nutty, crunchy, and slightly crumbly, pleasantly sweet, and really tasting of walnuts. They are perfect served with a cup of tea!
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๐What are Chinese cookies?
Chinese walnut cookies, also known as hup toh soh, are traditional Chinese pastries featuring a crumbly texture and a sweet walnut flavor.
The dough typically consists of flour, sugar, butter, and finely ground walnuts. After shaping the dough into small balls or flattened rounds, a walnut half is often pressed gently onto the top of each cookie before baking.
Once baked, Chinese walnut cookies have a rich, buttery flavor combined with the nuttiness of the ground walnuts. They are mildly sweet and are enjoyed during various celebrations, such as Chinese New Year or other festive occasions, both in China and in Chinese communities worldwide. In Chinese culture, walnuts are a symbol of happiness, so aren't these the perfect thing to eat at the beginning of a new year?
Try more of our Chinese recipes: Sweet and Sour Broccoli, Salt and Pepper Chicken, or Ginger and Spring Onion Beef.
๐Recipe ingredients
- Flour: Cake flour or all-purpose flour (See Expert Tips).
- Sugar: You will need icing sugar/confectioner sugar to make this recipe.
- Other dry ingredients: Baking powder as a leavening agent and a pinch of salt
- Walnuts: ground ones for the dough and also halved or quartered ones for the topping.
- Unsalted butter: Traditional Chinese walnut cookies are made with lard, but butter works well, too; the cookies are rich and delicious.
- Egg wash: Beaten egg yolk and a little milk for brushing.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
๐ฉ๐ปโ๐ณHow to make Chinese walnut cookies?
Step #1: Make the cookie dough in a food processor. Form a dough ball, wrap it well, and refrigerate for about 30 minutes.
Step #2: Form round balls about the size of a larger walnut. Place them on baking sheets lined with parchment paper, leaving some space in between.
Step #3: Brush them with the egg yolk wash. Press a piece of walnut on top.
Step #4: Bake for 13-14 minutes until golden brown.
- Leave them to rest on the baking sheet for a few minutes; if you try to move them too soon, they will break. Transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
- And try some more sweet treats to make you happy! How about some Spanish Polvorones, Argentinian Alfajores, or German Spitzbuben?
๐Expert Tips
Best tip: Use a digital kitchen scale (the Amazon affiliate link opens in a new tab) for precise measurements. Although I convert the recipe to cups, when it comes to baking, I don't recommend using any cups at all. Especially when it comes to measuring flour, the difference between what you need and what you get can ruin a recipe.
Lard: In the traditional Chinese recipe, lard is typically used. However, for convenience, I've opted for butter instead. Check out some cake recipes using lard: Apricot Jam Cake or Beigli - Hungarian Nut Roll.
Flour: Cake flour has a lower protein content, resulting in softer cookies. All-purpose flour lends a crunchy texture to the cookies.
Make ahead: The Chinese cookie dough can be made for up to 3 days ahead. Keep refrigerated in an airtight container.
โRecipe FAQs
Sure. Almonds or pecans are also great, although not traditional. Adding some sesame seeds to the dough is also a good idea. Change the flavor of the cookies by adding some vanilla extract or citrus zest. Try our Peanut Cookies with Peanuts as well.ย
Keep them in airtight containers at room temperature; they will be fine for 3-4 days.
Refrigerate or freeze them for longer storage; when refrigerated in an airtight container, they will be ok for about one week. You can freeze them for up to 3 months.
Freeze the dough for up to 3 months. It is preferable to roll the balls first, place them on a tray or large platter, and freeze them. Once solid, transfer them to freezer containers or a ziplock bag.
More Chinese recipes
๐Recipe
Chinese Walnut Cookies
Equipment
- Food processor OR hand mixer with a dough hook
- Baking sheets
Ingredients
- 300 g all-purpose flour 10.5 oz/ 2 โ cups, Notes 1,2
- ยผ teaspoon baking powder
- 200 g unsalted butter 7 oz/ ยพ cups + 1 tablespoon, room temperature, Note 3
- 130 g ground walnuts 4.5 oz/ 1 cup
- 120 g icing sugar 4.2 oz/ 1 ยผ cup
- 1 large egg
- 1 pinch of salt
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 tablespoon milk
- 40-45 walnuts halves or quarters as many as required
Instructions
- Dough: Mix the flour and the baking powder. Add the cubed butter, ground walnuts, icing sugar, egg, and salt. Mix shortly to obtain a dough.300 g all-purpose flour/ 2 โ cups + ยผ teaspoon baking powder + 200 g unsalted butter/ ยพ cup + 1 tablespoon + 130 g ground walnuts/ 1 cup + 120 g icing sugar/ 1 ยผ cup + 1 large egg + 1 pinch of salt
- Refrigerate: Form a flat dough ball, wrap it in cling film/plastic wrap, and refrigerate it for about 30 minutes (Note 4).
- In the meantime, preheat the oven to 350ยฐF/ 180ยฐC. Line two or three baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Shape: Form balls about the size of a large walnut (ca 0.7 oz/ 20 g each), and place them on the prepared baking trays. Leave some space between the cookies.
- Brush: Beat the egg yolk and milk together. Use the mixture to brush the cookies. Place a walnut half or quarter (depending on their size) on each cookie, pressing it down lightly to slightly flatten the dough balls as well.1 egg yolk + 1 tablespoon milk + 40-45 walnuts
- Bake for about 13-14 minutes or until lightly browned. Leave to rest on the tray for a few minutes, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely.
- Keep in airtight containers at room temperature.
Notes
- Measurements: I strongly recommend using a digital kitchen scale (the Amazon affiliate link opens in a new tab) to measure the ingredients.
- Flour: Cake flour has a lower protein content, resulting in softer cookies. All-purpose flour lends a crunchy texture to the cookies.
- Lard: In the traditional recipe, lard is typically used. However, for convenience, I've opted for butter instead.
- Make ahead: The dough can be made for up to 3 days ahead. Keep it refrigerated in an airtight container.ย
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