Russian Walnut Shaped Cookies – “Oreshki”

Name: Russian Walnut Shaped Cookies
Prep time: 3 h
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 3 h 40 min
Ingredients: 2 large eggs; 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar; 1 cup butter (melted and slightly cooled (16 Tablespoons)); 3 1/2 Tablespoons mayonnaise; 1/2 cup sour cream; 1 teaspoon baking soda dissolved in 1 teaspoon vinegar; 4 cups all purpose flour; 1 1/2 (14 oz) cans dulce de leche (cooked condensed milk (21 oz total)); 1 cup butter (or 16 Tablespoons, room temperature); 4 oz cream cheese (room temperature); 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Oreshki are Russian walnut shaped cookies, made by cooking them in a special skillet. The crisp, golden exterior of the cookies hold a very creamy, caramely filling made with dulce de leche.

Oreshki, these beautiful, walnut shaped Russian cookies, have so much meaning for me. They are an iconic Russian treat, especially during holidays, weddings and other special occasions. I can remember watching my Mom making them in our small Belarusian home. I would sit at the kitchen table, keeping her company as she would spend hours making these special but very tedious desserts. I couldn’t wait til I was big enough to help her.

The crisp, golden exterior of the cookies hold a very creamy, caramely filling. Slavic people love using cooked condensed milk in lots of desserts. You can use the excess cookie crumbs or crushed nuts in the filling, for added flavor and crunch.

Ingredients:

Cookies:

2 large eggs

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

1 cup (or 16 Tablespoons) butter, melted and slightly cooled

3 1/2 Tablespoons mayonnaise

1/2 cup sour cream

1 teaspoon baking soda dissolved in 1 teaspoon vinegar

4 cups all purpose flour

Filling:

1 1/2 cans dulce de leche (cooked condensed milk)

1 cup butter (or 16 Tablespoons), room temperature

4 oz. cream cheese, room temperature

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

What Do You Need To Use To Cook The Cookies?

Oreshki require a special skillet, called the oreshnitsa, to cook them. Mine is the same one my Mom used more than 25 years ago in Belarus, so it’s extra special and still works just as well. You can buy them online but I know there are electric oreshnitsa skillets too, which are probably easier to use. Maybe you’re lucky enough to already own one, passed down from your mom, or you’ve purchased an electric one.

Here’s one that is similar to the one that I have.

Instructions:

In a large bowl, using a standing mixer with a whisk attachment or a hand held mixer, mix the eggs and sugar until pale yellow and fluffy, at least 5 minutes.
Add the melted butter, mayonnaise, sour cream until evenly mixed. Add the baking soda dissolved in vinegar and mix again until combined.Add the flour and mix, starting on low speed and gradually increasing the speed to medium, until all the flour is incorporated.

Here’s where the oreshki skillet comes to the scene. Shape little balls from the prepared cookie batter, about 3/4 of a teaspoon of batter for each walnut shape. Don’t make them any bigger, because the excess batter will ooze out of the skillet.It’s very helpful to shape a lot of the cookie balls before you start cooking them. If you have a helper, it makes this process much faster and much more enjoyable. Otherwise, turn on a podcast or a show on tv or Youtube. It sure helps to pass the time. When you have a lot, or even all of the cookie balls shaped, (cover them with plastic wrap so they don’t dry out), heat the oreshki griddle on medium heat until hot.

Quickly place a cookie ball into each of the cookie wells, close the lid and tightly hold the two ends, squeezing them as tight as you can. Cook each side until golden on both sides, flipping the griddle over halfway through. The time really depends on the type of griddle you are using and on your stove. I cooked mine for only 1 – 1 1/2 minutes per side, but you might need to cook them longer, up to 3 minutes per side.

The cookie batter will spread when you’re squeezing the two sides together and that’s a good thing, since it makes sure that the entire walnut shape is completely covered and you will also use all the leftover cookie scraps in the filling.

Use a small and sharp paring knife to cut each of the walnut shaped cookies out, setting aside all the scraps. Crush all the cookie scraps into small crumbs, using a ziplock bag and a rolling pin, or a food processor.

Cook all of the cookies, cutting them out into walnut shapes.

For the filling, in a large bowl, using a standing mixer or a hand held mixer, combine the dulce de leche, butter, cream cheese and vanilla extract until evenly combined. Add the cookie crumbs to the filling and mix again to combine. Instead of the crumbs, you can use crushed nuts, but I prefer the taste and texture of the cookie crumbs.

Fill the inside of two walnut shaped cookies with the filling and place two of the cookies, filling side down, toward each other, gently squeezing, and scrape off the excess filling with a small paring knife.

Continue to fill the cookies, gently squeezing the two halves of the cookies together. You should have a total of about 115 oreshki.

Storing the Cookies

Store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature. You can serve them immediately, but they will stay fresh for at least 1 week.