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Christmas Walnut Crescent Cookies – Hókifli
These Hungarian Christmas walnut crescent cookies have a sweet, nutty filling inside a flakey, rich pastry! Heavily sprinkled with icing sugar mixed with vanilla flavored sugar. While they are traditionally made at Christmastime, they are outstanding any time of year! A perfect Christmas dessert, easy to make, and they can be made ahead of the festivities and stored in a tin. The dough is eggless, this walnut crescent cookies recipe does not use any eggs.
Every year, me and my daughter would would make walnut crescents as part of our annual Christmas baking repertoire, along with Hungarian Beigli and Gerbeaud cake.
The dough has only 5 ingredients, so ease to prepare. If you do not like walnuts, then you can prepare this dessert with ground poppy seed filling as well.
Can I make the walnut crescent cookies in advance?
Absolutely! They keep very well for days or even over a week so can be made ahead of the festivities and stored in a tin, keep them in a cool, dry place.
Also, the walnut crescents make a perfect Christmas gift, pack them in a nice box either store-bought or homemade, add a tag and you are done!
How to make powdered sugar in just 30 seconds?
I teach you how to make powdered sugar at home! It is so simple with the sugar of your choice, once you learn this, no need to buy it any more. In addition, since you are making yours fresh, you can skip the corn starch when you make it at home.
You just need a spice grinder, and you can prinkle the freshest powdered sugar in your dessert. My Mom gave me this grinder, it is a popular brand in Hungary but not available in North America. The Secura Electric Coffee and Spice Grinder at Amazon is easily available for anyone, you can even grind your own coffee and different spices.
Christmas Walnut Crescent Cookies - Hókifli
Equipment
- Large bowl
- Medium bowls
- Saucepan
- Food processor
- Measuring cup
- Measuring spoon
- Zester
- Rolling Pin
- Parchment paper
- Baking tin
- Plastic wrap
Ingredients
For the dough
- 1 3/4 cups all purpose flour 200 grams
- 8 3/4 tbsp butter 125 grams
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 1/2 - 3/4 cup sour cream
- 1 pinch salt
For the walnut filling
- 1/4 cup whole milk
- 1/4 cup powdered sugar
- 1 cup finely ground walnuts
- 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
Topping
- 1 cup powdered sugar mixed with vanilla flavored sugar
Instructions
For the dough
- In a big bowl, mix the flour, the pinch of salt with the cubed butter using your hands until crumbly.
- Add one teaspoon of lemon zest and 1/2 cup of sour cream and knead until it comes together in a nice soft dough. Add more sour cream if needed. If your dough is too sticky, add more flour.
- Cover with plastic wrap and and let the dough rest for 20 minutes
For the walnut filling
- Ins a saucepan, bring 1/4 cup of milk to a boil, add 1/4 cup of powdered sugar, 1 cup of ground walnuts and the zest of half a lemon, mix well.
- Turn the heat off and let it cool completely.
- It will get thicker as it cools.
To create the crescents
- Preheat the oven to 180°C (355°F). Line a baking tin with parchment paper.
- On a floured surface, roll the dough out until 1/8 inch thick (3 mm).
- Cut out circles using a 7 cm (2.8”) cookie cutter.
- Place one teaspoon of nut filling on each circle.
- Gently roll it up and stretch the rolls into crescent shapes.
- Place them on the prepared baking sheet and bake them until they begin to get a little color, it takes around 25 minutes, but it depends on your oven. It can take a bit less or more time.
- Take them out and one by one immediately roll the hot cookies into powdered sugar-vanilla flavored sugar mixture.
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I made these cookies the Walnut crescent cookies. They were delicious I have a question though is it possible to put an apricot filling or poppy seed filling.
Hi Ludmilla,
I’, glad that the recipe worked for you. You can make it with poppy seed filling. Bring 1/4 cup whole milk to a boil, add 1/” cup powdered sugar and about 1 1/3 cup of ground poppy seeds. Flavor it with lemon zest and vanilla extract.
I would recommend plum jam as a filling, that’s much thicker than apricot jam, works well if you bake it.
Happy baking! :)
Agnes
Thank you so much ,ive been looking for this recipe a long time,
Hi I make similar recipe with the walnuts and apricot preserve as filling. For the dough I put egg yolks ,vanilla and a little bit of lemon zest too. The dough end up as delicious as the filling .
Hungarian daughter here. My mother always used walnuts and apricot. I have never done poppyseed but one year I couldn’t find apricot so we used raspberry as a substitute. Big fan of Ruglach so may try chocolate and raspberry or chocolate and walnut. I realize it’s breaking from tradition. But we make the traditional cookies always. My family just wants to have some fun. Nobody ever said the Hungarians weren’t fun.
I love this so much—thank you for sharing! You’re absolutely right, Hungarian baking traditions are full of flavor and fun, and there’s always room to experiment. Walnuts and apricot are such a classic combo (my personal favorite too!), but raspberry sounds like a delicious twist.
Traditions give us roots, but playing around with the flavors keeps them alive and personal. Please keep the spirit of Hungarian baking alive—just with a little extra joy baked in.
Happy baking!
– Ágnes
My Hungarian aunts had me rolling kefilis when I was just an imp! I was taught to roll them like a crescent roll – but however it’s done, it will be delicious. Thanksx for this recipe.
Hello Sheila, What a lovely memory! Those family-taught techniques are always the best. Crescent-shaped or not, homemade kefilis are delicious in any form. Thank you so much for your kind comment — I’m really glad you enjoyed the recipe!
Thank You Dear Aggie I am going to make this wonderful desert for Christmas.