Lovely choice! Hungarian Nut Nuggets are traditional bite-size cookies—rich, nutty, lightly crisp outside and tender inside. They’re often made at Christmas and for special family gatherings 🇭🇺🌰
Below is an authentic Hungarian-style recipe, simple and timeless.
🌰 Hungarian Nut Nuggets (Cookies)
Ingredients (Makes ~30–40 cookies)
- 200 g (2 cups) finely ground walnuts
- 150 g (¾ cup) granulated sugar
- 2 large egg whites
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ½ tsp lemon zest (optional, traditional)
- Pinch of salt
- Powdered sugar for rolling or dusting
👩🍳 Instructions
1️⃣ Prepare the Dough
- Beat egg whites with a pinch of salt until foamy (not stiff peaks).
- Gently fold in sugar, ground walnuts, vanilla, and lemon zest.
- The mixture should be thick, sticky, and moldable.
2️⃣ Shape the Nuggets
- With lightly damp hands, form small walnut-sized balls.
- Roll lightly in powdered sugar (optional but traditional).
- Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
3️⃣ Bake
- Preheat oven to 170°C / 340°F.
- Bake 12–15 minutes, just until the bottoms are lightly golden.
- Tops should remain pale—do not overbake.
4️⃣ Cool
- Let cookies cool on the tray for 5 minutes, then transfer to a rack.
- They will firm up as they cool but stay soft inside.
🍽️ Serving & Storage
- Perfect with coffee, tea, or mulled wine ☕🍷
- Store in an airtight container up to 2 weeks
- Flavors improve after a day or two
🇭🇺 Traditional Variations
- Cocoa version: Add 1 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
- Rum version: Replace vanilla with a splash of dark rum
- Hazelnut version: Swap walnuts for hazelnuts
✨ Why Hungarians Love Them
These cookies are naturally flourless, simple, and deeply nostalgic—often made from just what was on hand: nuts, eggs, sugar, love 💛
If you’d like, I can also share:
- 🔹 Hungarian walnut crescent cookies
- 🔹 No-bake nut balls
- 🔹 Old-fashioned Christmas cookie platter ideas
Just tell me 😊
