Crispy Christmas Delights: nut and praline cookies, perfect for gifting or enjoying by the fire during the holidays

I admit, I quite like cookies that have this texture that is both melt-in-your-mouth and crunchy. Here, the flour, very cold butter, and sugar are mixed with roughly chopped hazelnuts and walnuts, giving a rustic flavor that sticks to your heart. And then the praline on top is almost the cherry on the cake, in fact, the finishing touch that makes everyone want more.

A simple trick that I always try is to let the dough rest a bit in the fridge. It’s not always easy to wait, I concede, but it really changes the texture during baking, giving it the perfect consistency that prevents the cookies from spreading like pancakes. In short, it’s worth the wait!

To give as a gift or just for oneself, this “homemade” aspect is like a hug in winter. In a pretty box or snuggled up by the fire with a hot tea, these walnut cookies take on a whole new dimension. Honestly, I thought this recipe, simple yet generous, does much more than just satisfy a sweet craving.

Gourmet walnut biscuits: the homemade recipe that crunches under the teeth

For these cookies, you start with a shortcrust base that I already find magical in itself. What I like here is the mix of walnuts and hazelnuts that adds that little surprise with each bite. No need to bring out the latest kitchen robot, it works just as well by hand (okay, a bit of work, but what a pleasure).

• 250 g of wheat flour 🌾
• 3 g of baking powder 😮‍💨
• 125 g of unsalted butter, cold and cut into cubes 🧈
• 125 g of powdered sugar 🍚
• 1 egg 🥚
• 30 g of chopped hazelnuts 🌰
• 70 g of chopped walnuts 🥜

For the glaze and the crunchy finish, I bring out:

• 1 beaten egg 🥚
• 40 g of crushed pecans 🥥 (but feel free to use whatever you have on hand)
• 40 g of praline (the must for indulgence!) 🍫

Step-by-step preparation (and stress-free)

So here we go, we start with the flour and the baking powder for our walnut cookies, which we mix in a large bowl. On top of that, we add the cold butter cubes (don’t let them melt, it changes everything). We scrape with our fingers or a fork to achieve this sandy texture, like crumbs, without visible chunks of butter.

Next, I beat the egg with the sugar until it becomes a bit creamy – I admit, sometimes I just use a spatula, but the whisk works better and gives a more consistent mix.

We gather everything: the flour, the sugar + egg mixture, the hazelnuts, and walnuts, and we knead just enough to form a ball. Not too much, or it’s hard to roll out. We wrap it in plastic wrap and off to the fridge for an hour. I have skipped this step before, and the result is less pretty, so for Christmas, I never skip it.

While the dough is resting, I take the opportunity to prepare all my stuff on my work surface (parchment paper, cookie cutter… at my place it’s often stars or hearts, it makes an effect). I preheat the oven to 180 °C, but be careful, the baking will take place at 160 °C (yes, I lower it afterward, or it burns quickly).

Once the dough is well chilled, I roll it out to about 5 mm, not thinner, or it breaks too much during baking. You cut out your favorite shapes, place them on the tray, brush with the beaten egg, and sprinkle the pecans and praline on top, it crunches under the teeth, it’s just WOW.

Bake for 12 minutes, keep an eye on it, they should be lightly golden, not too much. I let them cool on a rack because they continue to harden as they cool, that’s the secret to the perfect crunch.

Useful tools to succeed your walnut Christmas cookies

• A large bowl for mixing 🥣
• A whisk or fork to beat the egg 🥄
• Plastic wrap for resting in the cold 🧊
• A cutting board and rolling pin (or just a good glass!) 🍺
• Cookie cutters according to your desires (hearts, stars, circles…) ⭐️❤️
• A baking tray with parchment paper or silicone mat 🔥
• A rack to let cool (essential in my opinion) 🍪

Crunchy cookies to share and gift for a sweet Christmas

Honestly, I love the moment when, behind the frosted window, we take out the golden walnut cookies that are still warm. I admit, I often forget to keep a few intact for the next day; they melt away so quickly…

What I also love is how easy they are to keep. A metal box, away from moisture, and they stay perfect for up to three good weeks. Handy if you want to plan ahead, and it makes a homemade gourmet gift that is always appreciated.

Vary the pleasures: nothing prevents you from using only walnuts, or a burst of hazelnuts, or even a pinch of cinnamon for a more wintry touch. I often pair them with a steaming tea or a strong coffee. And you, what’s your winning combo by the fire?

Walnut and praline Christmas cookies

5.0 from 1 vote

Course: Dessert, SnackCuisine: FrenchDifficulty: Easy

Servings

20

servings

Preparation

15

minutes

Cooking

12

minutes

Calories

150

kcal

Delicious crunchy cookies combining walnuts and praline, perfect for Christmas.

Ingrédients

• 250 g flour

• 1/2 packet baking powder

• 100 g unsalted butter

• 100 g brown sugar

• 1 egg

• 100 g chopped walnuts

• 50 g praline

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• 1 pinch salt

Instructions

• Preheat your oven to 180°C. Line a baking tray with parchment paper.
• In a bowl, mix the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set this mixture aside for the moment.
• In another bowl, cream the softened butter with the sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy.
• Then add the egg and vanilla extract to the butter mixture, and mix well.
• Gradually incorporate the flour mixture into the butter mixture, stirring until a homogeneous dough is formed.
• Finally, add the chopped walnuts and praline to the dough, making sure to distribute them well.
• Form small balls of dough and place them on the tray, spacing them out.
• Bake in the oven for about 12 minutes until they are lightly golden.
• Let cool on a rack before enjoying these delicious Christmas cookies.

Video

Notes

• Add a pinch of fleur de sel to the dough: it brings out the flavor of the nuts and enhances the praline aspect, giving your cookies a perfect balance between sweetness and character.

Nutrition Facts

• Total number of serves: 20
• Calories: 150kcal
• Cholesterol: 20mg
• Sodium: 90mg
• Potassium: 45mg
• Sugar: 8g
• Protein: 3g
• Calcium: 20mg
• Iron: 1mg
• Thiamin: 0mg
• Riboflavin: 0mg
• Niacin: 1mg
• Folate: 10mg
• Biotin: 0mg
• Phosphorus: 40mg
• Iodine: 0mg
• Magnesium: 10mg
• Zinc: 0mg
• Selenium: 4mg
• Copper: 0mg
• Manganese: 0mg
• Chromium: 0mg
• Molybdenum: 0mg
• Chloride: 0mg