Walnut Desserts: 14 Grandma Holiday Bakes From Before Pecans Took Over, Led by a Recipe Seen 1.6 Million Times

Walnut desserts are the holiday bakes Grandma made with nuts she shelled by hand at the kitchen table, long before pecans took over the dessert table. Now they are having a moment again. A small German baking channel called Koestlichkeit posted a recipe titled Nur Milch und Walnuesse, which means Only Milk and Walnuts, and it passed 1.6 million views in under three weeks. A cozy village channel’s old-fashioned walnut pies passed 1.1 million views too. Walnuts have a gentle, buttery richness and a hint of bitterness, so they balance sweet fillings beautifully, and you can read more about the history of the walnut tree if you are curious. Below are 14 favorites, from glossy walnut pie and Christmas nut roll to maple fudge, crescent cookies, and brownies. Toast the nuts first and every recipe gets better. Grab a nutcracker and a mixing bowl..

Old-Fashioned Walnut Pie, the Queen of Walnut Desserts

Long before pecan pie ruled the holiday table, farm families baked walnut pie with nuts gathered from their own trees. A village cooking channel’s video of old-fashioned walnut pies passed 1.1 million views, and one look at that glossy, nutty filling explains why. Toast the walnuts first; it takes five minutes and deepens the flavor. The filling is brown sugar, butter, eggs, and a splash of maple. If your family is split between nuts, set it next to these grandma-style pecan desserts. Let’s start with the pie..

You will need: 1 unbaked 9 inch pie crust, 1 1/2 cups walnuts toasted and chopped, 3 eggs, 3/4 cup brown sugar, 3/4 cup light corn syrup or maple syrup, 4 tbsp butter melted, 1 tsp vanilla, pinch salt.

How to make it: 1. Heat oven to 350 F. 2. Whisk eggs, sugar, syrup, butter, vanilla, and salt. 3. Stir in walnuts and pour into the crust. 4. Bake 50 to 55 minutes until the center is just set. 5. Cool at least 2 hours before slicing.

Christmas Walnut Nut Roll

Ask anyone with Slovak, Polish, or Slovenian grandparents and they will tell you about the nut roll on the Christmas table. Soft yeast dough is rolled thin, spread with a sweet walnut filling, and rolled into a spiral log. Of all the walnut desserts, this one shows the prettiest swirl, and many families bake a dozen at once to share with neighbors. Roll the dough thin for more swirls. It belongs with these Eastern European grandma desserts. Did your family call it potica, kolachi, or simply nut roll?

You will need: Dough: 3 cups flour, 1 packet yeast, 1/4 cup sugar, 1/2 cup warm milk, 1/2 cup butter melted, 2 egg yolks, 1/2 tsp salt. Filling: 3 cups ground walnuts, 3/4 cup sugar, 1/2 cup warm milk, 2 tbsp butter, 1 tsp vanilla, 1 egg white.

How to make it: 1. Mix dough ingredients, knead, and let rise 1 hour. 2. Stir filling ingredients together. 3. Roll dough into a 12 by 16 inch rectangle and spread with filling. 4. Roll up tightly and place seam side down in a greased pan; rise 30 minutes. 5. Brush with egg and bake at 350 F for 35 to 40 minutes.

Maple Walnut Fudge for Walnut Desserts Fans

Maple walnut fudge tastes like a New England sugar shack in December. Real maple syrup is cooked with cream and butter until it sets into creamy squares, then loaded with toasted walnuts. Use a candy thermometer and let it cool before beating so it turns smooth instead of grainy. Among walnut desserts, it makes the perfect gift in a tin with parchment between the layers. For another old-time candy tray favorite, try this homemade rocky road candy. How many squares will you sneak before the party?

You will need: 2 cups pure maple syrup, 1 cup heavy cream, 2 tbsp butter, 1 cup toasted walnuts chopped, pinch salt.

How to make it: 1. Line an 8×8 pan with parchment. 2. Boil syrup and cream in a heavy pot until 236 F. 3. Remove from heat, add butter, and cool to 110 F without stirring. 4. Beat until thick and matte, then stir in walnuts and salt. 5. Press into the pan, cool, and cut into squares.

Milk and Walnut Pudding Cake

The German recipe called Only Milk and Walnuts reached 1.6 million views because the idea is so simple: warm milk and finely ground walnuts turned into something soft and creamy. Walnut desserts rarely get easier. This version bakes that idea into a tender pudding cake that tastes like a cozy hug. Grind the walnuts fine so the texture stays silky, and pour the warm milk in slowly so the eggs stay smooth. It feels right at home with these Midwestern grandma recipes. Would you try it?

You will need: 2 cups milk, 1 1/2 cups walnuts finely ground, 1/2 cup sugar, 3 eggs, 1/3 cup flour, 1 tsp vanilla, pinch salt, powdered sugar.

How to make it: 1. Heat oven to 350 F and grease an 8×8 dish. 2. Warm milk until steaming. 3. Whisk eggs and sugar, then add flour, salt, vanilla, and walnuts. 4. Slowly whisk in the warm milk and pour into the dish. 5. Bake 35 to 40 minutes until set, cool, and dust with powdered sugar.

Walnut Crescent Cookies

These little crescents come from Austrian and German Christmas baking, where they are called vanillekipferl. Buttery dough made with ground nuts is shaped into half moons, baked until pale gold, and rolled in vanilla sugar while still warm. Many bakers use almonds, but walnuts make them richer. They are the prettiest walnut desserts on a cookie tray, and they keep for weeks in a tin. Chill the dough so the shapes stay crisp. Set them on the tray beside these jam-filled linzer cookies. Who in your family would love these?

You will need: 1 cup butter softened, 1/2 cup sugar, 1 tsp vanilla, 2 cups flour, 1 cup finely ground walnuts, pinch salt, 1 cup powdered sugar mixed with 1 tsp vanilla sugar.

How to make it: 1. Beat butter, sugar, and vanilla. 2. Mix in flour, walnuts, and salt, then chill 30 minutes. 3. Roll tablespoons into small ropes and bend into crescents. 4. Bake at 350 F for 12 to 14 minutes until just golden. 5. Roll warm cookies in vanilla powdered sugar.

Walnut Desserts for Chocolate Lovers: Walnut Brownies

Fudgy brownies covered in toasted walnuts are a classic for good reason. The walnuts add a gentle crunch and a slight bitterness that balances the rich chocolate. Scatter extra chopped nuts over the top before baking so they toast in the oven. Pull the pan a little early so the centers stay fudgy, and let it cool completely for neat squares. If you love a pan of bars, these Christmas bar cookies are next on your list. Corner piece or center?

You will need: 1 cup butter, 2 cups sugar, 4 eggs, 2 tsp vanilla, 3/4 cup cocoa powder, 1 cup flour, 1/2 tsp salt, 1 1/2 cups chopped walnuts.

How to make it: 1. Heat oven to 350 F and grease a 9×13 pan. 2. Melt butter and stir in sugar, eggs, and vanilla. 3. Mix in cocoa, flour, and salt. 4. Fold in 1 cup walnuts, spread in the pan, and scatter the rest on top. 5. Bake 25 to 30 minutes and cool before cutting.

Walnut Tassies

Tassies are tiny pies in a cream cheese crust, and walnut tassies are a charming, old-fashioned twist. They look fancy on a cookie tray but are simple to make in a mini muffin pan. The tender crust is just cream cheese, butter, and flour pressed into each cup, then filled with brown sugar and walnuts. Like most walnut desserts, they freeze well, so make a double batch. You will find their cousins on every Pittsburgh cookie table at weddings. Who will eat them first?

You will need: Crust: 3 oz cream cheese, 1/2 cup butter, 1 cup flour. Filling: 1 egg, 3/4 cup brown sugar, 1 tbsp butter melted, 1 tsp vanilla, pinch salt, 2/3 cup chopped walnuts.

How to make it: 1. Beat cream cheese and butter, mix in flour, and chill 1 hour. 2. Shape into 24 balls and press into mini muffin cups. 3. Whisk filling ingredients and spoon into the crusts. 4. Bake at 325 F for 25 minutes. 5. Cool before removing.

Honey Walnut Baklava

Baklava is the flaky pastry that turns a handful of walnuts into something golden and glorious. Layers of buttery phyllo hold a cinnamon walnut filling, and after baking, a honey syrup soaks into every layer. Walnut desserts do not get more festive. Cut the diamonds before baking so the top stays neat. Pour cool syrup over the hot pastry to keep the layers crisp, then let it rest for a few hours. For more sweets from that part of the world, see these Greek desserts beyond baklava. Would you serve it at a holiday party?

You will need: 1 lb phyllo dough thawed, 1 cup butter melted, 3 cups walnuts finely chopped, 1/3 cup sugar, 1 tsp cinnamon. Syrup: 1 cup sugar, 3/4 cup water, 1/2 cup honey, 1 strip lemon peel.

How to make it: 1. Simmer syrup ingredients 10 minutes and cool. 2. Mix walnuts, sugar, and cinnamon. 3. Layer 8 buttered phyllo sheets in a 9×13 pan, add a third of the filling, and repeat, finishing with 8 sheets. 4. Cut into diamonds and bake at 350 F for 45 minutes. 5. Pour cool syrup over the hot pastry and let soak 4 hours.

Banana Walnut Bread, Everyday Walnut Desserts

Banana walnut bread is the comfort bake every family knows by heart. Overripe bananas, brown sugar, and a handful of toasted walnuts make it tender, sweet, and nutty. Use bananas with plenty of brown spots for the best flavor, and press a few banana slices and walnut halves on top for a pretty finish. A warm slice is wonderful spread with one of these homemade compound butters. It freezes well, so bake two loaves. Toasted or plain?

You will need: 3 ripe bananas mashed plus 1 sliced for the top, 1/3 cup butter melted, 3/4 cup brown sugar, 1 egg, 1 tsp vanilla, 1 tsp baking soda, pinch salt, 1 1/2 cups flour, 3/4 cup chopped walnuts.

How to make it: 1. Heat oven to 350 F and grease a loaf pan. 2. Mix mashed bananas, butter, sugar, egg, and vanilla. 3. Stir in baking soda, salt, and flour. 4. Fold in walnuts, pour into the pan, and top with banana slices. 5. Bake 55 to 60 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean.

Walnut Crumb Coffee Cake

Of all the walnut desserts on this list, crumb coffee cake is the one that brings everyone into the kitchen on a holiday morning. A sour cream batter is topped with a thick cinnamon walnut crumb, then baked until golden. Some of the crumb sinks in and makes little pockets of sweetness. Bake it the night before, wrap it well, and warm slices in a low oven while everyone opens stockings. It is a natural fit for a cozy holiday breakfast spread too. How many slices will you need?

You will need: Batter: 1/2 cup butter, 1 cup sugar, 2 eggs, 1 cup sour cream, 1 tsp vanilla, 2 cups flour, 1 tsp baking powder, 1 tsp baking soda, pinch salt. Crumb: 1 cup chopped walnuts, 3/4 cup flour, 1/2 cup brown sugar, 2 tsp cinnamon, 6 tbsp butter melted.

How to make it: 1. Heat oven to 350 F and grease a 9 inch square pan. 2. Mix crumb ingredients with a fork until clumpy. 3. Beat butter and sugar, add eggs, sour cream, and vanilla, then the dry ingredients. 4. Spread batter in the pan and cover with the crumb. 5. Bake 40 to 45 minutes.

Carrot Walnut Cake, a Classic Among Walnut Desserts

Carrot walnut cake with cream cheese frosting is the cake people request for birthdays and Easter, but it shines at Christmas too. Grated carrots keep it moist, cinnamon makes it cozy, and walnuts add crunch. Toast the walnuts first for the best flavor. Frost the layers generously and scatter chopped walnuts on top. If you love a showstopping layer cake, these old-fashioned upside-down cakes deserve a spot on your list too. Raisins or no raisins?

You will need: 2 cups flour, 2 tsp baking soda, 2 tsp cinnamon, 1/2 tsp salt, 4 eggs, 1 1/2 cups sugar, 1 cup oil, 3 cups grated carrots, 1 cup chopped walnuts. Frosting: 8 oz cream cheese, 1/2 cup butter, 3 cups powdered sugar, 1 tsp vanilla.

How to make it: 1. Heat oven to 350 F and grease two 9 inch pans. 2. Whisk dry ingredients. 3. Beat eggs, sugar, and oil, then stir in dry ingredients, carrots, and walnuts. 4. Bake 30 to 35 minutes and cool. 5. Beat frosting ingredients and frost the layers.

Date and Walnut Loaf

Date and walnut loaf is the kind of quick bread you find at English tea rooms and church coffee hours. Chopped dates soak in hot water with a little baking soda, which makes the loaf dark, moist, and gently sweet, while walnuts add a rich crunch. Slice it thick and spread it with butter. Of all the walnut desserts here, it keeps the longest and tastes even better on day two. It would have felt right at home among these Little House on the Prairie recipes. Butter or cream cheese?

You will need: 1 1/2 cups chopped dates, 1 cup boiling water, 1 tsp baking soda, 4 tbsp butter, 3/4 cup brown sugar, 1 egg, 1 3/4 cups flour, 1 tsp baking powder, 1 cup chopped walnuts, 1 tsp vanilla.

How to make it: 1. Soak dates in boiling water with baking soda for 15 minutes. 2. Beat butter and sugar, then add egg and vanilla. 3. Stir in dates, flour, baking powder, and walnuts. 4. Pour into a greased loaf pan. 5. Bake at 350 F for 55 to 60 minutes.

Easy Walnut Desserts: Walnut Shortbread Rounds

Walnut shortbread is buttery, crumbly, and full of toasted nutty flavor, yet it takes only a handful of ingredients. Grind the walnuts very fine so they blend into the dough, then cut neat rounds and dust them with powdered sugar once cool. Chill the cut cookies for 15 minutes so they hold their shape in the oven. They stack beautifully in gift tins and pair well with a cup of tea. Add them to one of these Christmas cookie box recipes. Plain or sugar dusted?

You will need: 1 cup butter softened, 1/2 cup powdered sugar plus more for dusting, 2 cups flour, 3/4 cup very finely ground walnuts, pinch salt.

How to make it: 1. Beat butter and powdered sugar until fluffy. 2. Mix in flour, walnuts, and salt. 3. Roll 1/4 inch thick, cut 2 inch rounds, and chill 15 minutes. 4. Bake at 325 F for 15 to 18 minutes until pale golden. 5. Cool and dust with powdered sugar.

Oreshki, Walnut-Shaped Cookies

Oreshki means little nuts, and these cookies are baked in a special mold so they look like walnut shells. The halves are filled with thick caramel and chopped walnuts, then pressed together. They are a nostalgic treat for many Russian and Ukrainian families. If you do not have the mold, sandwich two small round cookies instead. Chill the filled cookies so the caramel firms up. For more Eastern European holiday baking, browse these Polish Christmas cookies. Have you seen these before?

You will need: Dough: 1 cup butter, 1/2 cup sugar, 2 eggs, 3 cups flour, 1/2 tsp baking soda. Filling: 1 can (13.4 oz) dulce de leche, 1 cup chopped walnuts.

How to make it: 1. Beat butter and sugar, add eggs, then flour and baking soda. 2. Press small balls into an oreshki mold or shape small rounds. 3. Bake at 350 F for 10 to 12 minutes and cool. 4. Mix dulce de leche and walnuts. 5. Fill the halves and press them together.