Walnut Cookies Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Can I use raw walnuts in cookies? ›

Walnuts have a mild, buttery flavor that makes them perfect for baking into cookies and cakes. They have a high oil content, so they tend to toast much faster than other varieties. Because of this, it's best to use raw walnuts to prevent them from burning during the baking process.

Many baking recipes call for nuts. But the really smart ones call for toasted nuts. To say browning brings out the flavor in nuts is a decided understatement: A bit of heat applied for a small amount of time “blooms” raw nuts, releasing their aromatic volatile oils and “caramelizing” their surface.

The Fix: Chilling the Dough

Refrigerate the remaining dough until it feels firm to the touch, one to two hours. This chills the butter, so it won't spread rapidly in the oven. Although your cookies won't be as fluffy as they might have been, they won't turn into pancakes.

Different types of sugars affect the texture because they absorb different amounts of water. Remember moisture is the key! White sugar creates crispier cookies and brown sugar creates chewier cookies.

Astringent, mouth-puckering taste…

By soaking and dehydrating them, this will be greatly reduced. This is because when soaking walnuts, the tannins are rinsed away, leaving behind a softer, more buttery nut. The soak water from nuts and seeds should always be discarded and never used as water in a recipe.

Omega-3 fatty acids, known for their heart-healthy properties, are more readily absorbed when walnuts are soaked, boosting cardiovascular benefits. Antioxidants become more available, helping to combat oxidative stress and inflammation, while vitamins and minerals contribute to improved overall wellness.

– Raw nuts contain natural enzymes that can aid digestion. “nu*ts such as walnuts and pecans can be enjoyed raw to derive their full nutritional benefits. The heat from roasting can compromise the omega-3 fatty acids in these nuts, which are integral for heart health and brain function,” added Sisodia.

To reduce the bitter and astringent taste from green walnuts, they are thinly peeled, vertically and horizontally perforated with a skewer, and put into a container full of water for approximately 7 days and the water is changed daily during this period.

Preheat oven to 350°F. Arrange walnuts on a cookie sheet in a single layer. Bake 8 to 10 minutes, checking frequently.

Baking soda is typically used for chewy cookies, while baking powder is generally used for light and airy cookies. Since baking powder is comprised of a number of ingredients (baking soda, cream of tartar, cornstarch, etc.), using it instead of pure baking soda will affect the taste of your cookies.

What does adding cornstarch do to cookies? ›

Cookies. Cornstarch does kind of incredible things to cookies. I mean not only does it give them soft centers, prevents them from spreading, and makes them somewhat thick (in a good way), but it also contributes to the chewiness factor, which, in my opinion, is the most important cookie attribute.

“Cornstarch is a game changer for cookie baking,” confirms Brian Hart Hoffman, editor in chief of Bake from Scratch. “You can count on [it for] a softer and more tender crumb.”

Brown sugar, meanwhile, is dense and compacts easily, creating fewer air pockets during creaming—that means that there's less opportunity to entrap gas, creating cookies that rise less and spread more. With less moisture escaping via steam, they also stay moist and chewy.

Double Your Yolks Most cookie recipes call for at least one egg. You can try omitting the white of each egg, which tends to dry out when baked, and replacing it with an additional yolk. Plus, egg yolks have more fat than egg whites, which helps to keep your cookies moist and chewy.

Walnuts can be eaten raw, as they are, or toast to bring out more of their flavour: place the nuts on a baking sheet in a single layer and bake on a medium heat for 10-12 mins. They are ready when the kernels turn golden.

Soak your nuts and seeds anywhere from 20 minutes to 2 or 3 hours, or even overnight in the refrigerator. In general, harder nuts will take longer to soften. If your recipe calls for soaked nuts or seeds and you are low on time, try to squeeze in 20 minutes minimum, or just do a really good job rinsing them.

“nu*ts such as walnuts and pecans can be enjoyed raw to derive their full nutritional benefits. The heat from roasting can compromise the omega-3 fatty acids in these nuts, which are integral for heart health and brain function,” added Sisodia.

In the nutshell, both raw and roasted walnuts can be eaten because they contain similar nutritional value. The only thing that needs to concern about is the food safety process of walnuts.