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Italian Nut Roll Cookies

The Italian Nut Roll Cookie is the one cookie that instantly takes me back to my grandmother's kitchen. Especially during the holidays, many Italian-American homes treasure these delicate, crescent-shaped pastries filled with a sweet, nutty mixture. They are a hybrid of a pastry and a cookie, with a soft, buttery dough encasing a spiced walnut filling. Each bite evokes a little bit of nostalgia.
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Course: Baking, Dessert, Snack, Treat
Cuisine: American, Italian
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

Dough Ingredients:
  • 4 ½ cups all-purpose flour
  • 3 teaspoons baking powder
  • ½ pint 1 cup sour cream
  • 4 large egg yolks
  • 1 pound 4 sticks unsalted butter or margarine, softened
  • 1 ½ teaspoons granulated sugar
Nut Filling:
  • ¾ pound walnuts finely ground
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 3 large egg whites divided (use 2–2½ whites, as needed for spreading consistency)
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 ½ teaspoons honey

Method
 

Make the Dough:
  1. In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, and sugar. Cut in the softened butter or margarine using a pastry blender or fork until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
  2. Add the sour cream and egg yolks to the flour mixture. Stir until the dough comes together, then knead lightly by hand. Divide into 4 portions, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours (or overnight) to chill and firm up.
Prepare the Nut Filling:
  1. In a medium bowl, combine the finely ground walnuts, sugar, vanilla extract, and honey. Gradually add the egg whites one at a time until the filling is moist and spreadable, but not runny. Set aside.
Assemble the Cookies:
  1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Lightly flour a clean work surface. Roll out one portion of dough into a rectangle about ⅛ inch thick.
  2. Spread a thin layer of the nut filling over the dough, then roll up jelly-roll style. Slice into 1 to 1½-inch pieces. Place cookies seam-side down on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
  3. Repeat with remaining dough and filling.
Bake:
  1. Bake in the preheated oven for 15–20 minutes or until the bottoms are lightly golden. Allow to cool on the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely.
Optional: Dust cooled cookies with powdered sugar before serving.
  1. Enjoy!