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Oreshki – Walnut Shaped Cookies with Dulce De Leche

Oreshki or Walnut Shaped Cookies are traditional Russian cookies and are made with a shortbread cookie and delicious dulce de leche buttercream. I am here to share all my secrets to perfect oreshki.

Walnut shaped cooked in a bowl and on towel topped with powdered sugar.

What are Oreshki?

They’re a favorite among adults and children alike, especially children. Oreshki are made of two components that are absolutely awesome together – brittle shortbread cookie & dulce de leche filling.

Either of them tastes great alone, but when you put them together – it’s just out of this world good.

I made a batch and put several cookies into small boxes with tissue paper to give as Christmas treats. It just happened that my older daughter was to visit a dentist the next day, so even the dentists’ office got to try them. Let’s just say they were pretty impressed and probably wished they got more than just one per person, haha.

Oreshki in a bowl topped with powdered sugar.

Unfortunately, it is pretty hard to find the molds for the traditional walnut shaped cookies if you live anywhere outside Russia or Ukraine. Fortunately for me though, my mom made sure to buy a whole set of these molds right before we left for the US, back ages ago and now gladly allows me to use them whenever I need to.

But, I realize that not a lot of you have those molds and still would like to make the delicious Walnut Shaped cookies that we all love so much. So I am here to share where you too can buy oreshki (walnut cookie) molds.

Where to buy Oreshki molds

Option 1:  I have purchased THESE oreshki molds on Amazon and they make traditionally shaped oreshki and work pretty well (size 1 3/4 inches by 1 1/3 of an inch).

Option 2: This mold HERE is made by Nordic and is the one I used for the assorted variety (acorn, walnut, pumpkin, and pine cone shape) in the pictures you see in this post. The size of oreshki with this one is a bit larger (2 in x 2in) than the ones made with the traditional ones (in option 1). Unfortunately, they have been out of stock forever. 

Option 3: If you liked the mold from option 2, you will like this mold made by the same manufacturer, with the same size of cookies, in the shape of an acorn. Once again, this mold makes larger cookies (2 in x 2in ) than the traditional oreshki cookies, but to me, the cuteness of the shape overrides the size problem

A plate full of walnut shaped cooked topped with powdered sugar.

 

Oreshki Recipe – Walnut Shaped Cookies with Dulce De Leche

Yields: 56 oreshki, or 24-25 cookies from the Nordic Ware Autumn Cakelet Pan Mold

Oreshki Recipe Ingredients:

For the Russian Oreshki Shells:

  • butter, room temperature
  • egg yolks
  • powdered or confectioners sugar
  • baking soda
  • kosher salt
  • sifted all-purpose flour

For the Dulce de Leche buttercream:

  • unsalted butter, room temperature
  • sweetened condensed milk or ready-made dulce de leche

Also:

All the ingredients needed for these walnut shaped cookies on a platter.

How to make the Walnut Shaped Cookies:

  • In a bowl of a stand mixer combine all the ingredients for the shells (butter, powdered sugar, egg yolks, flour, baking soda, salt) and continue mixing until it clumps up and forms a chunky dough, about 4 minutes. Alternatively, combine all ingredients in a bowl and keep mixing with hands until it forms a chunky dough.

How to make the shortbread cookie batter.

  • Rip about 2 teaspoons of a dough and form a small ball. Place in the middle of the mold and press in the middle with a thumb. Then using your index finger or a thumb keep going around the mold pressing the dough until the mold is lined with a very thin layer, about 1/5 of an inch thickness. Now go around the edge of the mold and shave off any parts of the dough that are above the edge of the mold.

Shaping the oreshki with the cookie molds.

  • If using the Nordic Ware Autumn Cakelet pan, place a ball of dough (1 tablespoon) in the middle, then go around the mold with your index finger or a thumb pressing the dough against the mold until it’s as thin as you can get it without any parts of the mold showing through. Using a knife shave off excess.

How to shape the shortbread cookies with a cakelet pan.

Bake the Oreshki:

  • Place the filled molds on a baking sheet and into a preheated to 350F oven. Bake for around 10-15 minutes or until the cookies are a light golden color. If using the Nordic Ware Autumn Cakelet, bake for about 8-10 minutes as this mold take less time to bring the cookies to a light golden color.
  • Once baked remove from the oven and while the cookies are still warm tap the edge of the mold lightly against the table to release the cookie from the mold.  Allow the cookies to cool completely.

Cooked walnut shaped cookies on a baking sheet.

If using the Nordic Ware Autumn Cakelet, remove from the oven, place a cooling rack on top. With one swift motion turn the cooling rack together with the mold upside down so that the cooling rack is on the bottom. Now tap the mold against the cooling rack several times until the cookies are out. Allow the cookies to cool completely.

Cooling the oreshki on a cooling rack.

Make Dulce de Leche:

  • Open the can of the sweetened condensed milk and pour it out into a glass jar, then close with a fitting lid tightly. Line a large pot with 3 layers of paper towel or with a kitchen towel, place the jar into the pot, now fill the pot with water so that water level is above the level of the condensed milk in the jar. Cook over low-medium heat for about 1.5 – 2 hours until sweetened condensed milk is deep golden color. Remove the jars from water and allow to completely cool to room temperature.

Make the Dulce de Leche Filling:

  • Use 1/4 of the recipe HERE or follow the instructions below.
    In a bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment beat 4 oz of room temperature butter and 1/2 can of the dulce de leche. Beat for about 3 minutes stopping to scrape down the bottom of the bowl. Now add the rest of the dulce de leche and beat for another 3-4 minutes until well combined and somewhat fluffy.

How to make the dulce de leceh buttercream filling.

To fill the shortbread cookies:

  • To fill the cookies you can either fill a ziplock bag with the filling and fill half of the cookie shells by squeezing about 2 teaspoons into each half, or use a teaspoon and fill half of the shells.

Filling the shortbread cookies with the dulce de leche buttercream.

  • Place the matching half on top of the filled half and squeeze them together. If the filling squeezes out the sides, scrape it with a knife or a spoon. Let the filled cookies rest in a tightly closed box in the fridge overnight. This will make the oreshki shell less brittle as they are eaten. According to my husband, they are the best 3-4 days after and I actually agree 🙂
  • To serve: place in a bowl and lightly sprinkle with powdered sugar.

Walnut shaped shortbread cooked dusted with powdered sugar with a cookie bitten into.

Try these other delicious sweet treats:

Walnut Shaped Cookies with Dulce De Leche Filling

4.39 from 18 votes
Walnut Shaped Cookies w/ Dulce de Leche Filling - traditional holiday cookies that both adults and kids absolutely love! Try them for yourself!
Author: Marina | Let the Baking Begin!
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: Russian, Ukrainian
Keyword: walnut shaped cookies
Calories: 87 kcal
Prep Time: 1 hour
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Servings: 56 walnut cookies, or 24-30 cookies from the Nordic Ware Autumn Cakelet Pan mold

Ingredients

For the Shells:

  • 230 grams butter 2 sticks
  • 3 egg yolks
  • 1 cup powdered or confectioners sugar
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 2 1/2 Cups sifted all purpose flour

For the filling:

Also:

  • Nordic Ware Autumn Cakelet  or Walnut molds

Instructions

Make the Walnut Shells

  1. In a bowl of a stand mixer combine all the ingredients for the shells (230 grams butter, 1 cup powdered sugar, 3 egg yolks, 2 ½ cups flour, 1 tsp baking soda, ¼ tsp salt) and continue mixing until it clumps up and forms a chunky dough, about 4 minutes. Alternatively, combine all ingredients in a bowl and keep mixing with hands until it forms a chunky dough.

  2. Rip about 2 teaspoons of a dough and form a small ball. Place in the middle of the mold and press in the middle with a thumb. Then using your index finger or a thumb keep going around the mold pressing the dough until the mold is lined with a very thin layer, about 1/5 of an inch thickness. Now go around the edge of the mold and shave off any parts of the dough that are above the edge of the mold.
  3. If using the Nordic Ware Autumn Cakelet pan, place a ball of dough (1 tablespoon) in the middle, then go around the mold with your index finger or a thumb pressing the dough against the mold until it’s as thin as you can get it without any parts of the mold showing through. Using a knife shave off excess.
  4. Place the filled molds on a baking sheet and into a preheated to 350°F oven. Bake for around 10-15 minutes or until the cookies are a light golden color. If using the Nordic Ware Autumn Cakelet, bake for about 8-10 minutes as this mold take less time to bring the cookies to a light golden color.

  5. Once baked removed from the oven and while the cookies are still warm tap the edge of the mold lightly against the table to release the cookie from the mold.  Allow the cookies to cool completely.
  6. If using the Nordic Ware Autumn Cakelet, remove from the oven, place a cooling rack on top. With one swift motion turn the cooling rack together with the mold upside down so that the cooling rack is on the bottom. Now tap the mold against the cooling rack several times until the cookies are out. Allow the cookies to cool completely.

Make Dulce de Leche:

  1. Open the can of the sweetened condensed milk and pour the content of the can into a glass jar, then close with a fitting lid tightly. Line a large pot with 3 layers of paper towel or with a kitchen towel, place the jar into the pot, now fill the pot with water so that water level is above the level of the condensed milk in the jar. Cook over low-medium heat for about 1.5 – 2 hours until sweetened condensed milk is deep  golden color. Remove the jars from water and allow to completely cool to room temperature.

Make the Dulce de Leche Buttercream:

  1. In a bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment beat 115 grams of room temperature butter and 1/2 of the dulce de leche. Beat for about 3 minutes stopping to scrape down the bottom of the bowl. Now add the rest of the dulce de leche and beat for another 3-4 minutes until well combined and somewhat fluffy.

To fill the oreshki cookies:

  1. To fill the cookies you can either fill a ziplock bag with the filling and fill half of the cookie shells by squeezing about 2 teaspoons into each half, or use a teaspoon and fill half of the shells.
  2. Place the matching half on top of the filled half and squeeze them together. If the filling squeezes out the sides, scrape it with a knife or a spoon. Let the filled cookies rest in a tightly closed box in the fridge overnight. This will make the cookie shell less crumbly as they are eaten.

To serve:

  1. place in a bowl or a serving platter and lightly sprinkle with powdered sugar.

Store:

  1. In a tightly closed box in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.
Nutrition Facts
Walnut Shaped Cookies with Dulce De Leche Filling
Amount Per Serving
Calories 87 Calories from Fat 45
% Daily Value*
Fat 5g8%
Saturated Fat 3g19%
Cholesterol 24mg8%
Sodium 64mg3%
Potassium 21mg1%
Carbohydrates 8g3%
Sugar 4g4%
Protein 1g2%
Vitamin A 175IU4%
Vitamin C 0.1mg0%
Calcium 14mg1%
Iron 0.3mg2%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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Marina | Let the Baking Begin

Welcome to Let the Baking Begin! I'm Marina and my love and passion for eating only the most delicious foods drive me to share that love here on Let the Baking Begin (since 2009). With over 20 years of experience in the kitchen, you know the recipes are tested and retested until perfect. I'm so happy to have you here. Enjoy! Read more...

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  • Céline

    This article here explains exactly what happened to me : https://www.heritagecookies.net/index.php/2022/01/28/central-european-orechy-filled-molded-faux-nut-cookies/ “Freeze or dock the dough baking. We learned the hard way that Ořechy will puff up to be almost level if you put them right into the oven after shaping. It leaves you with a dent more than a cavity.”

    · Reply
    • Hi Celine,
      If the mold is being overfilled upon baking, it just means you need to add less dough. If you fill the shells with only a see-through layer of dough, when baked it will be puffed up but with enough of a cavity for the filling. Hope this helps!

      · Reply
  • Vera V Kostenko

    I made oreshki using this recipe and they turned out so delicious! They were all gone before i could even take a picture. Took me 2 hours to make them and my husband just ate them all like sunflower seeds

    · Reply
    • ASHOK RAJU

      Hi
      VERA, your husband is very lucky to have a wife like you.
      Here in India, our girls are not good. They will eat while hubby
      has to work for them

      · Reply
      • Sue

        Your girls are just fine. If it was the other way, you wouldn’t call yourselves not good. Don’t be lazy.

        · Reply
  • Amy Horvat

    Yes, Marina. I see that now on the one I printed out. I had inadvertently scaled it up for 70 cookies. Thanks for figuring that out for me.

    I have to say, that is an excellent feature of your site -the ability to easily “scale up” the recipe.

    I made these for Christmas this year and they were a huge hit. The only variation I did was that I added some cream cheese to the filling. It was delicious; however, I had enough filling after doing that to fill about a ton of oreshkis! No matter, though -I found things to do with that extra filling: Spread it on top of sugar cookies, put it on toast, eat it off a spoon…..

    Thanks so much for sharing this great, traditional recipe.

    · Reply
  • Amy Horvat

    Hello,

    I made these about a month ago and it seems like the recipe has changed since then? The one I printed out at the time said things like 3.75 egg yolks, 1.25 cups powdered sugar, 1.25 baking soda. The one that is here now says 3 egg yolks, 1 cup powdered sugar and 1 tsp baking soda.

    Can you clarify?

    Thanks you!

    · Reply
  • Amy Horvat

    Hello,

    I made these about a month ago, and now have come back to look at the recipe. There seems to be some changes since then? I’m looking at the one I printed out before and it says things like 3.75 egg yolks; 1.25 cups powdered sugar; 1.25 tsp. baking soda. The one I see now here says 3 egg yolks, 1 cup powdered sugar, 1 tsp. baking soda.

    Can you clarify?

    Thank you!

    · Reply
    • Hi Amy,
      The recipe that you see right now is the same one that was there before. I always post whole counts of eggs and things that are hard to split.
      It might be that you have increased that “servings” amounts and scaled the recipe up, in which case it will scale the ingredients according to the servings you chose.

      · Reply
  • Tanya Krawchuk

    Followed the directions exactly (except I had to leave it in the oven 6 minutes longer than recommended because it was not getting golden). Upon removing from the oven, cookies broke into crumbs when trying to get them out of the pan and the very few that did come out, were no longer cups, so I wouldn’t be able to fill them! Very disappointing . . .

    · Reply
    • Hi Tanya, I’m sorry to hear about your experience 🙁 Could you share what kind of mold you used for these? I want to be able to help other readers that might have a similar experience.
      I have been using this recipe for 15 years and my mom used it before me for many more, so I know it’s not the recipe. I would love to get more information if you’re willing to share in order to be able to figure out what could’ve caused this to happen.
      So the questions I have – what kind of mold did you use? What was the texture of the dough when you were putting it in the mold? Any other relevant information you can share would be very helpful.
      Thank you for leaving your honest feedback, I appreciate it.

      · Reply
      • Tanya Krawchuk

        I used the Nordicware pan. The dough seemed fine. I tried a second batch, spraying the pan with Pam with flour and let them sit longer to cool more, which helped a little. I was able to get a couple out clean. Both tries resulted in much too delicate cookies that crumbled when touched and the dough rose too much to be able to fill.

        · Reply
        • Thank you for sharing those details.

          Was the nordicware pan new or how long have you had it for? Did yours have the nonstick coating (mine does)? I did notice that my nordicware pan was a lot more nonstick when I first got it than it is now years later, but still most pieces come out intact just fine.

          If I would try this recipe again, following your experience, I would replace all egg yolks with 2 eggs, add more flour to make dough that doesn’t stick to hands. The egg white in the eggs will give you a sturdier dough when baked, so will adding more flour.

          · Reply
    • Sylwia

      I too had the same experience. I followed the recipe exactly and when I took it out if the mold, it was crumbling. Very few cookies were salvageable. I’m refrigerating the dough now and will attempt it one more time.

      · Reply
      • I’m sorry to hear of your experience as well :(.
        If this was me, I would add a little more flour to the dough, refrigerate it, and make sure the oven is completely preheated to the correct temperature before baking the Oreshki.

        May I know what kind of mold you’re using?

        · Reply
        • Sylwia

          I used single molds. I tried this am again with the refrigerated dough again and still having the same problem. I forgot to mention they also rose quite a bit for me to the point most are not even a shell. Any suggestions?

          · Reply
          • Have you tried adding more flour to your dough? Also, when you put the dough into the molds as it says in the recipe, you have to make the layer very very thin, almost see through but without leaving holes as it does rise quite a bit.

  • Hi Marina, I have a question about walnut cookies, can they be baked head of time and Cream later ? how long can they stay out without cream? Thank you!

    · Reply
    • Hi Julia,
      Yes, the cookies can be baked ahead of time and filled later. I would place them in a container and freeze them until needed to preserve freshness.

      · Reply
  • Angie

    Are the crunchy or soft? I just tried a recipe for these from someone else and they were good but much more crunchier than what I grew up eating, even after letting them sit a day in the fridge.

    · Reply
    • These are not crunchy. The crunchy ones are usually the ones made in the oreshki pan (kind of like a skillet with indents for the walnuts).
      This recipe is for the individually formed oreshki like you see in the step by step by step pictures in the post.

      When they’re first filled the shells are very brittle. Once they are filled and refrigerated overnight the two mend together and form a more soft, tender walnut cookie that is sooo good!

      · Reply
  • Alena

    For the baking soda, do you just use plain baking soda or mix it first with vinegar?

    · Reply
  • Valentina

    I woul like to know where I could purchase the pan to make these delicious cookies.

    · Reply
  • Natasha Gergi

    Hi Marina –
    Have you ever tried making oreshki with gluten free flour? I’m wondering if they will turn out ok or I shouldn’t even try it. Thanks!

    · Reply
  • Nataliya

    How far ahead can you make these?

    I made them before and they were a hit.

    · Reply
    • Several days, easily. If you freeze them, then up to a month.

      · Reply
    • ZHENNYA

      The shells will keep for more than a week in an airtight container. As long as they don’t have the filling in them.

      · Reply
  • Christine

    Can you freeze these?

    · Reply
    • Sure can! – in an airtight container for up to a month. When ready to eat, just thaw in the fridge or at room temperature.

      · Reply
  • Lina

    I wanted to ask, how long in advance can these be made before serving? I know I original recipe the cookies can last in a ziplock bag for some time without tasting different. What about these?

    · Reply
    • Hi Lina,
      You can freeze Oreshki up to a month, or refrigerate them for up to a week with no loss in texture or flavor. Although I have frozen these for a couple of months and they were still ok to eat, maybe not the freshest, but definitely still good)))

      · Reply
  • Oh my goodness! These cookies are absolutely beautiful and sound AMAZING! I love trying recipes that are completely new to me. I will definitely have to try these one day. Beautiful pictures too 🙂

    · Reply
  • Arturchik

    Anna,

    I’m trying very much not to lash out as I am very upset and frustrated. I think your recipe for the molds are a little off. I followed your recipe to the T and it just crumbles in my hands. I’m now trying to refrigerate them so they hold better, but then I thought, why should I do that, since I am not serving ice cold oreshkis to guests? Will it just crumble in their hands too? Noted your comment about using egg yolks for more delicate/flakier shells, but maybe add whole eggs as well? I promise to revise this review if it they turn out fine tomorrow. Otherwise, I think you may want to rethink the proportions of ingredients for the shells. Good luck to you. I see your passion for cooking in the way you present your recipes.

    I like your recipe on the caramel though,

    · Reply
    • Hi Arturchik,
      I’m sorry you’re having trouble and feeling frustrated.

      There’s two different types of oreshki. Ones that are more tender, like the one in this recipe, and the other one are a bit tougher (kind of like the Oreshki shells they sell at Russian Stores).

      This recipe starts out very delicate, but as it sits with the filling, it moistens the Oreshki shell and it no longer is brittle.When I say “moistens”, I do not mean that the Oreshki become wet, but they are just not as brittle as you see them right now (out of the oven).

      If you would rather have tougher Oreshki, you can replace the egg yolks with the whole egg.

      Thank you for your feedback and I hope you love them, tomorrow 😀

      · Reply
  • Anna Walters

    Hello!
    A quick question….
    I made these for the first time myself and had to combine several recipes. They came out very good and my kids enjoy them. Although, they are not exactly what I remember from my childhood. I used 2 whole eggs instead of 3 egg yolks. What is the reason you suggest using 3 egg yolks instead of 2 whole eggs like most of the recipes suggest (including one that came with my oreshnitsa)? Thank you!

    · Reply
    • Hi Anna,
      The difference between using whole eggs as opposed to egg yolks is that when you use egg whites, they make the dough tougher. With egg yolks only, the dough is very tender. So, if you would like the dough to be less crumbly or tougher, use whole eggs.

      · Reply
  • Jo

    Beautiful yummy cookies, we’ve similar ones in the Netherlands.
    I just don’t have the patience to make them

    · Reply
  • Cathy

    Hello.
    I am going to be making your cookie recipe soon. I just bought the walnut molds. While I am not a great baker, your instructions and pictures have given me the confidence to try these. We bought some of these cookies at a church bake sale and my husband loved them ! My question is, do they pop out of the molds easily ? Should I butter or spray the molds with some type of food release like Pam ? Thank you so much for sharing this on Pinterest.

    · Reply
    • Hi Cathy,
      I’m so excited for you! I hope you liked the recipe!

      The molds shouldn’t be buttered or sprayed. The butter content in the recipe allows the oreshki to pop right out of the molds. If they don’t do that at first, just give each mold a little tap on the edge against the table and they should come right out.

      · Reply
  • Natasha

    Hi, Marina. Amazing cookies! Absolutely love your website. Thanx for such great recipe.

    · Reply
  • Tanya Churyuk

    Marina, THANK YOU very much for the honest and so well detailed recipes. I tried this one and the nut cookies turned out amazing!!! Everyone loved it!!! I am Always following your page for the new creations! You are a very talented person!!! Marina You really have a Gift from God! It ia a pleasure reading your posts. You should publish a book too. God Bless you and your Family!

    · Reply
  • Rose

    Can I used the electric walnut machine to make the walnuts.

    · Reply
    • Nope, this one is not for that kind of mold 🙁

      · Reply
      • Tip
        Inna

        Just wanted to say that I made these using the electric oreshki mold and they turned out just fine! Were a little tideous getting them out of the mold as they were very soft but they hardened as soon as they cooled and turned out perfect! Exactly the recipe I’ve been searching for! Thank you!

        · Reply
  • Oksana

    Hi Marina. I have a question regarding storage. What do you think is the best way to store them – fill them in or just to keep the shells and then fill them the night before serving?
    Thank you

    · Reply
    • Hi Oksana, they need to sit for about 24 hrs in the fridge to really stick together and not crumble too much as you bite into it, but if you’re not going to eat them the next day, just freeze then in an airtight container and leave in the fridge when ready to eat.

      · Reply
  • Oksana

    I made them yesterday and told my husband that for a better taste he had to wait 3 more days. He said how could anyone wait for so long knowing that this goodness is in the fridge))))) They are delisicious!! Brought back memories from childhood. To me these cookies are association with weddings when I was a child. It took a bit of time to make them but THEY WORTH it!! Thank you for sharing this recipe.

    · Reply
    • That’s exactly what my husband said lol. The only way they survive in the fridge that long is if you hide them haha! I’m glad you guys enjoyed these!

      · Reply
  • Aly

    Hi, I just wanted to tell you that there is a mold for the russian nut cookies that go in the oven and can make about 40 nut cookies in one mold. Here is the link you should try it out if you buy 2 molds you can make a huge batch in only two or three rounds depending on how much you make its a lot easier compared to other molds… http://www.ebay.com/itm/251638314808?_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

    · Reply
  • brittany

    where in ukraine did you buy the oreshki molds the acorn ones? i was looking for them everywhere i do have the walnut looking molds though.

    · Reply
  • armine

    I made this reciepe for my New Year’s dessert display. I loved it and so did my family/guests. The plate for this dessert was empty by the end of the party. Thank you for sharing your wonderful recipe.

    · Reply
  • easydoesit20012002

    Wow! These look amazing and the photography is truly inspirational. I can’t wait to give these a try.

    · Reply
  • Natasha

    I just made these and they look absolutely perfect. Thank you for this great recipe

    · Reply
  • tamara

    I ordered the Nordic Ware cakelet pan from Amazon. It came in yesterday and I made some cookies today. The dough recipe is amazing and ey easy to work with. However, very disappointed with the mold. The cookie came out humongous and take a lot of filling. When you put the halves together, they are huge.They need to be a half size smaller then they would be perfect. I used to make these in another mold before so I know how to make walnuts. Sorry to say but total waste of $ on the mold.
    Just thought I share my experience.

    · Reply
    • Hi Tamara,
      Thanks for for your comment.
      Yes, you’re right, the Nordicware mold makes bigger cookies, that’s why in the “yield” section I wrote that with the traditional molds the recipe will make 56 cookies and 24-25 from the Nordicware mold. Since the traditional walnut cookies are not really available to purchase, for me this was a good alternative. Sorry, it didn’t work for you 🙁
      I did go ahead and add additional clarification on the size of the mold in the post so that others don’t expect one thing and get another.
      Once more, thanks for sharing your experience!

      · Reply
  • Elly Konjkav

    Hi!! Omg first off, amazing photography. And i love ur oreshki’s! I have always made the press kind so i am super excited to make these. And i am traveling to Moscow and to Azerbaijan and i want to buy the traditional moulds. Would u be kind to tell me what the name is? What should i be asking for?
    Thank u!!! Happy New Yr!

    · Reply
    • Hi Elly! Thanks for your sweet comment 🙂
      There really isn’t an official name for these molds, but if you ask for ‘molds for oreshki” they will know what you’re talking about. If anything, just take a screen shot of the molds that I have (not the pan, but the individual molds) and just show them the picture 🙂
      I wish I was traveling overseas so that I could get myself those traditional molds, so I wouldn’t have to borrow my moms… I’m a hoarder what can I say lol.
      Happy travels and Happy New year to you too!

      · Reply
  • Nadia Z.

    I have the electric walnut maker for 24 and love it, this mold seems like a lot harder, because you have to shape each cookie vs press n bake, my mom loves it as well because few years ago it was her Christmas present from me. You should check it out on Amazon n we have them in some Russian stores in Sacramento, CA.

    · Reply
    • Hi Nadia, yes these are much slower to make then the one where you just press them and they magically take on the walnut cookie shape, but the texture of this cookie is much different then the other one. The ones where you use the press come out harder than these ones. I think I’ve seen the press in the Russian stores around where I live too… Thanks for your suggestion!

      · Reply
  • Love this! They look so good, I can’t wait to try. One question, you didn’t mention what size can of sweetened condensed milk to use? Thanks in advance!

    · Reply
    • Thank you!
      I think sweetened condensed milk comes only in one size that’s why I didn’t say the size, but it’s a 14 oz can 🙂

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  • Katya @ Little Broken

    Love these! They are a definite Russian thing 🙂 We recently went to a Russian wedding and they were part of the dessert table. I love that you linked the pans too! I would’ve never thought you can find them online here in US

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    • I buy a lot of things on amazon so it was natural for me to link to something I use all the time 🙂 Amazon’s customer service is pretty awesome too 🙂 Do you not use amazon?

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  • Valya @ Valya's Taste of Home says

    Oh my! They look gorgeous! I love them so much! I never made them by baking it in the oven. Yours look like they would just melt in your mouth. I’ve been using press on mold for mine. Beautiful pictures too!

    · Reply
    • Yes I don’t know one person that doesn’t like them. They’re so addictive, aren’t they?
      You should try this recipe and this kind of oreshki Valya, I think you might like them even more then the other kind, because the other kind is a bit tougher in texture and this one is super flaky and soft. Thank you for your kind words 🙂

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  • Olga K.

    They look incredible! Wow. What a shot.
    Oreshki are still a favorite in our family. My Mom or sister make them every single Christmas.

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    • Thanks Olga! Do they use the shortbread kind of dough like mine or do they use the the different kind that goes with the oreshki press?

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  • Oh my gosh, oh my gosh, oh my gosh!!! These are so darn cute I can hardly take it and the first photo…I just want to stare it at for ever! I recently bought a German waffle iron and it came with interchangeable plates. “Oreshki” moulds were one of them. I still haven’t made them yet as I didn’t have a good recipe. I can’t wait to try them now!

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    • I really like the picture myself. You know how long it takes for that powdered sugar to look just right on the picture?))) But, thank you for your kind compliments.
      This recipe is for molds that are not pressed on top with the other half of the mold/press. So if your press consists of two parts then this is probably not the recipe for that iron. But, if those plates are just two halves, you can fill the bottom one and bake it in the oven like I did with my mold… it might work like that…

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      • vikalinkafood

        I can’t remember now what they are like. I will make sure to check them out at home. As far as that shot, I do know how incredibly difficult it is, especially if you don’t have assistants! LOL That is why I was SO impressed!! 🙂

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