Nut Roll Recipe
This nut roll recipe hails from an old family friend and is a Christmas staple. It only requires one rise, so it’s easy to churn out a ton of nut roll!
It’s Christmas week and we need to talk nut roll!
I’ve seen this called nut roll, Hungarian nut roll, Slovak nut roll, Polish nut roll, kolache, even Pittsburgh nut roll, which blew my mind when I saw it! I didn’t realize they were so synonymous with this region, but that makes me just plain giddy. Whatever name you go by, traditional nut roll is a soft sweet dough that is filled with a sweet walnut mixture. It basically tastes like Christmas and it wouldn’t be the holidays without devouring an embarrassing amount of nut roll.
I originally shared this nut roll recipe with you nearly six (SIX!) years ago, and SO MANY OF YOU have made it year after year for the holidays, which just makes me so ridiculously happy. In that time, however, I’ve received a lot of questions about two very specific components of this recipe: (1) the use of cake yeast; and (2) some issues with the dough splitting open and filling oozing out during the baking process.
I’ve gone back and re-worked the recipe a couple of times to help troubleshoot those issues, and I’ve got you covered!
My mom gave me the recipe card for nut roll, which hails from her best friend of a gazillion years, Cheryl. I just adore old handwritten recipe cards 💗
Okay let’s dig into the specifics of this recipe. First up, the yeast…
The original recipe calls for cake yeast, which is typically sold in the refrigerated section of the grocery store near the butter. When I first began making this recipe, I bought cake yeast all the time, however, it hasn’t been stocked in my regular grocery store for some time now, and it sounds like the same is the case for many of you.
I recently made a batch of this nut roll substituting active dry yeast and I had no issues whatsoever. One fresh cake yeast is equivalent to three packages of active dry yeast, so you’ll see that substitution option listed in the recipe below. The most important difference to keep in mind is that the temperature of the water needs to be different based on the type of yeast you use. For fresh cake yeast, you’ll want a lower temperature to activate the yeast, while the active dry yeast requires a higher temperature.
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Next up is the issue of the dough splitting and the filling oozing out. I think I have this one figured out!
The last time that I made this, instead of adding all of the flour, I added a little at a time and then stopped once the dough was no longer sticky, and I still had quite a bit of flour left. And what do you know? Those rolls had perfectly smooth dough from start to finish on ALL of the rolls – no cracking, splitting or filling spilling out. I’m convinced that the issue had to do with the dough being too dry and, as a result, cracking and splitting, which can cause the filling to come out.
The exact amount that you use will vary wildly depending on the time of year, the ambient air temperature and humidity levels, but definitely go with a little flour at a time, and then stop periodically to feel the dough as you near the end of the flour. It shouldn’t be sticky, but should still be quite soft and supple.
So that’s it! This is my go-to nut roll recipe and has been for years, and I hope I’ve made it a little bit easier for you to tackle it. At first glance it might look like a lot of work (8 nut roll!) but it’s really not a lot of hands-on time and they only require one (long) rise, so totally doable. I made my Christmas batch last week and managed to get them totally mixed and assembled in an hour while Joseph was at preschool and Dominic was napping. I left them to rise and baked later that afternoon. Done!
You can buy nut roll from bakeries and tons of churches in this area around the holidays, but I’m always surprised once I dig in and tackle them at how uncomplicated they are. If you’ve been too intimidated to try nut roll before, have no fear! I’ve also successfully scaled this recipe, so if you don’t need this many nut roll, feel free to cut it in half.
In a word, this nut roll recipe is spectacular. Too often I’ve had nut roll that are doughy and dry and/or don’t have enough filling. The dough for this recipe is very, very soft, and the filling is supremely moist. Plus, the filling-to-dough ratio is very high, which keeps everything from drying out and packs a ton of flavor into even the smallest of slices.
I hope you’ll give these a try and that they become one of your Christmas traditions as well!
Five years ago: Ho Ho Cake
Six years ago: Chocolate Bourbon Balls
Nut Roll Recipe
Ingredients
For the Dough:
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- ½ cup (125 ml) warm water
- 2 ounces (56.7 g) cake yeast or 3 packets (6¾ teaspoons) active dry yeast
- 6 eggs
- 16 ounces (453.59 ml) sour cream
- 2 cups (454 g) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
- 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon (0.5 teaspoon) salt
- 9 to 10 cups (1.13 kg) grams all-purpose flour
For the Filling:
- 3 pounds (1.36 kg) walnuts, finely ground
- 3 cups (600 g) granulated sugar
- ¾ cup (170.25 g) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
- ¾ cup (192 ml) evaporated milk
- ½ cup (122 ml) whole milk
- ½ teaspoon (0.5 teaspoon) vanilla extract
Instructions
- Make the Dough: Dissolve 1 teaspoon sugar into the ½ cup warm water (if using fresh cake yeast, the water temperature should be between 90 to 95 degrees F; if using active dry yeast, the water temperature should be 120 to 130 degrees F). Crumble the fresh yeast or sprinkle the active dry yeast and stir to combine. Let sit for 5 to 10 minutes, or until foaming.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer using the paddle attachment, beat the eggs on medium speed until combined, about 1 minute. Add the sour cream, melted butter, sugar, vanilla, salt and the softened yeast. Mix on medium speed until smooth and well-combined, about 2 to 3 minutes. Switch to the dough hook, reduce the mixer speed to low, and add the flour a little at a time, until the dough does not feel sticky but is still soft and supple. Continue kneading until the dough does not stick to the sides of the bowl. Cover with a damp dish towel while you prepare the filling.
- Make the Filling: In a large bowl, combine all of the ingredients for the filling, stirring well to ensure that it is completely mixed and all of the ingredients are incorporated.
- Assemble the Nut Roll: Line four baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. Divide the dough into eight pieces. On a clean work surface and one at a time, roll each piece out into a 9x14-inch rectangle, using flour if necessary to keep from sticking. Spread one-eighth of the filling to within ½-inch of the edges. With the long side in front of you, roll up gently and pinch the seams shut. Place on the prepared baking sheets, 2 rolls per sheet. Cover loosely with plastic wrap. Repeat with all eight pieces of dough. Place the baking sheets in a draft-free area and allow to rise for 3 hours (the rolls will puff and swell but will not look huge).
- Bake the Nut Roll: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Bake one pan at a time for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the tops are lightly browned. Cool completely before slicing. Wrap leftovers tightly in plastic wrap and store at room temperature for up to 1 week. The nut roll can be frozen by wrapping in plastic wrap, then again in foil, and stored in the freezer for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature.
Notes
- If you do not have a stand mixer, you can mix and knead this dough by hand.
- You can cut this recipe in half to make only four rolls instead of eight.
Did you make this recipe?
Leave a review below, then snap a picture and tag @thebrowneyedbaker on Instagram so I can see it!
This recipe was originally published on January 10, 2011.
Wonderful!
My Hungarian grandmother used to make the best nut roll but her recipe was never written down. This is perfect and tastes just like hers! I rolled them loosely as suggested in the comments and had no problems with the dough splitting.
Thank you for sharing!
Hi I am a professional baker. I made this recipe based off of the Wonderfull reviews. The filling was great! The dough was not good. It split and it tasted extremely yeasty. I followed the directions. I also had my ingredients at room temp. I am sorry to say I threw them out. I will keep researching and maybe use this filling with another dough. Sorry to say this, I was really looking forward to it.
You must’ve not made the dough the right way.
I make these and my Grandmas ancient nutroll recipe. Both are divine!
A “Professional Baker” would know that overproofing, overmeasuring, underkneading and rolling too tight will cause your nut roll to split. With over 600 4+ star reviews….its you, not the dough.
Wonderful recipe; better than my great Gramma’s Polish recipe!
Shocking good.
How would you make the filling for a poppy seed roll? My Hungarian grandmother used to make it.
You can make your own (it involves finding bulk poppyseeds, boiling and grinding them, then cooking with sugar to form a syrup to bind them together). OR, you can buy a can of Solo poppyseed filling. The Solo tastes just like our neighbor’s homemade rolls.
I’ve been making these nut rolls for three years now. My friends tell me they’re the best they’ve ever tasted. The dough is a dream to work with. When I made 8 rolls from the recipe they were huge! This year I divided the dough into twelve and they were the perfect size for wrapping and gifting. One small note – I found the nut mixture hard to spread, so I zapped it in the microwave for a few seconds and it was perfectly spreadable. This recipe is the absolute best! Thank you.
length and width to roll 12 peices of dough, aproximate is fine thanks
Can you use instant yeast?
Has anyone added honey to this filling?
My Mother added honey to the nut filliing. It keeps it easy to spread and a little more sweetness. It’s delicious. I just found this recipe so I am making them this year and YES – I am adding honey. (Sorry, don’t know the amount. My Mom and I just say “add till it’s easy to work with and spread). Enjoy !!
Best recipe ever and they freeze really well……..I used to make these years ago fora Church holiday fundraiser and had lost the recipe…….grateful to find it posted.
My aunt Karen used to make these at Christmas time when i was young. She also made an apricot roll. I made these and the turned out wonderful. Thanks for the memories.
Coming from an Italian family and a mom who loved to bake, I can be a bit of a baked good “snob”. (No store bought pies allowed in my house-ha!) This is officially my go to recipe. THE best! And I love that it makes enough to share with my family and that it turns out perfect every time. It’s an Easter treat for everyone this year!
I have an old recipe from my 89 year old aunt from Pittsburgh. This is very similar, however mine did always split. I live at high altitude. Will that make a difference. Please respond before I venture into this again.
I have a question. I’m not very good at making dough, so I substitute refrigerated pizza dough instead. It works well but the dough being rolled up is either too doughy on the inside or the outside of the crust is “stiff” and difficult to cut. I bake it at 350F for 25 minutes. Can you recommend something that will make the dough bake well but not become stiff or hard.
Thanks, Frank
Quick question! I made this and while the taste was great, I found the dough to be really oily to work with. It never seemed to reach that “soft” dough phase, but I was too worried about adding too much flour, so I stopped at the 9 cups. Has this happened to you before?
I used Rhoades frozen bread dough and saved a lot of time! Let the dough rise then rolled it out. Mixed the walnut mixture and spread on dough. Rolled up and used a little melted butter to help keep dough together once rolled then brushed melted butter on top. Bake two rolls for 25 minutes. Delish! May Add cinnamon to nut filling for an extra spice!
My mother in law has been making Kolache for years, and it’s the only Christmas sweet my husband will eat. I came across your recipe and thought I’d try it out during Covid, when I knew we wouldn’t be seeing his family. I substitute pecans for the walnuts as I have a little sensitivity to the oils in the walnuts and it still tastes great! My husband thinks that this recipe is almost as good as his mom’s!
I have used this recipe for the last several years! My family loves this recipe. The only thing I changed was add another 16oz of walnuts and another cup of sugar for filling. I only let sit for about 1 hour so the dough is thinner. And I get more of the filing taste then dough. Ty for sharing this recipe years ago!!
Hands down best tasting dough I’ve made many of your recipes and they’re always fantastic
My father had a recipe for a nut roll that he used to make with his mother. Dad would visit his mom in Germany and return with 4 or more nut and poppy seed rolls in his suitcase. I had the recipe for ingredients; however, next to nothing in the way of instructions. As I look over the recipe and the pictures it appears to be very close to what I remember as a kid. Thanks to the brown eyed baker I am going to try to reclaim a piece of our family’s Christmas table that has been lost for years.
Could u please put the recipe for half this way it will be perfect for me not good at doing it myself thank you so much.
Something Is wrong with this recipe. I weighed all of the ingredients to the recipe. All of the rolls split open at the sides oozing the filling onto the pan. After 25 minutes I removed them from the oven , a medium brown, none of them were cooked through. A waste of time and money.
Hi I am a professional baker. I made this recipe based off of the Wonderfull reviews. The filling was great! The dough was not good. It spilt and it tasted extremely yeasty. I followed the directions. I also had my ingredients at room temp. I am sorry to say I threw them out. I will keep researching and maybe use this filling with another dough. Sorry to say this, I was really looking forward to it.
Hi, I have made this recipe for Christmas every year since 2018.
It is a great recipe. I do make 16 nut rolls instead of 8, easier for me to handle and then I’m not giving someone 1/2 a nut roll. I have also made this recipe using 1/2 the ingredients, very easy to do so. I have a friend who cannot have walnuts so I make the filing with pecans instead. I also use ready made poppyseed filing that I buy at a Polish market. I also wrap the rolls in parchment paper before I bake them, that helps to hold them together and helps stop cracking during baking.
I’ve been using this recipe for 4 years and it has become a staple for the holidays. Absolutely delicious recipe with easy to follow directions. My family anxiously awaits my baking day.
I made this recipe last year it turned out great. I’m not sure what I did wrong this afternoon, this year I used my new stand mixer that I got for a gift, the dough was really sticky no matter how much flour I added.I had mixer on medium before I realized it, put it on low after could that have done it? I threw out the dough, I want to try it again but kinda nervous about it.
I would like to try this but only 1/2. So it would be 1/2 of the listed teaspoon amount of yeast?? Also do you need to prick rolls with fork prior to baking?
avoid using brown sugar that has been softened using apple slice i ruined 6 nut rolls because they were dry
I’ve made this every year for the Christmas season and it’s absolutely incredible and perfect in every way! I need to make a version without dairy, refined sugar, and gluten for guests this year and am wondering if you think I could pull it off still, referencing your recipe- any suggestions?
I made there yesterday, made a 1/2 recipe let me tell you they are Definitely Delicious 😊I did add more vanilla then it called for ! The texture and the nut feeling is fabulous oh and the last one I rolled up
I did add some honey, we will be enjoying theme on thanksgiving day with my family …. I can’t thank you enough for this recipe there so close to the ones my mother in law use to make 🎄😊🦃
This recipe is really good and I like only 1 rise, I made it last year, I kneaded it by hand and it came out wonderful,my son got me a kitchen aid stand mixer that Christmas. I’m looking forward to making it for the holidays. Thanks for sharing such a wonderful recipe. Marie
I have been looking on Pinterest for a nut roll recipe for two years. My mother was Slovak and her previous church women made these rolls with nuts, poppy seeds, or lekvar. They were beautiful and delicious. Each one of my siblings got to choose their special flavor. The nut roll slices always had a place on my mom’s holiday tray. This recipe is the only one I could find with exact ingredients and clear cut instructions. Thank you so much. I will comment again after I make them this Christmas 2022!
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