3 Ingredient walnut cookies (sometimes called Persian Walnut Cookies) that are soft and chewy and oh so easy to make. This ground walnut cookie recipe is healthy (with brown sugar), also vegetarian, gluten-free and low calorie.
Me and these walnut cookies go way back. I first tried making them when I was about ten, spending the summer at my gran’s farmhouse. It was one of those scorching afternoons when you’re better off indoors, so I thought—why not have a go in the kitchen?
While Gran was in the other room having a rest, I grabbed a mixing bowl, a couple of eggs, and a pile of finely chopped walnuts, and set to work. Her recipe notebook said, “separate the egg whites from the yolks,” but I figured—nah, can’t be that important. Plus, how do you even do that? She didn’t have a mixer either, so I took a fork and gave the eggs a good beating before chucking in the walnuts and jumbling it all together like mad.
Gran must’ve heard the racket—she thought I’d be tucked up with a book—and popped her head in just as I was mid-whisk. When I proudly explained my “technique,” she burst out laughing.
That first batch? Let’s just say… it was more enthusiasm than success. But my love for these simple, ridiculously moreish cookies stuck. The recipe’s come a long way since then—in fact, I reckon it’s a cracking walnut cookie by anyone’s standards. No exaggeration.
INGREDIENTS & Substitutions
- Walnuts, finely chopped. Or other type of nuts like almonds or hazelnuts.
- Brown Sugar – or white works too.
- Egg whites – check out my recipe for leftover egg yolks to use the egg yolks that are not needed.
- Spices, optional – cinnamon, nutmeg, ect.
HOW TO MAKE (BULGARIAN) GROUND WALNUT COOKIES
1st: Beat egg whites into stiff peaks. Add chopped walnuts and sugar.
2nd: Combine gently and shape cookies with spoon. Bake in the oven and let cool. Enjoy.
NOTE: Try not to mix too hard in order to preserve the air in the egg whites. Watch baking time as they burn out quickly.
POSSIBLE VARIATIONS TO these healthy WALNUT COOKIES
This 3 ingredient walnut cookie recipe is as basic as one can get. If you wish, you can enrich the taste by adding nutmeg, cinnamon, vanilla extract and/or other spices by choice.
A rule of thumb I recommend following is that they stay moist – you should be easily able to mix the dry ingredients within egg whites without leaving the cookie mix look dry and crumbly.
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BEST Walnut Cookies (GLUTEN FREE & only 3 Ingredients)
Ingredients
- 3 large eggs (egg whites needed) divided
- 2 cups walnuts finely chopped
- 1/3 cup brown sugar
- cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla optional
Instructions
- Divide egg whites from egg yolks. Set egg yolks aside ( see above for waste-free tip).
- In a large mixing bowl, beat egg whites until stiff peaks are formed (approx. 3-4 min on high speed mixer)
- In a food processor, place walnuts and brown sugar and pulse until finely chopped. Then measure 2, 1/3 cups and pour into beaten egg whites.
- Gently (!) mix walnuts, sugar and egg whites until foam like cookie dough is well combined. Try to preserve the air as much as possible.
- Using a spoon/ small-ish ice cream scoop, place cookie dough on baking paper, while gently forming flat cookies.
- Bake in preheated oven (180C/360F) for around 10-15 min or until cookies turn light brown.
- Leave to cool and tuck in.
Notes
- It’s important to beat egg whites to stiff peaks; otherwise cookies will not turn good.
- While mixing chopped walnuts with egg whites and/or placing on baking paper – do not press or mix too hard. That way most of the air will be preserved.
Nutrition
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Thank you for posting this. Close enough to an old family recipe that I lost in a move.
Glad you like it 🙂
Great cookies, we loved them