Walnut Shortbread Balls

For this cookie, I’ve taken a shortbread recipe, stuffed it with chopped walnuts, baked them into balls, and dipped them in melted chocolate. Walnut Shortbread Balls are a new take on a Christmas classic!

Every Christmas cookie tin needs to have at least one cookie that’s dipped in chocolate. Am I right? For me, that cookie is Walnut Shortbread Balls . Everyone loves shortbread, anyway. But, if you dip it in chocolate, it becomes even better!

Should you be new here, let me tell you a bit about how this works. This is my third annual Christmas cookie extravaganza. Like the previous two years, I will post a brand new Christmas cookie recipe for 24 consecutive days. Yes, that means Saturdays and Sundays too! For your reference, you can find links to the first two years further down the page.

Fresh off of my 12 Biscotti of Christmas series, I’m excited about this new series. Last year, I also did 12 Bundt Cakes of Christmas. Now, who’s ready to get started on today’s cookie with me? Let me ask you again today. Do you have your flour and sugar ready? Are your walnuts chopped? Is your apron on and your oven preheated? Good! Let’s get to it!

TOASTING WALNUTS

The first thing you should do it to toast your walnuts. How do you do that? It’s very simple! To be perfectly honest, this applies to any nuts or seeds, not just the walnuts for this recipe. If you are not familiar with toasted nuts, then please try it just once. You will probably never revert to using nuts in your cooking or baking again without toasting them first!

I have tried using non-stick frying pans for toasting, but nothing works as well as a stainless steel pan. See the frying pan in this picture? That’s the exact one that I use all the time. I’m not suggesting you buy the same cookware set, but I wanted you to see the pan – remember, do not use non-stick if possible. You’ll get better results will plain stainless steel.

So, unlike most cooking where you’re required to preheat first, you don’t want to apply that same rule to toasting nuts. Add the walnuts to a cold pan. Place the pan on the burner and turn the heat on – no higher than medium and probably even less if using a gas burner.

Keep the nuts moving about. I use a rubber spatula. Once you start to smell that warm and toasty aromatic smell, pay close attention. The nuts will take on a slightly golden colour. Don’t let them get too dark. Once you’re satisfied, immediately remove them from the hot pan and transfer them to a dinner plate where they can be spread out to cool.

MORE CHRISTMAS COOKIE RECIPES!

Did you know that I’ve been posting a 24 Cookies of Christmas series for a few years now? There are over 100 Christmas cookie recipes that you can find right here at Lord Byron’s Kitchen! To make it easier to find, I have created a page for each series. Just click on the image below and you’ll find the full series for that volume all one page!

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ROLLING THIS COOKIE DOUGH INTO BALLS CAN BE TRICKY!

Okay, full disclosure here. The dough for Walnut Shortbread Balls is not fun to work with. The trade off? Really great tasting cookies! You just need to practice a little bit of patience. I would not recommend making these cookies if you are already stressed!

If you have ever worked with shortbread dough before, you will know that in 99% of the case, the dough is rolled flat and cut into shapes. In this case, the dough is rolled into balls. That in itself wouldn’t be such a big deal, but when you add chopped walnuts to the mix, it becomes a little challenging.

Don’t fret! It’s totally possible to get perfect little balls without losing your religion. Here’s how I did it. Scoop up about a tablespoon of the cookie dough. It’s a crumbly dough, but it will stick to itself. Massage the dough in your hand by squeezing it gently until it is kneaded together. Gently roll into a ball and place on the baking sheet.

HERE IS WHAT YOU WILL NEED:

• Butter – Make sure your butter is at room temperature! To be perfectly honest, I have made these with both salted and unsalted butter and there’s no difference in taste or appearance once all is said and done. Use what you have on hand.
• Sugar – There’s just enough to add a little bit of sweetness.
• Flour – No need for anything special. Just use regular all-purpose flour. I have not tried this recipe with any other type of flour.
• Walnuts – You will need to chop the walnuts if you didn’t already buy them that way. Also, you will get a better flavour if you toast the walnuts first. See the section above about toasting walnuts.
• Chocolate Chips – I use chocolate chips a lot in my recipes, and I change up the type depending on how I feel.  Unless the recipe states otherwise, you can use milk, semi-sweet, or dark chips.
• Coconut Oil – This is completely optional. I like to use a little bit of coconut oil in the melted chocolate to get a thinner consistency. If you don’t add any, your chocolate coating on the balls will be thicker. Nothing wrong with that!

STORING, PACKAGING, AND FREEZING

If you plan to freeze these Walnut Shortbread Balls, you certainly can! Once they are completely cooled, pile them into a clean, food-safe container. The container must be freezer friendly! You’ll want to ensure a very tight fitting lid too. (I use these quite often when freezing baked goods.) I like to place a sheet of plastic wrap over the top of the container before pushing the lid on. This helps to create a better seal. The goal is to keep all of that cookie freshness locked in!

You can freeze these cookies for up to three months. If you plan to give the frozen cookies as a gift, I would lay them out onto a wire cooling rack to thaw. Once thawed, dust liberally again with the confectioner’s sugar. Pile into cellophane bags and tie with a ribbon, or stack in a cookie tin/box.

MORE CHRISTMAS CONFECTIONS!

In some cases, we want more than a cookie. That’s why I have two more Christmas-themed collections you might want to consider. The first, is my 12 Bundt Cakes of Christmas, and the second is my 12 Biscotti of Christmas. Click on the image below to see each collection all on one page with links to each recipe!

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CONCLUSION:

As I said, every day I will be posting a new recipe. If you miss one, don’t fret. You can find my entire collection of Christmas Recipes right here! There are over 100 Christmas recipes and counting. There’s something for everyone! Cheers!

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