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Walnut Cookies are tender buttery sweet cookies with a center of chewy brown sugar, walnut, and sour cream filling.

Cookies with walnuts on blue plate

Walnut Frosties

I have no idea where the name Walnut Frosties originated, but my friend Margaret shared a batch of these cookies with us a while back, and with the very first bite, I asked her if she’d pretty please share the recipe with me.

She was kind enough to do so and now I’m willing to bet that you’re going to love these Walnut Frosties every bit as much as we do!

The cookie is a brown sugar drop type of cookie. The brown sugar and butter combination makes for the perfect cookie base for the nutty filling.

The filling combination of walnuts, sour cream, and brown sugar bakes up into a sweet Brulee-like crust on top of the buttery cookie.

To achieve the perfectly filled cookie use your thumb or the back of a melon baller to create a circular indent in the cookie. Then fill the cookie with the walnut filling. Don’t be afraid to overfill just a bit as it will bake down and fill the indentation nicely.

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thumbprint cookie with walnut filling on baking sheet

If your cookies spread too much while baking chances are your butter was too soft when you started. If the dough seems too soft to me I like to bake a test pan with 2-3 cookies on it first to see how much they spread. Refrigerate the dough for 30 minutes or so to firm it up if it spreads too much.

My friend shared that traditionally they make these at Christmas. She had no clue why, it was just what they do. However as delicious as they are I am making them year around!

Walnut cookies on plate with a flowered napkin

Walnut Cookies Recipe

  • butter softened
  • brown sugar
  • egg
  • vanilla extract
  • flour
  • baking soda
  • salt
  • walnuts chopped
  • sour cream
hand holding a holiday cookie with walnuts

Brown Sugar Walnut Cookies

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Cream together butter and sugar until smooth and combined. Mix in the egg and vanilla. Sift the flour, baking soda, and salt. Add to the wet ingredients.
  2. In a separate bowl combine the chopped walnuts, ½ cup of brown sugar and the sour cream.
  3. Using a 1½ inch cookie scoop place scoops of dough on a silpat or parchment lined baking sheet. Make a thumbprint indentation into each cookie and fill with a generous teaspoon of the walnut filling.
  4. Bake for 11-12 minutes until just starting to turn brown. Remove from the oven and let cool for 5 minutes on the baking sheet. Place cookies on a wire rack to finish cooling.
Cookies with walnuts on pottery plate

Cookies and cookie recipes are meant to be shared. Whether it is taking a plate to the neighbors or trading recipes with friends. It doesn’t get much better than sharing all things cookies over a cup of coffee.

It is no secret that I keep a full cookie jar. I have a house full of boys constantly on the prowl for a snack. Oatmeal cookies are such a versatile classic. The nuttiness of the oatmeal and sweet chocolate hit the spot when the mid-afternoon munchies come on.

You only need a handful of ingredients to make these chewy, chocolate and peanut butter-filled Peanut Butter Cookie Cups.

Crisp and chewy at the same time, the best Monster Cookie recipes are loaded with all of my favorite great cookie flavors. Oats, peanut butter, chocolate chips, and even a drop of maple syrup all combine to make my grandmother’s Monster Cookies.

4.74 from 30 votes

Walnut Cookies

Avatar photoMary Younkin
Walnut Cookies are tender buttery sweet cookies with a center of chewy brown sugar, walnut, and sour cream filling.
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 12 minutes
Total Time: 22 minutes
Servings: 24 cookies
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Ingredients 

  • ½ cup butter softened
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • ¼ teaspoon salt

Walnut Filling

  • 1 cup walnuts chopped
  • ½ cup brown sugar
  • ¼ cup sour cream

Instructions 

  • Preheat the oven to 350°F. Cream together butter and sugar until smooth and combined. Mix in the egg and vanilla. Sift the flour, baking soda, and salt. Add to the wet ingredients.
  • In a separate bowl combine the chopped walnuts, ½ cup of brown sugar and the sour cream.
  • Using a 1½ inch cookie scoop place scoops of dough on a silpat or parchment lined baking sheet. Make a thumbprint indentation into each cookie and fill with a generous teaspoon of the walnut filling.
  • Bake for 11-12 minutes until just starting to turn brown. Remove from the oven and let cool for 5 minutes on the baking sheet. Place cookies on a wire rack to finish cooling.

Nutrition

Calories: 164 kcal | Carbohydrates: 22 g | Protein: 2 g | Fat: 8 g | Saturated Fat: 3 g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3 g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2 g | Trans Fat: 0.2 g | Cholesterol: 18 mg | Sodium: 85 mg | Potassium: 58 mg | Fiber: 1 g | Sugar: 14 g | Vitamin A: 144 IU | Vitamin C: 0.1 mg | Calcium: 22 mg | Iron: 1 mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Walnut Cookies on floral napkin

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Rating




85 Comments

  1. Sheryl MacLaughlin says:

    How do you store these cookies since the topping has sour cream?

    1. Mary Younkin says:

      Hi, Sheryl. You can refrigerate the cookies for a few days.

    2. Debbie Stten says:

      These turned out PERFECT!!! Sooooo yummy! I decided to try them again using almond flour and almond extract…. Oh, and I was out of sour cream so used Greek unflavored yogurt… and did not change any measurements. Turned out just as perfect and the almond flavor was just as awesome. Love this recipe!!! Family and friends loved them too.5 stars

    3. Mary Younkin says:

      I’m so glad you enjoyed them!

  2. Melissa Lightle says:

    Hi! These are the best!! However, I’ve been struggling with making the indent with the back of the cookie scoop and the dough sticks to it :>( I tried using a smidgen of nonstick spray but the cookies came out flat and a little greasy. Any suggestions? Thank you!!!5 stars

    1. Mary Younkin says:

      If you dampen the scoop with just water (or just use your thumb) it may work better for you. I’m glad you’re enjoying the cookies and hopefully we can make them a little less fussy for you!

  3. Marjorie says:

    My cookies turned out brown as yours are whit

    1. Mary Younkin says:

      Were the cookies over-baked? or burnt? They should be a light brown color, but not really “brown” at all.

  4. Rebekah Whitla says:

    These r the best cookies I’ve ever made!! Everyone that had some wands more!! What a great recipe!!! Thank you thank you!!! 😊5 stars

    1. Mary Younkin says:

      I’m so glad you like them, Rebekah!

  5. Joyce Mitchell says:

    I made these tonight; they are very good and delicious. I think I would make them again for an occasion rather than as a weekly cookie because they are very rich and my fridge is not very big.4 stars

    1. Mary Younkin says:

      I’m so glad you like them, Joyce!

  6. Paul Segall says:

    recipe looks good – am going to make a batch shortly and have high hopes – would be easier to work the recipe if you listed ingredients with weights (grams) rather than just by volume – many of us feel weighing out ingredients gives a better result – sally’s baking addiction is a great site that does this – just a suggestion……

  7. Colleen says:

    Do these freeze well?

    1. Mary Younkin says:

      The cookies freeze nicely, Colleen.

  8. Dee says:

    I made these using gluten free flour and they came out great.5 stars

    1. Mary Younkin says:

      I’m so glad you like them, Dee!

  9. Patti says:

    I have been making these for 40 years, they were in my Mom’s Good Housekeeping or Better Homes and Garden magazine in their annual Christmas cookie edition and they called them Walnut Frosties. My dad loved these but so does everyone else. For in the indentation, make the dough into a ball and then use your fingers to work the sides up all around into a shallow little cup. It takes a little more time but worth it. I always make 1 &1/2 of the filling so I have enough to fill them up since the filling is what makes them so good.5 stars

    1. Mary Younkin says:

      I’m thrilled that you love them too!

  10. Deborah Parsons says:

    These cookies are simply irresistible! They were quick and easy to make and delicious! The creamy walnut center is the best! Give them a try. You’ll be glad you did!5 stars

    1. Mary Younkin says:

      I’m happy to hear that you’re enjoying them!

  11. Leanne says:

    I made these cookies this afternoon, and they are wonderful. “Most” of them made it into the freezer for Christmas. I’ve been baking for 45 years and had never come across this recipe. Thank you for sharing!5 stars

    1. Mary Younkin says:

      How fun! I’m glad you enjoyed the new recipe!

  12. cheryl says:

    can you leave the sour crean out, i cant refrigerate my cookie tray?

    1. Mary Younkin says:

      The sour cream is required for the filling. However, I do not refrigerate these cookies.

  13. Terri Reh says:

    I doubled the recipe and for the filling the ingredients came to 1 cup of brown sugar but in the directions it called for a half a cup. Which is it????3 stars

    1. Mary Younkin says:

      When doubling the recipe, the ingredients in the list are doubled using the tool calculator. Unfortunately, there’s no way to automatically change what I have written out to clarify things in writing. (i.e. saying to only add 1/2 cup of brown sugar to the filling, vs the full amount listed for the recipe)

  14. Kerry says:

    My family loved these. I am making them again for Christmas.5 stars

    1. Barefeet in the Kitchen Team says:

      Thank you for the kind words! Wishing you and your family a Merry one!

  15. Juliet says:

    I added 1/4 cup of white chocolate chips to the filling. turned out so good 😊

    1. Mary Younkin says:

      I bet that is delicious!

  16. Tiffany says:

    followed the recipe exactly and these cookies turned out great, thanks!5 stars

    1. Barefeet in the Kitchen Team says:

      I’m so glad that you liked them!

  17. Brenda Williams says:

    Can these be made into a bar cookie? Thinking about doubling the recipe and use a sheet pan.

  18. Brenda Williams says:

    It worked making it a pan cookie.5 stars

    1. Mary Younkin says:

      That’s great, Brenda!