Chewy walnut cookies

These chewy walnut cookies are nutty and sweet, with a crunchy shell and a chewy center. Made with a few ingredients and a simple technique, you can bake them now or later. If you are wondering what to do with egg whites left from another recipe, here is the perfect recipe.

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Why you’ll love this recipe?

When you get a compliment like, “These are the best walnut cookies I’ve ever tried,” you know you did well. When I make a good recipe, I want to share it with you, and hopefully you’ll like it too. Very often, I have egg whites left from other recipes, such as pastry cream or crème brûlée, and often wonder what to make with them. You can simply freeze egg whites and use them when needed or make chewy walnut cookies like these or financiers, for example.

This cookie recipe is made with six simple ingredients, it’s gluten-free, and it doesn’t require any special skills to make. Another plus is that you can make the cookie dough in advance, refrigerate it, and bake the cookies the next day. They are perfectly sweet, chewy, nutty, and delicious.

Recipe Ingredients

Egg whites. They bind everything together and are the perfect use if you have leftover egg whites.

Walnuts. Make sure to roast the walnuts before grinding them if they are not roasted already. Roasted walnuts have a different texture compared to raw walnuts. They are crunchier, they grind better, and they release more aroma and oils after baking, making the cookies extra yummy.

Cornstarch. Just a bit of cornstarch makes these cookies extra chewy and light at the same time. Don’t skip on it.

How to make chewy walnut cookies?

Note! For exact measurements and detailed directions, see the recipe card below.

Step 1: Grind the walnuts and set aside.

Step 2: Beat the egg whites in a bain-marie.

Step 3: Add the sugar and beat until soft peaks form.

Step 4: Fold in the rest of the ingredients, cover, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

Step 5: Scoop each cookie and place it on a parchment paper-lined tray.

Step 6: Bake until crackly and golden brown. Transfer the cookies to a cooling rack.

Additions and substitutions

• If you don’t have walnuts or don’t like them, you can substitute pretty much any other nuts, like pecans, almonds, or cashews.
• To substitute cornstarch, you can add the same amount of flour or arrowroot, tapioca, or potato starch.
• You can also add some spices like cinnamon or nutmeg.
• I’ve tried adding brown sugar, but the cookies turned out way too soft. If you want to use brown sugar, use no more than two tablespoons so you don’t lose the perfect crispy shell texture.
• You can’t go wrong with chocolate chips. Add 1/4-1/2 cup to make chewy chocolate chip walnut cookies.

Storage and reheating

Keep the cookies on a plate or in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5-7 days. After making the cookie dough, you can portion it into individual cookie balls and freeze them for up to 3 months. Bake straight from the freezer, but add 1-2 minutes more to the baking time.

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Let’s connect!

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