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Italian Nut Roll Cookies – Tender, Buttery & Filled with Sweet Spiced Walnut Goodness

These Italian Nut Roll Cookies (also known as Cucidati Nut Rolls or Italian Walnut Filled Cookies) are a nostalgic holiday classic — tender, buttery pastry-style cookies wrapped around a rich, sweet, spiced nut filling. The dough is soft, slightly flaky, and lightly sweet. The filling — a luscious blend of finely ground walnuts, honey, cinnamon, vanilla, and brown sugar — is cozy, fragrant, and perfect for Christmas baking. Once baked, the rolls are sliced into beautiful spirals and dusted with powdered sugar for an elegant finish. They’re traditional, old-fashioned, and absolutely irresistible — like a cross between a soft cookie and a mini pastry. Perfect for holiday platters, gifting, or enjoying with coffee.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Servings: 25 Cookies
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes
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Ingredients
  

Dough
  • 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup unsalted butter softened
  • ½ cup granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • ¼ tsp salt
  • 1 tsp baking powder
Nut Filling
  • 2 cups finely ground walnuts
  • ½ cup brown sugar
  • ¼ cup honey
  • ¼ cup milk more if needed
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • Pinch of salt
Finishing
  • 1 egg + 1 tbsp water egg wash
  • Powdered sugar for dusting
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Equipment

  • Mixing bowls
  • Hand or stand mixer
  • Rolling Pin
  • Baking sheets
  • Parchment paper
  • Food processor (optional for grinding nuts)
  • Pastry brush
  • Cooling rack

Method
 

Step 1: Prepare the Dough
  1. In a large bowl, cream together:
  2. butter
  3. sugar
  4. Beat 2–3 minutes until smooth and fluffy.
  5. Add:
  6. eggs
  7. vanilla
  8. Mix until fully combined.
  9. In a separate bowl whisk:
  10. flour
  11. baking powder
  12. salt
  13. Add dry ingredients to wet and mix until a soft dough forms.
  14. Divide into 2 discs, wrap, and chill 1 hour.
Step 2: Make the Nut Filling
  1. In a bowl mix:
  2. ground walnuts
  3. brown sugar
  4. honey
  5. milk
  6. cinnamon
  7. vanilla
  8. salt
  9. You want a spreadable paste.
  10. Add a splash more milk if too thick.
Step 3: Roll the Dough
  1. Lightly flour your surface.
  2. Roll each dough disc into a 10x12-inch rectangle.
  3. Spread half the nut filling evenly over the dough.
  4. Starting from the long end, roll tightly into a log.
  5. Repeat with second disc.
  6. Chill logs 15 minutes for clean cutting.
Step 4: Slice & Bake
  1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
  2. Using a sharp knife, slice logs into 1-inch pieces.
  3. Place on lined baking sheets.
  4. Brush tops lightly with egg wash.
  5. Bake 12–15 minutes until edges are lightly golden.
  6. Cool completely.
Step 5: Dust & Serve
  1. Once cooled, dust cookies generously with powdered sugar.
  2. Serve fresh or store for later — they get even better the next day.

Notes

🧊 Storage & Freezing

Room Temp: 5–7 days
Fridge: 10 days
Freezer: 2 months
Freeze baked cookies or freeze the unbaked logs and slice before baking.

🥄 Variations

Italian Fig Nut Rolls (Cucidati Style)
Add figs, dates, or orange zest to filling.
Chocolate Walnut Rolls
Add 2 tbsp cocoa powder to the filling.
Hazelnut Roll Cookies
Swap walnuts for hazelnuts or pecans.
Maple Walnut Rolls
Replace honey with maple syrup.
Almond Biscotti-Style Rolls
Add almond extract and almonds.
Pistachio Nut Rolls
Use pistachios + orange zest.
Glazed Nut Rolls
Drizzle with vanilla icing instead of powdered sugar.
Spiced Holiday Rolls
Add nutmeg + cloves.
Chocolate-Dipped Rolls
Dip half of each cookie in melted chocolate.
Sugar-Free Version
Swap sugar for monk fruit sweetener.

❓ 10 FAQs

Can I use pecans instead of walnuts?
Yes — pecans or hazelnuts both work.
My dough is sticky — what do I do?
Chill longer or add 1–2 tbsp flour.
Can I make these ahead?
Yes — they’re perfect for advance baking.
Why did my rolls crack?
Dough was too cold when rolling.
Do they need powdered sugar?
Not required, but traditional.
Can I double the batch?
Absolutely — great for gifting.
Can I add raisins?
Yes — finely chop and mix into filling.
Why are mine dry?
Overbaked — pull when lightly golden.
Can these be made gluten-free?
Use 1:1 GF flour blend.
Do they taste better the next day?
Yes — flavors deepen beautifully.

🏁 Conclusion

These Italian Nut Roll Cookies are tender, buttery, nutty, and filled with warm holiday spice — a nostalgic cookie that feels like it came straight from a grandmother’s Christmas kitchen. With soft pastry-like dough wrapped around a rich walnut filling, each cookie is a perfect little bite of holiday tradition.
Elegant, delicious, and perfect for festive cookie trays.