Fluffy buns with a super nutty and moist walnut-cinnamon filling. The easy sugar icing takes the buns to the next level.
These walnut rolls are just like the ones you’ll get at Austrian bakeries. They are one of the most beloved baked treats in Austria. I dare to say, that every Austrian bakery offers them. In German, they are called ‘Nussschnecke’. Yes, that’s three s.
Walnut buns consist of three components:
Dough: A fluffy yeast dough. I use my foolproof go-to yeast dough recipe, which makes for a super soft dough.
Filling: The heart of every walnut bun is the moist, nutty filling. I use ground walnuts (aka walnut meal or walnut flour) in this recipe, but you can substitute ground hazelnuts too. Do not use too much cinnamon – the nuts are the star here!
Sugar glaze: Walnut rolls taste great plain or with dusted sugar too, but a subtle sugar glaze makes them extra delicious. This is exactly how bakeries in Austria sell them.
How to make walnut cinnamon buns – Austrian-style
Start by making the yeast dough. You can make the dough by hand or in a stand mixer with the dough hook attachment. I recommend the latter since the dough is quite sticky.
Roll the dough into a 10 x 20-inch (25×50 cm) rectangle. Distribute the nut filling evenly …
… then spread out the filling evenly over the entire surface of the dough.
Roll up the dough into a 10-inch (25 cm) long log.
Cut dough into 1-inch (2.5 cm) slices.
Arrange buns onto two baking sheets lined with parchment paper, keeping them spaced apart. Let rolls rest at room temperature for 20 minutes, until slightly risen but not doubled in size.
After 20 minutes, brush he buns with egg wash before baking.
Bake the buns until lightly golden brown, about 15-20 minutes at 375 °F (190 °C) using top and bottom heat.
Let the buns briefly cool before applying the sugar icing; they should still be warm though.
As for the sugar icing, I use the easiest icing possible: powdered sugar and milk. I simply brush the buns unevenly and only coat them lightly. This way they are not too sweet. Let icing set, about 10 minutes.
Video Walnut Cinnamon Buns
Enjoy!
Fluffy walnut buns with the best (easy!) filling and a subtle sugar glaze. For the filling, you’ll need ground walnuts aka walnut meal or walnut flour. If you can’t find it in the stores, you can use 2 cups whole walnuts and grind them finely (!) in a mouli grater or food processor. You can substitute ground hazelnuts as well. Walnuts and hazelnuts are both traditional fillings, sometimes even as a blend.
The powdered sugar icing is optional but will take the buns to the next level – just like the ones from the Viennese bakery.
Recipe: Ursula | lilvienna.com
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 cups (300 ml) warm milk
- 5 tablespoons (65 g) granulated sugar
- 2 1/4 teaspoons (7 g) instant or active dry yeast
- 5 tablespoons (70 g) unsalted butter, melted and lightly cooled
- 1 large egg
- 4 cups (530 g) bread flour (all-purpose works too), plus more for dusting
- 1 1/4 teaspoons (7 g) fine salt
- 1/3 cup + 1 tablespoon (100 ml) milk
- 5 tablespoons (65 g) granulated sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon (if you love cinnamon, add an additional 1/2 teaspoon)
- 1/2 teaspoon grated organic lemon zest (optional, but recommended)
- 2 loosely packed cups (7 oz / 200 g) finely ground walnuts, see intro
- 1 egg yolk + 2 teaspoons milk
- 2/3 cups (80 g) powdered sugar, first measured, then sifted
- 1 1/2 tablespoons (20 ml) milk
Instructions
- You can make the dough by hand (see note) or in a stand mixer with the dough hook attachment. I recommend the latter since the dough is quite sticky.
- In a large bowl of a stand mixer, add warm milk and sugar. Sprinkle instant yeast on top and let sit for 1 minute (or 5 minutes if using active dry yeast). Add the melted butter and egg, stirring to combine.
- Add salt and roughly half the flour (simply eyeball it), mix until combined. Add in the remaining flour and knead until the dough is smooth and elastic, about 7 minutes on medium low. The dough should clear the sides of the bowl and be slightly sticky. Add 1 or 2 tablespoons additional flour if necessary.
- Place dough inside an oiled bowl. Turn to coat and cover with a fitting lid or plastic wrap. (At this point you could do an overnight rise in the fridge, see note.) Allow to rise until doubled in size, about 1 to 1 1/2 hours, depending on the room temperature. Meanwhile prepare the filling.
- Combine milk, sugar, cinnamon, and lemon zest if desired, in a medium saucepan. Heat until it starts to steam (no need to boil), stirring often, until sugar dissolves. Add the ground nuts, stir and remove from the heat. The filling should resemble porridge texture-wise. It will firm up a bit while cooling. It is easier to spread when rather soft. Set aside to cool.
- After the dough has doubled in size, put it on a well-floured counter and roll it out into a 10 x 20-inch (25x50 cm) rectangle. While rolling, often flour dough and counter underneath to prevent sticking.
- Spread out the filling evenly over the entire surface of the dough, using the back of a spoon. Roll up the dough into a 10-inch (25 cm) long log. Position it seam side down. Cut dough into 1-inch (2.5 cm) slices, about 12 pieces.
- Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and arrange 6 buns onto each sheet, keeping them spaced apart. Let rolls rest at room temperature for 20 minutes, until slightly risen but not doubled in size. It’s really more a resting than rising. No need to cover them. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 375 °F (190 °C) using top and bottom heat.
- Mix egg yolk and milk and brush the buns. Bake each sheet individually until lightly golden brown, about 15-20 minutes. If baking two sheets at once, rotate them after 10 minutes. Baking time might increase by a few minutes. Let briefly cool before applying the icing; they should still be warm though.
- In a medium bowl, mix together the sifted sugar and milk with a spoon until smooth. Add more milk, as necessary, to achieve desired consistency. Use immediately.
- Apply icing with a brush on the still warm buns. Simply brush them unevenly and only coat them lightly. Let icing set, about 10 minutes, then enjoy!
Notes
Make the dough by hand:
The dough is rather sticky, so I start by mixing the ingredients in a bowl with a wooden cooking spoon until the ingredients form a shaggy dough. Then, knead by hand in the bowl for a few minutes. Only add additional flour as needed to handle the dough. Transfer to a well-floured counter and knead for about 5 minutes. The dough should feel slightly sticky and moist. If it’s awfully sticky, add some flour, tablespoon by tablespoon. After rising, it is much easier to handle.
Make ahead / Overnight rise:
You can do the first rise of the unshaped dough overnight (10-15 hours) in the fridge. Here is how: As soon as you place the dough into a greased bowl to rise, cover it tightly with a fitting lid or plastic wrap and let it rest for 20 minutes at room temperature (it will not rise at all or only a bit), then refrigerate overnight. Before rolling and filling the dough the next day, allow it to rest at room temperature while you prepare the filling.
Thank you for such a wonderful recipe. I veganized it and the result was amazing. Delicious!
Hi Alex,
I’m so happy that the walnut buns turned out delicious! Love that you made a vegan version :) Thanks so much for letting me know!
Ursula