Description
Delicious Chinese Walnut Cookies, also known as Hup Toh Soh, are traditional festive treats known for their rich, buttery texture and fragrant walnut flavor. Perfectly golden and crisp on the outside with a tender center, these cookies are ideal for every celebration and can be customized with a vegan option.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 3 cups Walnuts (plus 37-74 pieces for garnishing)
- 3.5 cups Cake Flour (can substitute with all-purpose flour)
- 2 cups Icing Sugar (plus 2½ tablespoons for glazing)
- 2 teaspoons Baking Powder (skip if using self-raising flour)
- 1 teaspoon Baking Soda
- 1-1.5 teaspoons Salt (optional)
- 1.25 cups Vegetable Oil (can use lard or margarine as alternatives)
- 2 Eggs (beaten; can skip for vegan version)
- 3-4 Egg Yolks (for glazing; can use almond milk and maple syrup for vegan option)
- Sesame Seeds (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat and Toast Walnuts: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Spread 3 cups of walnuts evenly on a lined baking tray. Toast them for 10-15 minutes until fragrant and golden brown. Remove from oven and let cool completely before processing.
- Prepare Walnut Meal and Dry Ingredients: Once cooled, pulse the toasted walnuts in a food processor until they form a coarse meal. In a large mixing bowl, sift together the cake flour, icing sugar, baking powder (if using), baking soda, and optional salt to ensure even distribution and no lumps.
- Combine Wet Ingredients with Dry: Stir in the beaten eggs into the dry ingredients until just combined. Gradually pour in the vegetable oil while mixing until a crumbly dough forms that can be shaped.
- Shape Cookies: Using your hands or a scooping tool, portion the dough into small balls. Gently press each ball into a flat disc shape and place them evenly spaced on a lined baking sheet.
- Glaze and Garnish: Brush the tops of the cookies with the egg yolk mixture for a glossy finish. Press one walnut piece or sprinkle sesame seeds on top of each cookie to garnish.
- Bake: Bake the cookies in the oven for 20-24 minutes, or until they turn golden brown. Remove from oven and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before serving.
Notes
- For a vegan version, omit the eggs and glaze with a mixture of almond milk and maple syrup.
- To achieve a tender crumb, avoid overmixing the dough once the wet and dry ingredients are combined.
- Walnut toasting enhances the flavor, so do not skip this step.
- Use cake flour for the softest cookies, but all-purpose flour is an acceptable substitute.
- Store cooled cookies in an airtight container to maintain freshness.
