Here’s another Ukrainian/Eastern-European-inspired cookie recipe: Ukrainian-Style Walnut Ring Cookies, with Chocolate. In my research, I saw these both with chocolate like this, or with just walnuts held on with an egg wash and sprinkled with confectioner’s sugar. I guess it was how fancy one was being. Or what ingredients are on hand. The cookie dough is quite nice — mostly whole wheat flour (a little unusual for a cookie) and a touch of dark, buckwheat flour honey. As with many of the cookies that I am making, these are mostly made at Christmas time, so it feels a little strange to be making them in the run up to Easter, but oh well. They are yummy no matter what time of year.
Ingredients
1 cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons dark honey (I used buckwheat flower)
2 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
for the decoration
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts
You will also need a circular cookie cutter with a hole in the middle (I used a doughnut cutter, but you could also use two round cookie cutters or a round linzer cutter.
Directions
In mixing bowl, cream together unsalted butter, sugar, honey, vanilla extract and egg until light and fluffy. Beat in flours, baking powder, baking soda, and salt, until smooth and well combined dough is formed. Chill in refrigerator 2-3 hours or until firm enough to be rolled.
Preheat over to 400F. Roll out some of the dough on a well-floured surface to 1/4-inch thickness (be careful to get the surface even, otherwise you will have oddly-browned cookies. Also, do not roll the dough to thin, otherwise you will have hard cookies when they come out of the oven). Cut with cookie cutters. Place on cookie sheet lined with silpat or onto parchment paper. Refrigerate each tray for about ten minutes (this is very important for the cookies to hold their shape; do not skip this step!). Bake 10-12 minutes or until golden brown at the edges. Cool on wire rack. Repeat this with remaining dough.
Once all the cookies are completely cooled, melt your chocolate with the vegetable oil in a metal bowl set over a pot of lightly simmering water (or a double boiler). once the chocolate is melted, drizzle or spread with a small offset spatula a little bit of chocolate on each right and then immediately sprinkle with some walnuts. Place cookies on a tray for the chocolate to set. Serve immediately. Cookies can be stored in an airtight container for a number of weeks.
