Korpice/Walnut Basket Cookies

Korpice are one of those cookies that you see often but never think twice about because they’re so common. When I was little, this was one of my favorite cookies. I remember having these on holidays and special occasions and now that I think about it, I faintly remember sometimes seeing little handles on these cookies. But that would require more work and I’m here for making Balkan recipes simple so today I’m sharing just the basic recipe and you can modify how you like 🙂

It’s no surprise these incorporate walnuts in some way. It’s the most popular nut in the Balkans after all, making its way into pretty much 90% of desserts. If they’re not in a cake sponge, they’re in the filling, that’s just the way things it is. Our ancestors used what they had access to and as a child I remember grandmothers, aunts, and other female relatives would start gathering nuts in the fall to save for holidays coming up and for winter.

When you check out the recipe below, you’ll notice that the cookie base is slightly different than you’d maybe expect. The dough has yeast in it as well as egg yolks and milk which comes together to form something in between a dense cake and vanilla cookie texture. When they’re warm they are absolutely amazing. My favorite way to eat these is straight out of the oven without any powdered sugar. But that’s how enjoy most things; less sweet. In any case, if you’re not enjoying this right away I would definitely coat them in powdered sugar to help retain some moisture and hold up better. And also to get that traditional look.

These cookies are a great addition to any dessert table and hold up very well even a few days after being made! As long as you keep them in an airtight container, they’ll last for about a week at room temperature. Every time I make this recipe it takes me back to simpler times and brings back some wonderful memories of people, places, and important events. Did I mention they also make AMAZING Christmas cookies?

Looking for more dessert/cookie ideas? Check out the dessert section! And if you’re not following me over on Instagram I invite you to do that! It’s the perfect way to ask questions about a recipe, see more of my day-to-day, and see step-by-step recipes on my reels!

Korpice/Walnut Basket Cookies

Recipe by The Balkan HostessCourse: DessertCuisine: Balkan, Serbian

Servings

8

servings

Prep time

30

minutes

Cooking time

25

minutes

Korpice are an old-fashioned favorite that are a good idea all year round but especially during the holiday season!

Ingredients

• Cookie Dough

• 1/2 cup (100 ml) warm milk

• 1 tablespoon (10 g) active dry yeast

• 4 egg yolks

• 2 sticks (226 g) unsalted butter, softened

• 1 tablespoon vanilla sugar (1 kesica) or vanilla extract

• 3 cups (400-450 g) all-purpose flour

• Zest of 1 lemon

• Filling

• 4 egg whites

• 1 cup (200 g) sugar

• 2 cups (200 g) ground walnuts (pecans will also work)

• For finishing

• 1 cup (200 g) powdered sugar

Directions

• Combine the dry yeast and warm milk in a mug or small bowl and add just a pinch of sugar. Stir, cover, and leave in a warm place to proof.
• While the yeast is proofing, in a large mixing bowl combine the remaining dough ingrediants except for the flour. Once the yeast has proofed, add it to the bowl and then begin adding in the flour a little at a time. Start mixing with a wooden spoon and then switch to using your hands. Knead the dough until it’s compact and smooth. Cover and set aside.
• In a medium clean mixing bowl begin to whip the egg whites. When they start to become foamy, start adding in the sugar a little at a time and continuing whipping the egg whites for 3-4 minutes on the fastest speed. You should end up with a thick and shiny merengue once all the sugar has been incorporated.
• Once the egg whites have been whipped, turn off the mixer and fold in ground walnuts gently. Ensure the walnuts are folded in evenly throughout.
• Next, transfer the egg white and walnut merengue into a piping bag fitted with a piping tip or even just with just the end cut off. (I prefer to use a round tip for this recipe)
• Preheat your oven to 350 F/175 C. Spray your korpice (tartlette) molds with baking or cooking spray.
• Tear off a piece of cookie dough and press it into the bottom of the mold. Press the dough along the sides as well to ensure the entire mold is full. If the dough starts to run out of the mold clean it up a bit by removing the excess. The goal is to have a deep and adequate hallow center where the filling will be. Repeat this with the remaining dough and molds. Place the completed molds on a baking sheet.
• Once your molds are all ready, pipe the walnut filling into the center of each mold. If your kitchen is warm during preperation, your dough in the molds might begin to rise. Remove any excess and fill all the prepared molds with the filling.
• Bake for 20-25 minutes until the tops are light brown and the cookie crust is baked. Test one when you think it’s done 🙂
• Remove from the molds and allow to cool to just warm. Roll in powdered sugar and serve!

Notes

• You can find molds for this recipe online just search for mini tart molds.