Hungarian Nut Roll – A delicious dessert made with sweet yeasted dough that’s filled with an apple walnut filling and topped with a drizzle of icing. Perfect for any holiday!

Hungarian Nut Roll
Making nut rolls for Easter is a tradition at my house. It’s such a great dessert that can easily be made into a big batch with enough leftover to share with friends and family! Now the important thing to remember with nut rolls is that every recipe is different with huge variation in what goes into the filling and even slight differences in the dough. My recipe comes from the Hungarian side of the family and it consists of an apple walnut filling that is perfectly sweet and nutty!

Common Questions About Making a Hungarian Nut Roll
What is a Hungarian nut roll?
A Hungarian nut roll is a dessert made with a yeasted sweet dough that is rolled out and filled with an apple walnut filling. It is then rolled and baked before serving with a drizzle of icing.

When do you serve a nut roll?
It is a popular treat to serve at Easter, Christmas, and at any other major celebration.

What is the dough like?
The dough is a sweet yeasted dough similar to a streudel’s but without the delicate layering and instead, just one rolled out layer.

Are there any variations on the filling?
There are so many variations on the filling depending on where you get one in central Europe or America. Typically, the base of the filling is either walnuts (like this recipe) or poppy seeds. Additionally, there might be rum, apple, cinnamon, raisins, currants, sour cream, cherries, etc.

Looking for more international dessert recipes? Check these out!

Hungarian Nut Roll

Hungarian Nut Roll - A delicious dessert made with sweet yeasted dough that's filled with an apple walnut filling and topped with a drizzle of icing. Perfect for any holiday!
Ingredients
For the Dough
- 2 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast
- 1/2 cup milk (warmed to 110 degrees F)
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter (room temperature)
- 6 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
For the Filling
- 1 1/4 cups sugar
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- Pinch of salt
- 1 large apple (peeled, cored, and shredded)
- 4 1/2 cups ground walnuts
For the Glaze
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 3 tablespoons milk
Instructions
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, pour the milk and sprinkle the yeast on top. Allow to rest for 5 minutes before stirring.
- To the bowl, add the sugar, salt, and butter, beating until well blended. Add 3 cups of flour and mix until smooth.
- Change the mixer's attachment to a dough hook. Slowly add the remaining flour, scraping down the sides as needed, until the flour is completely mixed.
- Place the mixer on medium speed and knead the dough for 4-5 minutes.
- Remove the dough from the mixing bowl and place in a clean bowl spritzed with nonstick cooking spray. Turn the dough once to coat with oil on both sides. Cover and place the bowl in a draft-free area until the dough has doubled in size, about 1 hour.
- Meanwhile, make the filling by placing the sugar, butter, salt, cinnamon, and egg into a medium saucepan. As the butter slowly melts, stir the mixture together. By melting the butter over low heat and mixing the combination as it melts, the egg will not become scrambled or cooked. Continue stirring the mixture occasionally until the butter has completely melted and thickened enough to coat the back of a spoon.
- Stir in the walnuts and shredded apple. Remove from heat and allow to cool to room temperature.
- Prepare a large rimmed baking sheet (or two if using a smaller baking sheet) with parchment paper.
- Punch the dough down and divide into four equal pieces. On a lightly floured surface, roll each piece of dough into a 12x20 inch rectangle.
- Spread the filling across the dough, leaving 1/2 inch on all sides.
- Roll the dough up from the longest side like a cinnamon roll or jelly roll. Press to seal the ends and tuck under. Carefully transfer the roll to the baking sheet, placing it with the seam side down.
- When all four rolls are on the baking sheet, cover loosely and place in a draft-free location and allow to rise for 30 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Bake the nut rolls for 30-40 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool on a wire rack.
- To make the glaze, mix the powdered sugar and milk. Drizzle over the nut rolls.
- Slice and serve.
Never miss a Mildly Meandering recipe
Facebook / Instagram / Pinterest
